Basketball: Amy Gambrill named new Tamworth Thunderbolts women's head coach

After making the last-minute decision to return to the court in 2022, she knew it would be her last season playing in a Tamworth Thunderbolts jersey.

What she did not expect, after Tamworth's semi-final defeat to Canberra in August, was that she would soon re-enter the fold.

This time, however, she was the newly-appointed coach of the Thunderbolts women.

"When I decided that I'd hang up the boots, I thought 'I'd love to stay involved in the team'," Gambrill said.

"I certainly wasn't thinking [about coaching] at the start of the season."

Gambrill has ample coaching experience behind her, having mentored a number of Tamworth junior teams over the years.

Additionally, given a teaching career that has spanned over 15 years, Gambrill feels many of her professional skills will translate well to coaching.

"My job as a teacher is definitely going to help," she said.

"How to run training sessions, and how to relate to people, which is really important, and how to bring out the best in people - I feel like I do quite well with that."

Given the demands of Gambrill's day job and being a single mum, adding a coaching role to her list of responsibilities "will be a juggle", she said.

But she will not do it alone, as the Thunderbolts also confirmed that Kitty Humble will be Gambrill's assistant coach.

"Kitty's a highly-organised, highly-efficient person who's very emotionally intelligent as well," Gambrill said.

"She reads people very well, and we'll hopefully compliment each other in getting the best out of the team."

Former head coach, Tony Higgins, wished the best for Gambrill and the team going forward.

Although he and assistant coach, Jason Darcy, led the Thunderbolts to an unexpected semi-final berth in the team's first year on court since 2019, Higgins never intended to stay on in the role beyond 2022.

"[Darcy and I] had a lot of faith in the girls, we really hope it develops into a good season under Amy Gambrill," Higgins said.

"We wish the girls all the best."

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