Buccs experience opens Trahair's eyes to coaching future

AARON Trahair's coaching debut in the SBL finals couldn’t have been any more dramatic or exciting with the Geraldton Buccaneers beating the Rockingham Flames in the quarter finals and it could have told him enough to suggest that coaching could be a career for the former NBL star.

Trahair is in his first season in charge at the Buccs following an outstanding playing career and he has taken Geraldton all the way to the semi finals with Game 1 against the Cockburn Cougars to take place this Saturday night at Active West Stadium.

The former NBL star and Perth Wildcats 1995 championship winner oversaw the Buccaneers to finish in fourth position at the end of the regular season before then beating the Rockingham Flames in two games in the quarter finals.

The first was a dramatic weekend in Rockingham with the Saturday night game cancelled because of a power blackout and then on the Sunday, the Buccs stormed home after trailing big much of the game to record a stunning Game 1 victory even without Matthew Adekponya.

The Buccs returned home on Saturday night and with Adekponya back in the line-up the Buccs overcame the Flames to win 107-101 and then advance to the semi finals against a Cougars team that finished the regular season on top of the SBL.

Week 2 Men's Quarter Final Saturday night wrap 
Hussey delivers for Buccs who now await Adekponya return 
Week 1 Sunday Men's SBL Quarter Final wrap 

Upon accepting the Buccs job in 2016 and having to relocate to Geraldton, Trahair wasn’t sure if he saw coaching as something that was for him long-term.

His playing career speaks for itself with over 400 NBL games between the Wildcats, Sydney Kings, Cairns Taipans, West Sydney Razorbacks, Hunter Pirates, Singapore Slingers and Wollongong Hawks.

He finished his playing days back in the SBL at the Rockingham Flames and then Mandurah Magic before spending 2015 as an assistant coach to Mark Utley at the Flames.

It was that time last year with Rockingham, who the Buccs just eliminated, that gave Trahair the inkling that coaching might before him.

But it still wasn’t until he actually was in charge of a team and now is a full season into his coaching tenure that he has realised it really could be something he would like to make a career out of.

"I think it's definitely something that is growing on me and I'm evolving with it as we go into the fun part of the season. I think I could do this long-term," Trahair said

"I have enjoyed it for the most part and I'm really starting to embrace it a lot more, and I definitely see it being something that I want to continue to do further down the track.

"That might be continuing at this level or even pursuing it at the next level. Time will tell with that but at this stage it's definitely something I want to continue to do."

It has been a learning curve without question throughout the season for Trahair and that's fair enough for someone coaching a team for the first time.

But the 40-year-old has been tremendously impressed with the whole Buccs organisation and with the playing group he inherited including Mat Wundenberg, Carter Cook, Aaron Ralph and Luke Wrensted, and has signed including Adekponya, Jackson Hussey and Maurice Barrow.

Having that playing group, a strong club and the community support that is sure to be out in full force this Saturday have all combined to see Trahair be full of praise of his first head coaching experience so far and he now hopes it has three weeks left in it.

"It has been different being the head coach. I've had a bit of a dab being an assistant for a couple of years to see if it was something that firstly, I enjoy, and secondly, wanted to pursue," Trahair said.

"It's like anything where early on there were a few question marks about a few things in my own mind but in saying that I think it's something that has evolved as the season has gone on, and it's something I have become more comfortable with and ultimately got better at.

"A lot of that is to do with your personnel and getting to know them a little better to put them in the best positions to succeed. The main thing about coaching is probably to do that. It's obviously a player's game but you still get a bit of a rush by being still involved.

"It's not the same as playing but on Sunday that was the first time as a coach where I've got that real exciting flowing through the blood and it felt like I was almost out there playing myself again. It has been a good move and so far, so good. Hopefully this journey this year goes on for a few more weeks yet."

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Natasha Gilmartin




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