COACHING any team but the Kalamunda Eastern Suns wasn’t an easy decision for Craig Mansfield but getting Alison Schwagmeyer to join him at the Lakeside Lightning made it easier and now he's looking forward to taking the club back to the Women's SBL playoffs.

Mansfield had a strong run as coach of the Eastern Suns that included a maiden grand final appearance in 2013 and regularly taking part in the playoffs, but he stepped away and needed a break by the end of 2014.

He kept a close eye on the league in 2015 and the approach by the Lightning who were looking for a new coach in 2016 made for a challenge that was enticing for him.

It was quite a challenge too with Mansfield tasked with rebuilding the Lightning following a horror 2015 season where they just won one game on the back of making the grand final in 2014 only losing to the Rockingham Flames in a thrilling decider.

The chance to take charge of a group that needed some moulding was exciting for Mansfield and he was glad to take the helm of a team with a good core of Courtney Byrnes, Tia Ucich, Ashleigh Grant, Courtney Beavis, Paige Davids, Olivia Waight, Alecia Knowles, Tiahrn Flynn and Jess Van Schie.

Getting former Suns import Schwagmeyer back was one of his first decisions as well and Devanny King has proven a strong second import.

The result is that the Lightning finish the regular season with an 11-11 record and likely in sixth position as they have the bye in this weekend's final round.

Mansfield knew that it wouldn’t be easy taking over the Lightning this year, but he has been glad with the way his players have responded to get back into the playoffs after the disappointing 2015.

"I was excited about it but it was a bit of a unique one because a lot of the squad had only ever played at one club with one offence and one defence. I really liked that system but it was a challenge to come in and adapt to it, and use what they can do," Mansfield said.

"I loved my time at Suns and the girls there, but this is also working with an entirely new group of people and I've really enjoyed it. The club has been great and I couldn’t really ask for a better group of girls.

"They are working really hard and I'm proud of them. I would like to have got two wins this weekend to go into the finals with, but coming from where they were and I know it's not the same team, but they have worked hard.

"They have also had to make massive changes learning about me and with me adapting to them. I am proud of what we've achieved this year and I would like to tick another couple of boxes before it's over."

Before even accepting the role at Lakeside, Mansfield put in the call to see if Schwagmeyer would return to play under him after she had an outstanding 2014 season with the Eastern Suns.

Despite not being 100 per cent fit for much of the season, Schwagmeyer has had a terrific 2016 and is capable of dominating games highlighted by her 19-point first quarter last Friday night against the Willetton Tigers.

Mansfield never doubted what she could still deliver and was delighted she agreed to play for him again after what has been a difficult past couple of years.

"Ali's a fantastic story in herself. She took 18 months off with her sister unfortunately passing away but she came back and got a few trainings in, and started playing pretty much straightaway," he said.

"She's carried a bit of a leg injury pretty much all year so the season she has had has been phenomenal considering all that. I probably made that phone call to her before I got the coaching position.

"It was a very early phone and she fits what Lakeside is about and the rest of it has been Ali fitting in with all the girls, and the girls getting used to playing with her."

Schwagmeyer is a major reason why the Lightning are back in the playoffs averaging 21.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.7 steals a game.

She has received plenty of help with Byrnes, Grant, Ucich and King among the Lightning players having strong seasons, but Mansfield has no doubt that Schwagmeyer deserves to finish high up in MVP voting.

"I would expect she will be very high in the voting to be honest. I would imagine there's a handful of games where she maybe hasn’t got top votes for us," Mansfield said.

"There probably hasn’t been too many games all season she hasn’t been one of the best three players on the court so I think she will be high in the voting.

"Candace Williams is another obvious candidate but it depends on how other coaches vote in terms of voting for their own players or players from other teams. Either way for me if I'm picking a team to play for my life in the Women's SBL, she is in the starting five."

The Lightning were without Byrnes for last weekend's losses to the Willetton Tigers and Perth Redbacks, but she will be back for next week's opening of the playoffs.

As for the bye in the final round, Mansfield isn’t sure what effect it will have but he will make sure his team is ready to go whoever they end up playing in the quarter finals.

"Courtney's just got a virus but it's a really bad one. She went to the doctor a couple of times and basically was ruled out last week and would have been again this week, so it's kind of lucky we have the bye in the last round of the season. But she will be back for the finals definitely," he said.

"I don’t know the answer. I'm looking at it as a positive thing especially given we have a fairly good idea who we are going to play.

"It means that effectively we get four trainings to prepare a little bit rather than just the two. Especially with a young and inexperienced team, the more time I can get to prep them the better. We are looking at it as a positive."

Coaching against the Eastern Suns this year provided for some interesting moments for Mansfield as well but scoring wins with both encounters means he will have some bragging rights over the family gatherings at least until 2017.

"It will never be like coaching any other team because my sister plays for them and mum's involved in WABL and everything there," Mansfield said.

"It was very weird coaching against them the first time but the second time I didn’t really think about it so much other than it was a bit different going into the visitor's change room.

"I still help out with the WABL team at Suns which was a pre-existing commitment I had. I still wish the Suns the best but not when they play us. There is a bit of banter between the family but a lot of that has died down now."

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin