John Norman excited to return to basketball after being appointed for second stint as Wagga Heat head coach

Norman was last week appointed to the top job in place of the departing Colin Reed, who steered the Heat to a qualifying final berth earlier this year.

The changing of the guard marks Norman’s second stint as head coach after guiding the side during the 2013 season and acting as assistant coach between 2011 and 2012.

The veteran coach stepped down from Heat duties five years ago for family reasons but said the opportunity to come back was too good to pass up.

“It’s really exciting and I’m very happy to be back,” Norman said.

“I’d been involved with the club since 2007 and after the 2013 season, it was time to take a step back and have a break from the game.

“I really enjoyed taking that time to spend with my family, but once the opportunity arose to come back this year, I knew I was keen to come back.”

Basketball in the region has continued to grow in Norman’s absence with Wagga Blaze showing particular promise with two Waratah League titles in three years.

Though Norman has taken care to prioritise family above the game, he admits it’s been hard to shake the coaching bug.

“I haven’t been involved in any real capacity but the desire to coach never really leaves you,” he said.

“I’ve still been watching plenty of basketball and keeping in the loop.”

Now, Norman will be tasked with leading a Heat outfit eager to improve on their third-place conference standing.

“Obviously we want to be competitive and I’m confident we can put a strong team together for next year – it’s just about finding those players,” he said.

“I’ll be checking in and seeing which players are staying or going and I’ll also be having a scout around to see if we get any more talent coming into town.

“Usually December is a good time for that with new people coming in for university or defence postings, so we’ll be testing the waters a little and seeing what comes up.

“I’m certain we can put a really competitive side out on the floor and the proof will be in the pudding when we get out there and start playing.”

Senior trials for the Heat will kick off in November at Bolton Park Sports Stadium. 

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