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We rarely focus on female sport, even when there are events that are more than worthy of our attention. One such scenario has been quietly bubbling away in the background over the past week, and that is the impending return of Lauren Jackson to the Canberra Capitals for the remainder of the WNBL season.
The story has been slowly and quietly bubbling away because getting Jackson’s signature has been dependent on the local Canberra business community, small as it is, raising a $220,000 purse.
In the end, aided by a gift from the ACT government of $50,000, some sixteen businesses in total made up the remainder to finally reach the target.
This is big news because we are basically talking about the best female basketballer in the world who would be able to earn much more than that on the European circuit. She earned that much back in 2004 for a five game guest appearance for Moscow club Spartak, which also happens to be her current club.
Jackson decided to opt out of her two year contract with Spartak soon after the untimely death of club owner, Shabtai von Kalmanovich.
Immediately upon arriving at that decision, she became hot property, so the Canberra community has done well to bring her back home against some stiff competition.
When straight talking Capitals coach, Steffie Graf, was asked about the displacing effect the return of Jackson might have on other team members, she replied: “Tough!” She quite rightly pointed out that for most of the team members, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to train and play with the very best in the world.
I lived and worked for a short period near the Capitals’ home base in Tuggeranong about eight years ago, and despite the very best of intentions, never got to see Jackson play live.
Canberra people shouldn’t let this opportunity pass because, after this season, they may never see Jackson playing out of Tuggeranong again.
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On a slightly different note, but still related to women’s sport with a Canberra twist, I’ve just read that Belconnen’s Alice Broughton has been invited to play Aussie Rules with the Canadian team, Calgary Kookaburras, and to be an assistant coach with the Canadian national team.
Calgary plays in a five team 9-a-side women’s competition, which they are hoping to eventually expand to the standard 18-a-side format in due course.
The Canadian’s are assisting with air fares and expenses while finding her work in Calgary for the duration of her stint, and we wish her all the best with her rather unique endeavour.
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