Flynn’s charges sent him out on a high note in a classically Victorian win – hard-fought and intense. It might not have been the gold, but for Flynn it was a fitting end to life on the sidelines – helping coach his side out of potential trouble in a fascinating back-and-forth clash against Queensland North.
A mainstay of the Victorian high performance program for the last four years, Flynn has been crucial to developing Victorian metropolitan based talent but decided to put away the whiteboard and take a step back from coaching… for now.
After four under-18 campaigns – including three national championship victories in 2014, 2015 and 2016 – Flynn said the timing was right to take his leave and let the next generation of Victorian coaches assume the lofty mantle he leaves behind.
Tip off time! Good luck Vic Metro women. #AusChamps #TeamVic
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“You never say never, but I think it’s time for me to have a bit of a break – I owe a bit of time to the family, my wife has been incredibly supportive and the kids have probably got to get used to dad being at home on the weekends for a change… just for a little while,” Flynn said. “I’ve been really fortunate to have four really fantastic years as the head of the under-18 Vic Metro program.
“I’ve coached some incredible people and basketball players that I now get to watch blossom into senior athletes.
“I’ll obviously stay active within coaching but at what capacity we don’t know and we’ve got some fantastic coaches within Vic Metro basketball and Victorian basketball that rightly deserve their own time to step up and have a crack.”
Victoria Metropolitan Women saw off a dogged Queensland North revival to run out 84-79 victors.
After an amazing first half – building a 47-26 lead at the main break – the hometown crowd helped revive QLD North, slashing the gap at one stage in the fourth term to two points. But the cooler heads of Victoria Metropolitan – dogged guarding by Isis Lopes, Last-Tear Poa and Cassidy Gould in particular – helped our women claim the bronze medal.
Captain Cassidy Gould (18 points) was exceptional in league with Isis Lopes (13 points, nine rebounds, five steals) and Maddi Puli (10 points) while Emma Nankervis (seven points, seven rebounds) proved incredible from her 14 minutes on-court.
Flynn credited the group for bouncing back instantly after its semi-final heartbreaking loss to Victoria Country to secure the medal.
“Obviously the entire group was disappointed with the way yesterday’s (Friday’s) game panned out and that’s not to discredit Vic Country – they’re an incredible team – I think the girls just felt like they were much better than the margin that we had,” Flynn said. “So for them to regroup and bounce back today with a great performance I feel is a massive testament to their character – not just as basketball players, but also as people.
“It takes a lot of resilience to come back from disappointment like that and come out and play in the bronze medal game.”
#AUSCHAMPS | @Basketball_Vic Metro and coach @flynnie06 are chasing a three-peat next week: https://t.co/37KRYDt3Is pic.twitter.com/RiI1vLXP0s
— Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) April 14, 2016
And now, as he takes a step back from the Victorian sidelines, it’s the people met along the way he’ll miss the most. The successes were extraordinary, but the people involved in those wins mean even more to him.
“I think just the people that you come across – they are elite junior athletes, but they’re wonderful characters,” Flynn said. “And to play a role – not just in their basketball development but their personal development – they’re really quite important years in their lives and I’ll always hold that dear.
“I’ve had some really good coaches in my playing career that I still call for advice with life in general.
“If I can continue to play a role, in some way, shape or form or whatever capacity, then I know I’m leaving them having made a positive impact.”
Basketball Victoria’s Operations Manager Grant Wallace congratulated Flynn on his stellar run as Victoria Metropolitan under-18 women head coach across the last four national championships.
“Paul has been a major contributor and ambassador to Basketball Victoria’s High Performance program,” Wallace said. “To finish up as a state head coach with three national championships and a bronze medal from four tournaments is an impressive achievement.
“I am sure he will remain involved in some capacity to make sure Victoria remains at the forefront of junior women’s basketball.
“Without the hard-work and support of our coaches and staff, Victorian’s state team structure would not currently be in such a strong position, so we’d like to thank him for his time as head coach of the Victoria Metropolitan Under-18 Women’s team.”
