Paul Goriss
Basketball Coach
What’s your link to Townsville?
I moved to Townsville with my family when I was 10 and it was my home town until I moved to Canberra in 2000 to take up a position as Scholarship Coach with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) men’s basketball program. At the end of 2000 I moved back to Townsville to coach the Townsville Heat and in 2003 I was offered a position back at the AIS as Assistant Coach of the men’s basketball program. I’m still a true Queenslander and love going back home to visit family and friends. My mum and brother still live in Townsville.
Where are you now?
Living in Canberra in the suburb of Braddon, which is right in the city centre. I was at the AIS for 10 years as Assistant Coach with the men’s basketball program. Then when the AIS imitated the Winning Edge program for the Rio Olympics I was offered a position with Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence program, based at the AIS, as the women’s Head Coach. In April 2016 I was appointed Head Coach of the University of Canberra Capitals in the WNBL, which is now my full-time job. Last year I was also very fortunate and grateful to be appointed Assistant Coach with the Australian Women’s basketball team, the Opals, and work alongside Mackay-born Sandy Brondello.
What’s your next project?
My next job will be to review and assess our team for next season’s WNBL. We want to get back into the top four and recruiting will be a priority over the next few months. In regards to Opals commitments, we have a busy year in 2018 with a camp in Italy this month, followed by Commonwealth Games in Townsville in April for the round games. We then have the finals of Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. In July we have a tour to China to play six games and then the FIBA World Cup in September in Tenerife, Spain. Then the WNBL will commence in October, so I have a very busy year ahead with many exciting events.
How did your time in Townsville set you up for success?
If it weren’t for me getting into basketball with my school friends at age 10 when I first arrived in Townsville, I may not have ended up coaching. I have to acknowledge Townsville Basketball, Queensland Basketball and my club Whirlwinds for setting me up with basketball and coaching opportunities. Townsville set me on the pathway to coaching and that’s when I realised I wanted to try and pursue coaching as a career. My brother and sister are both successful in their respective careers too. In fact, my brother is the strength coach for the Townsville Fire and is doing great things with the team.