Kathy's hall of fame honour

FORMER New Norfolk woman Kathy Foster will be the first Tasmanian player to be admitted to the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame when Basketball Australias hold its prestigious black tie induction dinner in Melbourne on November 21. The basketball hall of fame recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution at international or national levels, across professional leagues, through States or Associations, at the local level, or to Australian basketball generally.

Basketball Australia chief executive officer Kristina Keneally congratulated all of this year's inductees for their profound and ongoing impact on basketball as players, officials and contributors. “Australia is one of the best-performing basketball nations on earth, and that is due in no small part to the contribution people as passionate and committed as these ABHF inductees have made,” the former NSW premier said.

“Our players continue to show grit and determination both here in Australia and on the international stage, while our officials and contributors selflessly dedicate great personal stock to grow the game. These men and women are the heroes of basketball both on and off the court, incredibly deserving of their place in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame. We look forward to celebrating their invaluable work and ABHF induction with them later this month,” Ms Keneally said.

In a statement, Basketball Australia said:  "The pride of the Tasmanian town of New Norfolk, Kathy Foster is the first Tasmanian player to be inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame. In a WNBL career spanning 135 games, the three time MVP (1985, 1986, 1989) also won a Halls Medal in 1985 as the fairest and best player in South Australia (sharing the honour with fellow Hall of Famer Julie Nykiel) and was a member of the 1989 and 1990 WNBL All Star Five. At the international level, Foster represented Australia at an Olympic Games (1984) and two World Championships (1983 and 1986). Her crowning moment came in 1991 when she played a significant role in bringing a WNBL title to Hobart with the Islanders’ victory over the Nunawading Spectres. After hanging up her sneakers at the end of 1992, Foster has remained involved via coaching positions at all levels with a particular focus on her students at The Fahan School in Sandy Bay where she is deputy principal."

The Mercury newspaper has the story here.