Stephanie Cumming is looking forward to playing with the Australian Institute of Sport in the Women’s National Basketball League this season.By Marc McGowan
WITH the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season preparing to tip off this week, one local teenage prospect is quietly going about her business.
Seventeen-year-old Stephanie Cumming, who was raised in Endeavour Hills and made her debut for the Dandenong Rangers in 2006-07, will be taking to the court with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in the upcoming campaign.
A two-year scholarship into the elite program capped a magnificent 2006 for Cumming, who played for Australia for the first time in the Oceania Youth Tournament in New Zealand last October.
She was also invited to the Australian Junior Development Camp in January at AIS headquarters and has remained in Canberra ever since as she follows her dreams.
“It’s been really good, tough, but enjoyable at the same time,” Cumming said.
“It’s been a lot different because the Rangers have a lot more older girls and all the girls had been there before and had the experience.
“It was like a team of coaches and they could tell you the little pointers, whereas here the coach tells you more what you’re doing wrong and what to work on.”
Cumming, who plays both guard spots, believes the six games she played for Dandenong last season will prove invaluable.
“It’s helped a lot in kind of knowing what type of intensity the games are and how hard it really is and the tempo they play at,” the former Eumemmerring Secondary College student said. “In the pre-season tournament I reckon I played really well and the team plays well together.
“I got to start one of those games and I’m pretty happy with how I played.
“I don’t know whether I’ll be starting because there are more experienced players here that have played a couple of seasons already.”
The AIS has already faced the Rangers during the pre-season, and Cumming relished the experience.
“We played in the pre-season tournament and it was a tough game, but I enjoyed being back and getting to see all the girls again,” she said. “There is kind of a rivalry with your old team and you want to come out and win, but it wasn’t too bad because you play against your team-mates at training all the time.”
As with any youngster, Cumming is keen to enhance her game, and that is helped by the AIS’ hectic training schedule.
She has team practice every day except Sunday, does weights three times a week, and also mixes in some cross training, conditioning and swimming.
“I need to improve my ball-handling skills and the truth is I’m not that tall, so I have to work on my shooting because that’s mainly what I do,” Cumming said.
“It’s kind of just about gelling with the team.
“I could have a really good game and score 30 points but not be playing well with the team and still lose – you have to learn how to play together.”
While her short-term goal is to become more consistent at WNBL level, Cumming has loftier long-term aims.
“I’m looking to make the under 19 Australian team, the Gems, (for the 2009 World Junior Championships) and the AIS is a really good grounding for that,” she said.
“(The selectors) get to see you train every day and they’re looking at what you bring to the team, like your energy and spark, and whether you get along well with the girls, which gives you a better chance.”
The AIS opens up against the Sydney University Flames at the AIS Training Hall on Saturday at 7pm.
