In his 30-odd years of coaching, Brian Goorjian has never been more motivated.
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If Goorjian can deliver Australia's first-ever Olympics basketball medal, then surely a first NBL championship for the Illawarra Hawks in what will be 21 years is an achievable goal.
Goorjian and top Hawks recruit Duop Reath launched into a pre-season campaign with bronze around their neck, a result inspired by Patty Mills producing one of the great performances ever seen in green and gold.
"My love of the game has never been stronger," Goorjian said.
"I've been in the game a long time, I've coached here, I've been in China and to go over there and win an Olympic medal after all these years, it's motivating.
"And you can see how determined Duop is to reach his goals, to be a consistent Boomer and play in the NBA.
"We've got one of only a couple of Boomers players who won that bronze medal and are playing in the NBL, it's pretty special."
Some Olympians talk about achieving a lifetime goal taking a while to sink in, but for Goorjian, who is about launch into a pre-season game against South East Melbourne on Monday, the feeling was instant.
"We knew we had the whole country's attention and even today, we're still sending messages to each other talking about what we achieved," Goorjian said.
The next mountain to climb is taking Illawarra to the top, a year after the club emerged from liquidation.
The club announced on Tuesday a new major sponsorship deal with Pepper Money, who came on board as the Hawks rebuilt.
As part of it, they've launched a number of community initiatives, including with Multi-Cultural Communities Council of Illawarra, Clontarf Foundation, The Disability Trust, Southern Youth and Family Services, Greenacres Employment Services and Healthy Cities Illawarra. Goorjian took them to the playoffs last season but despite recording a rare win in Perth, couldn't find a way past the Wildcats in three games.
But he says the experience has been invaluable.
"It's been one of the best pre-seasons I've ever been involved with," Goorjian said. "Everyone who has returned is more settled, we know more about the community, we're better prepared for what's ahead.
"We've gone up a level."
After pre-season games against the Phoenix, Melbourne United, New Zealand and the Sydney Kings, the Hawks return to Wollongong for the NBL Blitz against the Breakers and Kings later this morning. Blitz tickets are on sale on Wednesday.
The Hawks first NBL season game is against the Phoenix in Melbourne on December 4.
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Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
