Stirling, the former head coach of the Australian women's basketball team, will take up the role of manager of the national programme, which will see her work closely with the athletes to help them improve on the bronze medal they won at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

"To be given an opportunity from Basketball Australia to again work at the elite level of sport, and in particular in the Australian women's wheelchair basketball programme, is a privilege and an honour, to which I hope I can contribute to the Australian team, staff and players in the programme," said Stirling.

The appointment comes following an evaluation of the programme in the wake of the 2010 World Championships in Birmingham where the Australia women's team, who are nicknamed 'the Gliders', lost in the bronze medal match to Canada.

The evaluation of the programme identified the importance of offering coaching staff the management and leadership of a high performance programme.

Among the key components to be offered by the appointment include experience in high performance basketball, international experience and the ability to provide the women's squad with the necessary guidance and teaching of chair skills.

Stirling is herself a world championship gold medal winning coach with the Australian women's team and has also been the consultant coordinator of Adelaide Power's leadership programme.

Stirling will now be looking towards the first camp under her new role, which will take place at the AIS from January 7-10, 2011.

Following the camp, the team that will compete at the Osaka Cup in Japan from February 1-5 will be selected.

Coaches involved in the program under Stirling will be John Triscari, Gerry Hewson, Ben Osborne, Alison Mosely and Matthew Dunstan.

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