By Duncan Mackay

Tom KyleMay 31 - Tom Kyle has been appointed as the new head coach of the Australian Gliders women's wheelchair basektball team, it was announced today. 


He will be based Basketball Australia National Wheelchair Centre of Excellence at the New South Wales Institute of Sport in Sydney and will work with the team until Rio 2016.

Australia won the silver medal at London 2012, the fourth consecutive Games they reached the podium.

But they are still looking for a gold medal having also won silver at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 and bronze 2008.

"The Australian Gliders have been one of the most successful sporting teams in this country over the past two decades, regularly winning Paralympic and World Championship medals - including medals at the past four Paralympic Games," said Basketball Australia chief executive Kristina Keneally.

"In Tom, we have a coach who has the ability to lead the team to future success and understands the expectations on the Gliders programme.

"We congratulate Tom on his appointment and look forward to seeing the Gliders continue to be a force on the world stage under his watchful eye."

Australian womens wheelchair basketball team London 2012Australia's women won a Paralympic silver medal at London 2012

Kyle brings a wealth of experience on the domestic and international front to the role as the current head coach of the Australian Under-23 men's wheelchair basketball team preparing for the 2013 Interntional Wheelchai Basketball Federation (IWBF) Under-23 World Championship in September.

He served as an assistant coach for the Australian Rollers men's wheelchair basketball team from 2009, helping the team win gold at the 2009 Paralympic World Cup and 2010 IWBF World Championship; as well as silver at London 2012.

Kylehead has also been head coach of the RSL Queensland Spinning Bullets in the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) for four years.

"This is an amazing opportunity ahead with the Gliders," Kyle said.

"They are a fabulous team who have continued to improve over the last four years, with such an established base we'll now look to take it to the next level.

"Additionally with Basketball Australia committing to a full-time position, it reinforces the commitment that exists to the Gliders programme.

"I'm very excited about what the future holds for the Gliders and the great things we can do together."

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