Posted on 23 December, 2020

The Kilsyth Cobras NBL1 coaching lineup has been set for 2021, with Hannah Lowe and Peter Godfrey set to lead the Cobra Women’s and Men’s teams, respectively.

Lowe fills the Cobra Women’s head coaching vacancy following the departure of Sam Woosnam, where she will look to build on the remarkably successful Women’s program in recent years.

Boasting a wealth of experience at the state and national level, Lowe spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Sydney Uni Flames in the WNBL, led the Victorian U20 Women to gold at the 2020 Australian Junior Championships, and was the head coach of the U18 Australian 3×3 Women’s team that claimed gold at the Asia Cup in 2019. Lowe also served as an assistant coach with the Nunawading Spectres (SEABL) and Dandenong Rangers (NBL1) in 2018 and 2019, an additional six years as a Victorian Women’s state team assistant, and spend 2016-17 in the US as a graduate assistant with the Texas Christian University Women’s program which competed in the Big-12 (NCAA Division 1).

The current Victorian Women’s U20 head coach, Lowe was set to make her NBL1 head coaching debut this year with the Diamond Valley Eagles, but that was put on hold as the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19. Her debut will now come with the reigning-champion Cobras, and despite trying to fill the admittedly large shoes left by Woosnam, Lowe is up for the challenge of building on an already strong Women’s program at Kilsyth.

“I’m so excited to be stepping into the NBL1 head coach role in the Women’s program at Kilsyth,” Lowe said.

“I have big shoes to fill with coach Sam Woosnam stepping away but cannot wait to get started. I’m ready to compete at this level as a coach and look forward to building a program at Kilsyth that is shaped on a culture that is in line with the values of the club.”

Another NBL1 head coaching debut was put on hold in 2020, with Pete Godfrey returning to lead the Cobra Men in 2021.

Godfrey was appointed head coach of the Cobra Men in 2020 – his second stint at the club – having coached the Cobras at the Big-V VYC and SEABL levels between 2006 and 2015.

Godfrey spent 2016-2019 in the Big-V, leading Hawthorn to back-to-back Final Four appearances in the Big-V Championship division in 2019 and 2018. Godfrey’s success at the Big-V level saw him named the Big-V State Championship Coach of the Year in 2018 — the third time he has claimed league coaching honours since 2014. Godfrey spent eight years with the Cobras as the Men’s lead Assistant Coach (2006 to 2013), playing a key role in leading the Cobras to a regular season title in 2010 and conference runners-up in 2017.

In 2014, Godfrey took over the reigns of the VYC Cobra Men, guiding Kilsyth to the league’s best record and a Grand Final appearance in 2014, before going one better in 2015 as he led the Cobras to VYC championship. Godfrey’s stellar two-year stint in the VYC saw him claim back-to-back VYC Coach of the Year honours, in addition to being named the Basketball Victoria Coach of the Year in 2015.

Dealing with the frustrations of a cancelled 2020 season, Godfrey is craving to get back on the floor with the Cobras in the new year, where he looks to run back the majority of what would have been this year’s playing roster.

“Like everyone in the Victorian basketball community, I am itching to get back into (basketball),” Godfrey said.

“Up until just last week our 2021 roster was looking pretty much like the roster we’d put together to tackle season 2020. However with a couple of guys opting to depart Kilsyth to pursue an opportunity with a rival club we will necessarily look a little different for 2021. That said, when our team is announced at our first home game next year we’ll be calling out a bunch of very familiar Cobra names.”

With much of the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 season now in the rearview mirror, Godfrey has clear target for return in his sights – and a group of players committed to attacking the new year in great physical shape.

“We have slotted the date for the official start of pre-season in January and a core of the players are already doing some solid conditioning work,” Godfrey added.

“The draft NBL1 fixture landed last week and the fact that we are just 17 weeks away from game one in 2021 has energised the group. With the NBL running in parallel for half of the NBL1 season, the competition will likely look and feel a little different, but we are gearing for a tough league nonetheless and really looking forward to the challenge.”

Kilsyth Basketball CEO Will van Poppel is thrilled to have Hannah and Peter leading the Senior Cobras program into 2021

“We are excited to have both Hannah and Peter on board to lead our NBL1 Women’s and Men’s programs in 2021 – not only are they high-calibre coaches; but high-character people, too.” van Poppel said.