Australian Opals champion Tess Madgen will reunite with Lauren Jackson AO OLY in a newly appointed role as She Hoops Lead.
Madgen has been a supporter and featured mentor of She Hoops since 2022 and will now immerse and extend her expertise in a full-time capacity.
The Olympic medallist and former Opals captain spoke to the new role and her motivation.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to be involved in She Hoops programs over the years, and I’ve loved every second of it,” said Madgen.
“My passion for basketball and increasing female participation in the game has always been strong, but since retiring, I’ve had even more time to connect with my local association and it’s made me realise just how important this work is,”
“Right now, I genuinely couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. This is exactly the kind of work I want to be doing - helping to create meaningful, lasting change for women and girls in basketball.”
The potential of combining forces with long-time ally Lauren Jackson and joining a passionate and dedicated She Hoops team added to the decision.
“Lauren and Nikita (Vogel) have already developed some incredible programs, and their passion and vision are truly inspiring. She Hoops has already had such a huge impact, but we know there’s still more work to do,” said Madgen.
“The exciting part is that we’re not just talking about change - we’re making it happen. I can’t wait to be part of implementing these programs and working alongside associations and decision-makers to ensure basketball becomes a space where girls and women are fully valued, supported, and empowered.”
Lauren Jackson, founder of She Hoops and Head of Women at Basketball Australia welcomed the leadership and expertise of Madgen as the program enters a phase of expansion.
“We are thrilled to announce that Tess Madgen will take on the role of She Hoops Lead,” said Jackson.
“Over the past three years, She Hoops has experienced significant growth, creating new programs and opportunities for women and girls across all levels of our great sport. As we enter the next exciting phase of development, a renewed focus on expanding these opportunities and strengthening our programs is essential,”
“Tess brings exceptional leadership qualities, passion, dedication, and commitment, making her the perfect person to guide She Hoops into this next chapter. We are incredibly excited to welcome Tess into this role and look forward to seeing the positive impact her leadership will bring.”
It was recently announced that She Hoops would receive almost $1m in Play Our Way funding over the next three years as female participation and engagement hits unrivalled heights.
Matt Scriven, Chief Executive Officer of Basketball Australia reinforced the importance of programs like She Hoops and a continued commitment to driving initiatives that enhance access and support.
“Basketball has always been gifted with an incredible depth of female role models that aren’t afraid to be agents of change and advocate for greater equity in our game, and sport in general. It’s essential that organisations like Basketball Australia act as a vehicle for progression, not resistance.” said Scriven.
“Having two of Australia’s greatest basketballers in LJ and Tess together and driving this program is monumental. We look forward to seeing how far they can push the potential of She Hoops, which will expand significantly with 33 locations across Australia in the next cycle.”
A schedule of events and workshops for the next She Hoops program cycle can be found here.
