Page 66 - Tropic Magazine Issue 34

TROPIC • SPORT

1. Penina Davidson
2. Cayla George & Penina Davidson. Credit: Boomers
3. Cayla George
4. Amy Lewis

10 QUICK QUESTIONS
WITH CAYLA

Favourite place in FNQ?
Anywhere with my family
1 An artist you're into at the moment?
Anything old school
Pre-game fuel?
Gnocchi
Run, row or read?
Row
First place you'd like to travel to?
Darnley Island
New in blue A Sunday ritual?
Açai bowl and dog beach walk
What's for breakfast?
BASKETBALL Oats
The Cairns Dolphins has 2 Second favourite sport?
Netball
recruited three WNBL stars to She last played for the Dolphins in 2011. What's your vice?
join the side this NBL1 North Originally from New Zealand, 6’3” Dog walking
season, including Olympian and Davidson has won two silver medals at Who do you admire the most?
FIBA Oceania Championships and played
Female pro athletes with babies
‘adopted’ Far North local in two Olympic Qualifying Tournaments,
Cayla George. as well as two FIBA Asia Cups.
The 26-year-old forward was encouraged
Not one but three WNBL grade players to join the Cairns side by George, who’s
will don blue this NBL1 North season, been charged with strengthening the
with Cayla George, Penina ‘Nina’ young Dolphins squad alongside Head
Davidson and Amy Lewis signed to the Coach Myra Donkin.
Cairns Dolphins. Lewis, an experienced guard, comes
Davidson and George are set to bring with nine seasons of experience in the
some extra synergy to the side being league across Townsville Fire, Adelaide
existing teammates, currently finishing Lightning and SEQ Stars.
up their WNBL season with the The 35-year-old also boasts a Bronze
Melbourne Boomers – and with George Medal from the 2009 World University
as Boomers captain. Games and joined the Australian
32-year-old George is a three-time Opals for their 2013 tour of China.
WNBL champion, two-time Australian She has joined Cairns State High
Opal, and one of the very few Australians School as a teacher this year too. 4
to make it to the WNBA in the The 2022 NBL1 North season is scheduled
United States. to start in April.
MORE: @cairnsbasketball

George’s vision for Cairns

Cayla George is pushing ahead for a happen if we introduce a WNBL
Cairns WNBL team during her season program here. We’ve already got
with the Dolphins this year. “We need an established basketball fanbase
to make the Dolphins championship and all the facilities, staffing and
contenders and replicate the operations to introduce a franchise
structure of the Marlins,” she said. here and I want to be part of that
“They’ve become the Taipans feeder process. The next couple of years are
team, and that is exactly what can going to be really exciting.”
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66 • Tropic • Issue 34