Basketball On The Internet.

CANBERRA Capitals, the WNBL's most successful club, have announced Kristen Veal as their new coach and expect Lightning assistant Natalie Hurst to move one seat to the left (or right, depending on the bench) and be named Adelaide's successor to regular finallist Chris Lucas.

Veal's elevation into a head coach role is no huge surprise after a distinguished playing career which, contrary to a typically breathless WNBL website report, did NOT include winning the 1999-2000 league MVP award. (That was won by a certain champion named Lauren Jackson, jointly with Trish Fallon).

After a lengthy coaching apprenticeship including stints as an assistant to various national junior teams and with the Caps, Veal has been in the role of head coach of the women’s program at the Centre of Excellence in Canberra.

Multiple championship-winning Hurst, spent a season playing for Lightning before spending the past two seasons as assistant coach. Her appointment is expected to be ratified soon.