Tom Maher
Tom Maher (born 4 September 1952 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian basketball coach, who is the most successful coach in Women's National Basketball League history, having won seven WNBL titles. He was WNBL Coach of the Year in 1987 and 1992, and is a Life Member of the WNBL.
Maher led the Australia women's national basketball team to their first Olympic medal (bronze) in 1996 and then on to silver at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He was head coach of New Zealand in Athens 2004, and coached the Tall Ferns to their best-ever performance of eighth. He coached the Chinese National Team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, finishing fourth. In 2016, Maher is coaching the Chinese National Team again, which marks his sixth consecutive Olympic Games as a national head coach.[1]
In May 2009 he was appointed coach of the Great Britain women's team, replacing Mark Clark. He coached Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Maher returned as coach of the Chinese side for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Coaching career
- 1993–2000 Head Coach, Australian National Women's Basketball Team;
- 2001 Head Coach, Washington Mystics, WNBA;
- 2002–2003 Head Coach, Canberra Women's Basketball Association;
- 2004 Head Coach, New Zealand National Women's Team;
- 2006–2008 Head Coach Chinese National Women's Team.
- 2009– Current Head Coach Great Britain Women's Team
Coaching achievements
- Australian National Team:
- 1994/1998 World Championship - 4th/3rd;
- 1996/2000 Olympic Games - 3rd/2nd;
- New Zealand National Team:
- 2004 Olympic Games - 8th;
- Chinese National Team:
- 2006 World Championship - 12th;
- 2006 Asian Games - 1st
Personal life
Maher is married to former Australia women's national basketball team captain Robyn Maher.