Geraldton Buccaneers coach Dayle Joseph says team performance won him 2019 coaching gong

Things haven’t always been easy, in terms of basketball, for Dayle Joseph since 2019.

In fact that might be a fairly big understatement.

Since he won the SportFirst coach of the year gong at the Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards after leading the Geraldton Buccaneers to their first championship in 19 years, most of the championship team has moved on, the State basketball competition has been cancelled, and the stadium has, at one time, been repurposed as a disaster response base following cyclone Seroja.

But it’s all looking up.

After a planned step back from the local game this summer, Joseph has a recruiting strategy that should help the Buccs return to competitive form. And while he is currently moving house and has his awards packed away, it will soon be up on the wall in his new place — though he still credits the team with winning it for him.

“It’s been up on the mantelpiece,” Joseph said. “I’ve got a new house and a new room for all those sort of things. There have been some very good coaches win that award over the years. To win those individual awards is always nice but that basically comes along with your team winning. A good team always makes the coach look good.

“It seems a long time ago now, that whole progression of the grand final and the local support from the whole town in some ways. It was pretty special, and to get capped off with a local award in our home town was a nice touch and a nice finish.” Joseph won the award after he led the Buccs to the last ever State Basketball League championship, breaking a 19-year drought for the local team.

Basketball WA said the side had played like a “team possessed” to win the championship and credited Joseph with taking the win despite key player departures and illnesses.

“From the moment the 2019 grand final got underway, the Geraldton Buccaneers looked a team possessed,” BWA said. “Buccs coach Dayle Joseph returned to the coaching chair this season and certainly had his fair of hurdles along the way ... but ultimately he made all the right moves.

“I’m still trying to come to terms with what we’ve achieved,” Joseph told BWA after the final. They beat the Joondalup Wolves 92-80.

Nominations for this year’s awards, which has 10 categories, can be made before November 7 via the Mid West Sports Federation website, www.mwsf.org.au.