Coston Signs To Play Ball Overseas

The Ballarat Community Health Lady Miners have recruited a non-Australian player for the first time in 5 seasons, signing 6-foot Crystal “Tuff” Coston (Mobile, Ala.) for the 2008 SEABL season.

With two-time League MVP Karen Ashby resting over winter, the Lady Miners have searched long and hard to find a suitable replacement, with assistance from Ballarat basketball legend turned player agent Allison Tranquilli.

Coston played four seasons with the University of Mobile, and in 2007 played in Ireland. In four years at Mobile, Coston was a 4-time NAIA All-American, 2-time Kodak All-American, and 2-time GCAC Player of the Year. Coston is also the only member of the 2,000-point club at Mobile, with a career point total of 2,073 points. She is also the career-leader with 1,259 rebounds.

Lady Miners coach Kym Cassells has been impressed with what she has seen.

“Crystal definitely earns her nickname” Cassells said. “She is a different style of player than we have had, she seems to thrive on contact and muscling players around.”

Cassells says that after 4 successive SEABL Grand Finals, a new dimension is exactly what the team needs.

“With Karen resting and Andrea Collins retiring, it gives other players a chance to step up and it will definitely change some aspects of our style”, Cassells said, adding that it was a good thing that the other teams might not know what to expect.

As for Coston, she is looking forward to playing basketball on the other side of the globe, saying, “I am thankful for the opportunity to join the club and I'm excited about coming and playing in Australia”.

“I looked on the world map to find that Ballarat is a long way from Mobile, Alabama.  However, I look forward to seeing what the culture and game is like there. “

Ballarat Basketball Club General Manager Robbie Burns said the race was now on to have Coston’s visa granted in time for the first game – a grand final rematch against Bendigo Lady Braves at the Minerdome on 1 March. 

“We will fly Crystal out in the next week on a tourist visa, but she needs a sporting visa before she can play. It’s going to be touch and go to have it approved by then”, Mr. Burns said.

The Lady Miners may also be without their other key signing Michelle Musselwhite for the season opener, due to her commitments with the Sydney Flames, and her availability will depend on her teams’ progression in the WNBL finals series. 

However, Mr. Burns said that the Club had taken this into account when deciding not to recruit national team squad members, as those players will be unavailable to SEABL teams after 1 June.

“We plan to play finals, and we’d rather have our recruits miss one or two games at the start of the season, than the whole of the finals series.”

Cassells said that whilst she would love to have both Musselwhite and Coston available for the first game, she said the Lady Braves should not underestimate the hunger of the younger Lady Miners.

“Believe me, the passion and desire for success burns stronger than ever”

Follow the Lady Miners and the rest of the league: http://www.seabl.com.au/index.php?id=31

Follow the Lady Rams: http://www.umobile.edu/athletic/UMSportsWeb.asp

(article from league web site)