Opals' three-day boot camp whichconcluded on Tuesday on the Gold Coast

Tag : Trekking Boot


Veteran guard Tully Bevilaqua learned the hard way when she becamethe last player to arrive for the Opals' three-day boot camp whichconcluded on Tuesday on the Gold Coast.

No mercy was shown to her 36-year-old legs after Bevilaqua hit theground running at the Australian Defence Force (ADF)'s Canungrabase for the official start to the Opals' Games countdown.

On the weekend Bevilaqua was soaking up the atmosphere at NewYork's Arthur Ashe Stadium playing for Indiana in the WNBA's firstopen air game.

She would have felt a world away from the WNBA's bright lights onTuesday when she joined the likes of Lauren Jackson trekkingthrough bushland in fatigues and war paint.

"She's the fresh legs so the girls have thrown her out to bethe leader in a lot of the activities today," Stirlinglaughed.

"She's the final piece of the puzzle. It's nice to have thefinal 12 for the final haul.

"This is the start of building the unity, strength and courageof the team - there's no better environment to do that thanhere."

Stirling would have been forgiven for feeling nervous watching thekey to their gold medal push - captain Jackson - crashing throughrugged bushland just weeks from the Olympics.

But Stirling said it did not make sense wrapping the world's bestwomen's basketballer in cotton wool despite the bonding camp'sbruising nature.

"You can't do that. You've got to continue to work hardbecause we have such a limited time together - this is the start ofour campaign," Stirling said.

"It's not glamorous. We've had the camouflage paint on, thefatigues and the backpacks - we had a ration pack for lunchyesterday.

"We were in the bush for seven straight hours yesterday in thedrizzle but we've had a bit of fun with it - it's somethingdifferent."

The strategic, team building and leadership activities took monthsfor the ADF to plan especially for the world champion Opals.

After boot camp there is a two-game series against Brazil -Wollongong on July 28, Sydney on July 30 - before the Diamond Balltournament in China.

It is the perfect lead-up for an Australian team hoping to win amaiden Olympic gold medal.

The United States again loom as the biggest threat - they havenever been beaten by Australia at the Olympics and last tastedGames defeat in 1992.

But the Opals have higher priorities right now.

"They can't wait to hit the showers," Stirling laughed.

"We are definitely getting our hands dirty here. We don't makea pretty picture right now.

"This is probably the first time in these young women's liveswhere three nights in a row they want to be in bed by 8pm, let metell you.

"But it's an experience they will remember for alifetime."