Netsiyanwa relishing the challenge of his new post as Liffey Celtics head coach

Liffey Celtics’ new Women’s Super League team head coach, Hillary Netsiyanwa is relishing the prospect of working with a squad that boasts some of the most experienced international players in Irish basketball.

The former Trinity Meteors boss has been brought in to replace Karl Kilbride, who was let go by the Leixlip club after three years in charge, the last campaign seeing him lead the team to the 2024/25 Paudie O’Connor National Cup and Super League play-off semi-finals.

While pleased with the squad’s advancement under Kilbride, the Celtics committee still concluded that the time was right to make a change at the helm, given the departure of a number of key players, including Rachel Huijsdens.

Netsiyanwa still, however, has a strong core of experienced players to work with in preparation for the new campaign, including captain, Áine O’Connor, Sorcha Tiernan, Ciara Bracken and Kate O’Flaherty.

And with some young competitors, like Kelly Bracken and Clara Boyce, having also been working their way into the squad over the past couple of seasons, Netsiyanwa is adamant the Kildare side has the potential to again make a serious push for the Super League crown.

“Liffey been successful in the Super League for a long time now and they've got those stalwart players like Áine, Sorcha, Ciara Bracken and a couple of other players coming back into the mix,” remarked Netsiyanwa. 

“Kate O’Flaherty has also been instrumental for them over the last couple of years as well.

“There's a wealth of experience and knowledge there throughout the players and that's a big thing for me with any team I lead. I'm a big fan of player-led programmes and I think that's really where the success comes from.

“You can be as good a coach as you want, but if the players aren't committed and thinking of having that player-led mentality, then it's a difficult one to get through.

“But I think with the likes of the girls that I’ve mentioned, they're all very much experienced, they know what it takes to win and they just want to work and get there” he said.

And with the help of a few new additions he is hoping to introduce to the squad over the course of the summer, Netsiyanwa is hopeful Celtics can take that final step to Super League glory.

The team fell one game short of that coveted prize last year when they lost out to Killester in the title play-off before again falling foul of the same side in this year’s play-off semi-finals.

“I think they've been unfortunate the last couple of years,” remarked Netsiyanwa. 

“The season before last, they were unfortunate in that [title] game against Killester.

“Killester had an amazing game and that's the way basketball goes sometimes. It's just about who performs on the day and unfortunately, Liffey we were on the side that didn't.

“But I think those kind of losses are huge for the progression of a programme. Those girls really understand that now.

“I think that showed when they played in the final of the National Cup the season just gone. Those lessons were very much fresh in their minds and that helped them get over the line.

“I think the club is definitely going to be in the top four once again. They’ll be competing for both a National Cup and a National League.

“I spoke to the club about this when I was appointed, and they said that they still want to continue on their journey to success and get over the line, where they've been missing out a couple of times.

“I'm hoping that I can come in and help that as much as possible. Everyone knows how good and how successful Liffey have been and I'm just hoping that I can add to that as much as I can,” he said.

In addition to his new role with Celtics, Netsiyanwa is also assistant coach with Niall Berry’s Ireland Under 18 Men’s team and skills coach for the Women’s 3x3 programme.

Having played basketball both in Ireland and, for a while, in Italy, he turned his attention to coaching at a young age.

Indeed, he has been coaching basketball for the past 17 years now and the experience he has garnered on the club, schools and international front is sure to be of huge benefit to him in his latest post as Liffey Celtics boss.

Netsiyanwa has already met some of players at the Leixlip club and has been hugely encouraged by the positive reception he has been given.

“I've met a couple of the girls over the last week or so just to introduce myself formally as their coach because, previously, they would've just known me as Hillary Nets, the opposing coach.

“I've been welcomed with open arms, and the committee have been really supportive throughout the entire process, so it just feels like I'm walking into a new home,” he said.