Head coaches Ryan Petrik and Tom Knowles return to Rockingham Flames for upcoming NBL1 season

The Rockingham Flames have announced the return of men’s head coach Ryan Petrik and women’s head coach Tom Knowles for the NBL1 2023 season.

It was a standout performance from both teams in 2022, with the women making it all the way to the play-offs, the men’s side securing a historic win with its first ever NBL1 West Championship as well as the men taking home the national championship titles in a first for the club.

Ryan Petrik returns to the club for what will be his fourth year as head coach of the Flames’ men.

The coach said it was a massive year for the team in 2022, having won their first ever championship title in the NBL1 West and then the national championship without star player Devondrick Walker.

Petrik said this season, in the long term, he hoped the team could go “back-to-back” and “defend the national title”.

“Short term, it’s finish the regular season with another top-four finish, ideally top two again to protect home court and then it’s trying to make our third straight grand final appearance,” he said.

Women’s head coach Tom Knowles is also back for the 2023 season and said he was looking forward to a chance at this year’s grand final.

“We would love to win another flag for the Flames and have a double Flames grand final,” Knowles said.

“Our goal is to do everything we can to compete for a championship.”

In December, it was also announced that former Perth Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge would be taking on the assistant coach role with the Flames women’s team.

Knowles said he was “extremely excited and humbled” to have Beveridge as one of the assistant coaches this season.

“Bevo has been a mentor and has had a significant influence in the way that I have coached and developed my own philosophy over the years,” Knowles said.

“He was the first real exposure I had to the technical and more elite side of the game and I am extremely fortunate to have him as a mentor and friend.

“He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and we plan to utilise that to the full extent to achieve our goal.”

Knowles said that the team’s “heritage game” last year for the club’s 30-year anniversary was a highlight for him and one of the “most enjoyable games” he’s coached in the SBL/NBL1.

“The crowd was insane and we had a bunch of past players there taking part in the evening — it was pretty special,” Knowles said.

“One takeaway was that we have a few key areas to improve on as a group.

“We ranked very highly in some statistical areas but very poorly in some others.”

Knowles said he was hoping to focus on those areas in the upcoming season.

The NBL1 West season starts on March 31.