PETER Harper is passionate about helping young athletes develop in Bunbury and is excited to be taking over in 2017 as coach of the South West Slammers in the women's SBL, but admits to be daunted by the task as well.

Harper began his coaching journey in football before it was his son starting to play basketball that got him involved in the sport. His road to coaching in the SBL has come after stints along the way with juniors in Bunbury and at state level.

He then worked with the Slammers' men's team as an assistant coach and having had a connection coaching females locally, once the women's job became available in 2017 after Julieann Bissaker stepped aside, Harper felt he was ready for it and put his hand up.

Harper has subsequently been appointed for the next two SBL seasons and is taking over the helm with a long-term vision of setting up a Slammers team capable of sustained success based around local talent.

It's fair to say it has been a rollercoaster journey for the Slammers in recent seasons with the championship win in 2012 before a semi-final appearance from eighth position in 2013, missing the playoffs in 2014, reaching the quarter finals in 2015 and finishing last with two wins in 2016.

Harper now is focused on building up a young group to grow together and be set up for sustained success with local talent the key to that.

"A lot of these young girls obviously have talent so it would be nice to see them progress from being bit players now and increasing their minutes to where they can become stars down the track," Harper said.

"It would be nice to get the group to the point where we don't need to top up with imports to compete and do it all ourselves, but that's down the track a bit. That is the goal long-term and I have signed for two years with an option so I'd like to see that out and see how we're going."

As for his own journey to now be coaching in the SBL, Harper was first introduced to basketball through his son wanting to play the game and things have just continued to roll on for him from there.

It got to a point a little over a year ago where he felt coaching in the SBL was something he could do. Then after further developing in the men's program, he put up his hand for the women's job in 2017.

"I've coached all levels of footy from Auskick all the way through to seniors, and I really got involved with basketball when our now 19-year-old son was playing under-12s with Paul Dugan as his coach," he said.

"I started helping him out with that under-12s team and then got involved with state sides with Paul before I got my own side as a state coach. Then I was an assistant with the men here in Bunbury and now this job became available and it was now or never for me.

"I probably only decided I might want to do this 12 or 18 months ago. That was when I thought if the job became available I would put my hand up, but I don’t think I was ready for the men's team at this stage.

"I have been coaching girls for the last three or four years so I thought if the women's job ever became available I would put my hand. But doing a year as an assistant with the men certainly helped my development as well."

Unlike in 2016, the Slammers have signed an import for the 2017 season with the arrival of Brittany Hodges to provide an imposing figure for South West at both ends of the floor.

But there's much more to be optimistic at the Slammers than just her signing.

Kate Fielding and Tori Dugan both return to the Slammers for the 2017 season while Courtney Bayliss showed her faith by re-signing after winning the club's MVP last year.

However, overall the young players who received opportunities last year and continue to do so including Raya Thompson, Georgia Denehey and Demi Liddle who played with WA at the recent under-20s National Championships in Bendigo is most exciting for Harper.

"We've added an import and all those young girls are a year older as well, and three of them went to under-20s this year so they will benefit from that experience. Hopefully the juniors will get a bit more court time as well and start to show what they can do at senior level," Harper said.

"We have had a good chat as a group about the team and what our goals are, and how we want to play the game.

"I think they all understand that you have to bring the same game every week to be successful. In their words, they said last year no one ever knew which team would ever turn up. This year we have stressed that we need the same competitive team to turn up every week."

Hodges arrives in Bunbury having played in Portugal last season after a four-year college career with Furman University Varsity, Greenville. Harper is excited by what she can provide to the Slammers once unleashed on the SBL.

"She will get up and down the court, hopefully pull in lots of rebounds and she can score with both hands inside," he said.

"She can also run the floor and that's what we want to see her do. We want to see her get out and beat the other bigs up the court."

To be able to welcome back a life member of the club in Fielding to help the emerging Bayliss gives Harper plenty of reason for optimism as well.

"Kate has been a really strong leader around the group already and her and Courtney have been really good with their peer coaching," Harper said.

"It was very important to get Courtney back, especially for her leadership around the group. She has been such a good leader and all the girls look up to her.

"She is a good, strong personality and she is very important to our group. Courtney has been a good leader with the group helping with the fitness levels too."

For Dugan to return after her time at college with Lakeland College in Canada is something that Harper has no doubt will be significant for the Slammers as well.

"Tori is a true point guard so she will add that bit of control at the point guard spot for us that some of the younger girls suffered from with their lack of experience," he said.

"She played a few games and was around the group in the year they won the championship as well so it's good to have players who have seen success. She's since benefited from a couple of years at college and we are looking forward to seeing what she can do."

Now Harper is knuckling down in preparation for his SBL coaching debut in the opening round for next Saturday's home clash with the Lakeside Lightning.

He admits to being nervous and daunted about what lies ahead, but is excited at the same time to begin growing something for the Slammers.

"It's a little bit daunting coming into my first year as head coach, but I'm enjoying the challenge. The girls are a good bunch and are working hard. I have to admit to being daunted but looking forward to the challenge at the same time," Harper said.

"I will be nervous, I'm not going to lie and more so than the girls probably. It's a challenge for me as well as it is for the girls to start a new season and journey together.

"I say it's daunting, but I am really looking forward to it. I'm going to have to grow with the girls and I will learn from good nights and bad nights like everybody else. That's the challenge that is ahead."

Photo: Slammers enjoying some team bonding