THE non-playing coaching career of Deanna Smith couldn’t have started more perfectly with the Perry Lakes Hawks opening the season 6-0 but she wants to make sure her team continues to push themselves to keep improving.

After starring on the floor for the Lady Hawks in their run to the semi finals last year, Smith has taken over as coach at Perry Lakes having previously coached the Cockburn Cougars while still playing.

The Hawks have now started the 2017 season with wins over Stirling, Kalamunda, Cockburn, Willetton, Lakeside and then the Senators again last Monday night at Warwick Stadium.

The return of Nat Burton to join Toni Edmondson has given the Lady Hawks that star power that Smith left with her retirement.

But the additions of Gabby O'Sullivan and Janique Kautsky to a group still including Lauren Jeffers, Sarah Donovan, Kate Anthony, Mia Satie, Danika Pisconeri and Emily Burton has been just as pivotal in the perfect start to the season.

Week 6 Monday night Women's SBL Results 

Smith can't fault the way that Perry Lakes has started the season not just because of the 6-0 record, but because of the way in which they are going about it.

"I'm one of those coaches who keeps pushing the girls to be better and I don’t want to seem like I'm not satisfied with what they're doing because they are doing a brilliant job, but I still think we can getter," Smith said.

"I'm not surprised with this start because they work their butts off and their attitude is fantastic, and they play for each other. I couldn’t ask for a better team to coach.

"My view is that regardless of the wins or losses, as long as we are getting better every week and we take care of the process, then the results should take care of themselves."

The biggest key to the Lady Hawks success early in the season has been the amount of contributors they continue to get each night.

Again on Monday in the 79-62 win over the Senators the Hawks had Nat Burton scoring 18 points (nine rebounds), O'Sullivan 15, Donovan 12 (seven boards), Kautsky 11 (six rebounds, three assists, three steals) and Satie 10 (five boards).

It is that depth of having so many players pull their weight that Smith is the happiest about right now.

It's how she wants it to remain starting this Friday night against the Perth Redbacks at Belmont Oasis.

"We had five in double-figures and we are regularly having that. That's the brand of basketball we want to play and if the other team shuts one person down, we want someone else to be aggressive," she said.

"I think we're doing a good job of that and we are being challenged each week and always go away with something else to work on. We have Redbacks this week and they're going to be tough.

"They are getting some tough wins now so it's back to the drawing board for us this week to make sure we are working on what we need to so we can get the win on Friday."

O'Sullivan has always been a livewire on the basketball court capable of delivering good hustle and putting up good numbers.

That's why Smith was keen to recruit her from the Redbacks this season even if she was coming off a limited preparation due to playing in the AFL Women's with the Fremantle Dockers.

She has come back in the best shape of her life, quicker than ever before and is giving the Lady Hawks that extra X-factor that could take them a long way in 2017.

It's also giving Smith extra options in the guard rotation.

"Her speed is phenomenal and I just go wow with some of the things she can do. Coming back from footy I knew she was going to be fit and aggressive and that's what we wanted," she said.

"She gives us a really good balance in the point guard position along with LJ who pushes and runs the floor. We've got a really good mix. Gabby was really important in my recruiting to give us that second point guard.

"Mia Satie had been doing a fantastic job filling that role but it frees her up now to play the two/three position. I can still use Mia at the one at times too so I have a lot of versatility in that position."

Another player Smith was excited to bring in for 2017 was the returning Kautsky.

She delivered an outstanding performance in Monday night's win over the Senators where she held MVP candidate Kisha Lee to seven points while having the 11 herself to go with six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

"I’m hoping she keeps doing that when Toni comes back as well. I want the girls to take that confidence and continue to grow together as a team," Smith said.

"I think the brand of basketball that we are playing is very team-orientated and our assists are a very high and we play for each other. Hopefully Janique can keep going now and it wasn’t just because she filled a void with Toni away.

"She was a key signing for me definitely for her experience and aggression. Just having someone who can bring that fire, drive and a defensive stopper attitude is really important for us and where we're going."

Photo by Vikki Hile