| Townsville Flames | |
|---|---|
| Position | Head coach |
| League | NBL1 North |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1975-03-03) 3 March 1975 (age 49) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Listed height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| Listed weight | 74 kg (163 lb) |
| Career information | |
| College | SMU (1995–1999) |
| WNBA draft | 1999: undrafted |
| Playing career | 1999–2007, 2017 |
| Position | Forward |
| Coaching career | 2013–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1999–2000 | ABC Limoges |
| 2002–2007 | Townsville Fire |
| 2017 | Townsville Flames |
| As coach: | |
| 2013–2016 | Townsville Fire (assistant) |
| 2016–2019 | Townsville Fire |
| 2018 | Townsville Heat (assistant) |
| 2024 | Townsville Flames (stand-in) |
| 2025–present | Townsville Flames |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| As head coach:
As assistant coach:
| |
Claudia Melati Brassard-Riebesehl (born 3 March 1975) is a Canadian basketball coach and former player. She played for the Townsville Fire of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) and later served as assistant and head coach of the team. She competed for the Canada women's national basketball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Early life
Brassard was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her hometown was Saint-Hilarion, Quebec.
College career
Brassard played college basketball in the United States for the SMU Mustangs between 1995 and 1999.
Professional career
Brassard's first professional season in 1999–2000 was spent with ABC Limoges of the French Ligue Féminine de Basketball.
Brassard moved to Australia in 2002 to play for the Townsville Fire of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She played five seasons for the Fire, including captaining the team in 2004–05, 2005–06 and 2006–07.
In 2017, Brassard came out of retirement to help the Townsville Flames in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL).
National team career
Brassard competed for the Canada women's national basketball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2006 FIBA World Championship.
Coaching career
Brassard served as the Townsville Fire's senior assistant between 2013 and 2016 before being appointed head coach for the 2016–17 WNBL season, where she led the Fire to the semi-finals. In the 2017–18 season, she guided the Fire to a 2–1 grand final series victory over the Melbourne Boomers to win the WNBL championship. She stepped down as head coach following the 2018–19 season.
In 2018, Brassard joined the Townsville Heat men's team as assistant coach for the QBL finals.
In 2018, Brassard served as assistant coach of the Australian Gems at the FIBA Under-18 Women's Asian Championship. She continued as assistant with the Gems at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Women's Basketball World Cup.
Brassard coached the Townsville Flames in a handful of games during the 2024 NBL1 North season when head coach James Rapinett was unavailable. She was subsequently appointed head coach of the Flames for the 2025 season.
Personal life
Brassard holds Canadian, German, Malaysian and Australian nationality.
Brassard's husband, Mike St-Maurice, was coach of the Townsville Flames of the QBL in 2017.
In 2024, Brassard was appointed deputy chair of Basketball Queensland.
References
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Claudia Brassard-Riebesehl". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- "BASKETBALL". The Globe and Mail. 24 April 2000. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- "Claudia Brassard College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- "Les Equipes du Championnat 1999-2000 de La Ligue Feminine". riva.perso.univ-pau.fr. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- ^ "Brassard steps down from the Fire". Townsville Fire. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- "History". Townsville Fire. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- ^ Thompson, Michael (11 May 2017). "Fire coach to takes on charges in Flames v Mackay showdown". townsvillebulletin.com.au. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- ^ "Claudia Melati Brassard Riebesehl (Canada) - Basketball Stats, Height, Age | FIBA Basketball". www.fiba.basketball. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- Slatter, Trent (26 July 2018). "Fire coach Claudia Brassard set for assistant role with men's QBL side". townsvillebulletin.com.au. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- Slatter, Trent (25 October 2018). "Assistant Mark Wrobel takes reins as head coach for Townsville Fire for next two WNBL home games". townsvillebulletin.com.au. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- "Gems ready to take on World at FIBA U-19 World Cup". www.australia.basketball. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- "Claudia Brassard's new challenge". nbl1.com.au. 25 January 2025. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- "BQ News | Leadership Transition at BQ: Fiona Allen Takes Over as Julie George Steps Down". www.queensland.basketball. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2025.