Video Shout-Out from Madeleine Garrick

Maddie Garrick is a professional basketball player with the Deakin Melbourne Boomers in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). Originally from Shepparton, Maddie grew up involved in variety of sports including netball, athletics, gymnastics, hockey and then at age 11, began her basketball journey after falling in love with the game. 

Maddie played domestically and first represented the Shepparton Gators before realising in order to pursue her passion for basketball, she would have to compete in a greater competition outside the Goulburn Valley. For the next 6 years, Maddie’s devoted parents drove her to and from Melbourne twice a week, to play with the Bulleen Boomers in the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL). This was of course in between weekly trips to Bendigo to train with the Bendigo Spirit WNBL team and spending all other weekends travelling around Victoria for Country Victorian State and ITC program camps. Through the country basketball pathways, Maddie was the first female to represent Victoria in all National Championships. It was from here, her talent was recognised further and she gained her first Junior Australian jersey in 2008. Two years later, aged 17, she obtained a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport, where she lived and breathed basketball for two years, whilst finishing her schooling. 


In 2011, Maddie represented Australia at the U/19 World Championships where she went on to represent Australia at multiple events including Youth Olympics, World University Games (2015), Opals tours and gained her first official Australian Opals jersey at the FIBA Asia Cup (2017), placing 2nd and qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. She made her debut with the Australian 3x3 team last year, gaining a silver medal at the 2018 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup. Her most recent national appearances however, were with the Australian 3x3 team, collecting a gold medal at both the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup and the inaugural FIBA Women’s World Series, as well as placing 4th in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup earlier this year. 
On the National stage, Maddie has established herself as a stellar player and sharp shooter in the WNBL, entering her 5th season with the Melbourne Boomers. Although her current club fell short of a National championship over the past few seasons, Maddie already has two championships to her name, which she obtained while playing for her former club, Bendigo Spirt. 

In addition to her remarkable sporting achievements, she has successfully juggled the demands of being a student-athlete through both school and university, and recently completed her studies at Deakin University with a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science.

Maddie also has an incredible personal story with her own mental health challenges, experiencing an eating disorder during her adolescence years, which she openly speaks about to connect with others on a personal level.