Bendigo Spirit guard Abbey Wehrung guides Tully Sharp through a drill. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
A special guest put local basketball prospects through their paces in a school holiday treat at Rochester Secondary College.
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Former Australian Opal and current Bendigo Spirit guard Abbey Wehrung ran three skills sessions for juniors on Wednesday, July 8.
The girls work on their handling skills.
Rochester Basketball Association president Megan Keating said the session was made possible with support from Campaspe Shire, with the day coming together quickly at about a week’s notice.
“(We’re) pretty excited to have Bendigo Spirit co-captain Abbey Wehrung here to teach our kids, give them some technical advice and have some school holiday fun,” Keating said.
“It’s nice for the girls to have ambassadors and people they can look up to in the sport of basketball.”
Youth Ballarat Miner Heidi Plim shows off her crossover for Ava Rasmussen.
Wehrung said she had a few reasons to say yes when Keating gave her the call about running the session.
Chloe McIntyre attacks the basket.
“My fiancé actually is from Rochester originally, so I was more than happy to come and help out and really excited to give back to the littler clubs,” she said.
“I grew up playing in the middle of nowhere, so I know what that's like and the travel that happens to get to the tournaments and the skills days.
“I guess I’m at the back end of my career and giving back is something that’s super important to me.”
Charlotte Wolfe puts it on the floor.
About 50 kids took part across the three sessions, with locals Heidi Plim, who plays at Wehrung’s NBL1 club Ballarat Miners, and Harrison Keating assisting during the day.
The sessions helped hone attendees’ basketball basics, including ball handling and shooting form.
“Basic skills and stuff that they can take home and do at home is super important because they won’t always have access to WNBL or NBL athletes,” Wehrung said.
Eliarna Pretty lays it up.
Wehrung represented Australia at junior level in 2011, winning the FIBA Oceania under-16 championship, and 2012, also featuring for the senior Opals in their bronze medal 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup campaign in Jordan.
She averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and two assists for the Bendigo Spirit in 2025-26, knocking down a sniper like 42.6 per cent of her 4.4 attempts per game from beyond the arc.
Billie Watson looks to finish at the rim.
The Spirit finished the season in third, with Wehrung re-signing in April for the 2026-27 season.
In the WNBL off-season, Wehrung has been focusing on her NBL1 South season with Ballarat Miners, the side looking to finish the season strong to secure a finals place.
She is averaging 17 points, 5.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds with the Miners.
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