Norma Connolly OAM

Norma Carolan was one of Central Queensland’s most talented players and represented Queensland at senior Australian championships in 1963 in Perth and in 1964 in Hobart.  

After the death of her husband, Jim Connolly, a member of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2014, Norma’s focus returned to coaching, and it was as a coach that she made her exceptional contribution to basketball.

Norma had commenced her representative coaching career as coach of the Rockhampton under 18 girls’ team in 1960. Between 1969 and 1991 she was the coach of the Mackay girls’ under 12, under 14, under 16 and under 18 representative teams at Queensland state championships or classics.  

Moving to Townsville in the early 1990s, Norma immediately resumed her coaching life, coaching the Townsville girls’ under 12 girls’ or under 14 representative teams at Queensland state championships or classics from 1995 until 2020.

She coached, assistant coached or managed Queensland girls’ under 16 and under 18 teams, and Townsville girls’ under 14 teams, at Australian championships for more than 20 years.  She was the coach of the Queensland girls’ under 16 team in 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977 and from 1979 until 1989, an exceptional contribution to Queensland basketball and basketballers.

In 1979 Norma’s Queensland girls’ under 16 team won the gold medal at the Australian championships at Devonport. Norma was also the assistant coach for the Queensland women’s team tour of the USA and Canada during December 1978 – January 1979.

From 1995 until 2001 Norma was the head coach of the Townsville Sunbirds in the Queensland State League. During her time as head coach the Sunbirds were QBL state championships in 1997 and were runners up in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

Norma was the manager of the Australian Under 19 Team, the Gems, for twelve years encompassing 147 games between 1990 and 2001. Norma’s distinguished time as manager of the Gems included three FIBA world championships: in Korea in 1993 where the Gems won the gold medal; in Brazil in 1997 where the Gems won the silver medal and in the Czech Republic in 2001 where the Gems came fourth.

In addition to these many coach and manager appointments, Norma was Basketball Queensland’s North Queensland regional director of coaching from 1990 until 2000, head coach of the North Queensland national development program in 1990, head coach at the Queensland Academy of Sport in 1994 and the founding head coach of the Townsville State High School basketball program.

Among her many honours, the naming by Basketball Australia of the under 16 girls’ Australian championship trophy as The Norma Connolly Trophy is a testament to Norma’s being recognised by the Australian basketball community as a coaching giant

Without fuss or fanfare, Norma has shown passion, commitment, dedication, and respect for those who have put themselves in her hands. She has helped to develop their aspirations, not only for the game which she taught them to love, but also for their life ahead.

Norma Connolly OAM is a most worthy inductee to the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2025.