Jewel Williams always imagined she’d reach her NBL1 West milestones with Kalamunda and she will get to the 150-game mark there, but it’s in a Cockburn Cougars uniform and the challenge of that move will always be the best decision she ever made.
Everything about creating a new home for herself since leaving the Eastern Suns to join the Cougars back in 2022 has been a challenge for Williams, but that was exactly what she wanted it to be and she wouldn’t change a thing.
Williams was always one of the most exciting young talents in the state while playing at the Eastern Suns which saw her make her then SBL debut as a 16-year-old and then even earn an opportunity in the WNBL at the Perth Lynx on the back of that.
However, by the end of 2021 and having played 88 games at the Suns since her 2017 debut, she felt like she needed to push herself out of her comfort zone and embrace a new challenge.
She landed at the Cougars embracing the vision of coach Tyrone Thwaites to build towards a championship, and that panned out with the 2023 triumph where Williams was at the forefront as the starting point guard and mighty unlucky not to be Grand Final MVP.
Williams will now reach her 150-game milestone this Friday night when the Cougars take on the Eastern Suns at Ray Owen Sports Centre.
Reaching 150-game milestone
Williams is rightfully proud to reach her 150-game milestone while still only 23 years of age and hopes that her journey in the league, and basketball, is still just beginning despite all that she has achieved already.
“Reaching 150 games is a big milestone that not everybody gets to say they’ve hit, especially at 23,” Williams said.
“I’ve put in a lot of dedication and hard work through my juniors and into my adult career to be in this position and I’m super grateful for both the opportunity to play and the support I have had along the way from my teammates, coaches, and the fans.
“Each game has been a learning experience, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow and maybe go for another 150!”
Playing milestone on old home floor
Having grown up playing all her basketball at the Eastern Suns, Williams wouldn’t have been surprised up to the end of 2021 if you told her that all her milestones would be celebrated at Ray Owen Sports Centre.
That will happen this Friday night with her 150th game just happening to fall for the Cougars to take on the Eastern Suns up the hill, and she’ll always find it strange playing there on the visiting team.
“I had always envisioned myself playing at suns for my entire SBL/NBL1 career when I was there so it’s definitely nice how it worked out that way!” Williams said.
“Nonetheless I’m super proud and happy to be at the Cougars and to be able to reach this milestone with their full support behind me.
“It’s a bit of a strange feeling and I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to the long walk to the away team locker room!
“But other than that I think I’ve made Cockburn my home, Kalamunda will always have a special place in my heart, that was my second home growing up and there are so many people in the club formerly or present that have helped shaped me into the player and person I am today which I will always be so grateful for.”
Chance for reflection
What a milestone like getting to 150 games does is provide a chance to reflect on the journey to this point and for Williams that gives an opportunity to think of the people who have had such a big role on what she has achieved so far.
Whether that is on the home front with her mother, her younger sister Jordan who has started her own playing journey at the Cougars now, to Nicole Moyle who was her biggest influence at the Eastern Suns, or her teammates, Williams has a lot to be thankful for.
“Reaching 150 games makes me reflect on the many many people who have supported me throughout my journey. First and foremost, my mum has been my biggest supporter since day 1,” Williams said.
“From driving me to countless trainings and games, to cheering me on from the stands, she built a great work ethic into me and her belief in me and my abilities has always pushed me to strive to be better and not settle.
“My little sister has also been by my side throughout this entire journey, and her unwavering support has been a cornerstone of my success. Through all the good and the bad moments, they have always been there for me.
“My coaches have also played a crucial role in my development, and every single coach I’ve had has contributed to my growth in different ways. Specifically, Nicole Moyle has taught me more than I could have ever imagined.
“From the fundamentals when I was about eight years old, all the way through to now still providing me with insights, mentorship and guidance, she has been with me every single step of the way,” she added.
“Her dedication and expertise has been invaluable to me over my entire basketball and personal journey. I also think about my teammates, both past and present. I’ve been very fortunate to play alongside some incredibly talented and supportive players.
“We’ve shared success, faced challenges, and grown together, creating some lifelong bonds that extend beyond the court. I think reaching 150 games is a testament to the collective effort and support of everyone involved in my journey, and I’m very grateful for each person’s role in helping me reach this point.”
Making the move to Cockburn
The move to Cockburn at the end of 2021 for Williams took her completely out of her comfort zone, which was anything but an easy thing to do, but at the same time now into her third season at the Cougars, she is proud she backed herself to make the leap.
She is now a championship winning starting point guard as a result, she has had the chance to play in her first Grand Final and at the National Finals including up against the legendary Kelly Wilson from the Bendigo Braves, and her game has continued to go from strength to strength.
“Moving to Cockburn has allowed me to be playing with and against some amazing players and has challenged me to elevate my performance,” Williams said.
“The exposure has been invaluable to me, not just for my skills but also my understanding of the game, improving my IQ and mental toughness on the court.
“On top of that, the sense of community and support from everybody at Cockburn has been incredible, which has boosted both my confidence and motivation and made my experience here truly enjoyable.
“Especially when it comes to the coaching staff and Tyrone, who have really helped me transform my game and my mindset into becoming more of a complete and level player over the past couple of seasons.
“The move to Cockburn has been a pivotal step in my basketball career, helping me grow both on and off court.”
Hard work to keep improving
On the surface and looking on from the outside, Williams appeared to have a terrific season in 2023 with the Cougars to be such a key part of a team that won the championship for the first time in the NBL1 West.
She went on to have a standout Grand Final performance where she ran her team’s offence expertly and even made a massive defensive play late which helped to seal the eventual championship triumph.
However, when the dust settled and Williams found herself wanting to get better. She wanted to be better equipped to handle it when opposition teams hounded her and got physical with her, and wanted to improve where she was at physically.
That was her focus in the off-season and she came into the 2024 season in the best physical condition of her career, and it’s paid off with her now putting up 15.4 points, 3.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game.
“I’ve been happy with my personal performance this season, really focusing on improving various aspects of my game, including my shooting accuracy, defence, leadership, mental toughness and overall awareness,” Williams said.
“There have been some standout moments where I felt I truly contributed to the team’s success and of course, there have been games where I felt I could have done better, but those instances have been great learning opportunities for me.
“I’ve been so lucky to have such a wealth of knowledge in our group where I can always get feedback from my coaches and teammates or pick their basketball brains. Overall I feel more versatile and complete as a guard.
“While there’s always room for growth, I’m proud of the progress I’ve made this season and look forward to continuing those strides.”
Dealing with being defending champions
Whether in her career at the Eastern Suns or her first two seasons with the Cougars, Williams was always part of teams with that underdog mentality where they would have the opportunity to shock more fancied opposition teams.
That’s changed in 2024 because you can no longer sneak under the radar when you are the defending champions like the Cougars are, but with Cockburn sitting third at 14-4 heading into the last two rounds, Williams is happy with how they have risen to the challenges.
“This season has been unique and had its own set of challenges as we are in the position to defend our championship from last year,” Williams said.
“The target on our backs had never been bigger this season, with every team bringing their A game to try and beat us. This has pushed us to continually improve and stay focused.
“We’ve still faced a mix of highs and lows throughout the season, and the pressure to repeat our success can sometimes be intense, but it’s also been a powerful motivator.
“We’ve worked really hard to maintain the high standards we set last year both on and off court, and our team’s chemistry and resilience have been really important in navigating tough games,” she added.
“Our coaching staff are so important, they always keep us grounded and focused on our goals, making sure we get a little bit better every session and don’t take anything for granted based off our previous success.
“The West has gone up another level this season, and keeping our mindset growth focused has helped us stay sharp and prepared. So far, our success this season is a testament to our squad’s dedication and hard work.”
Forming quite the impressive back court
The Cougars back court was already mighty impressive in the championship triumph last year with Williams alongside Grand Final MVP Steph Gorman along with young guns Amelia Corasaniti and Kinley Paterson along with retiring captain Kristy Whitfield.
While Whitfield has now retired, Alex Ciabattoni is on board in 2024 coming off a standout WNBL season at the Perth Lynx even after coming off becoming a mother in early 2023.
Williams did play with Ciabattoni for a season at the Eastern Suns back in 2018 so was delighted to reconnect with her and now be ready to try and win a championship together at the Cougars.
“Chibba and I actually played together for a season at Kalamunda when I was a rookie so we aren’t strangers!” Williams said.
“Her basketball IQ is invaluable to me and we have a similar play style which helps me be able to steal her little tricks and moves to add to my game.
“To have Steph back this year has also been so valuable to me to be able to watch her defensively and take notes on how she moves, I’ve never been much of a defender but having someone who can clamp anybody in the league on your team is such a valuable learning resource.”
Cockburn Cougars Women’s Verse Rockingham Flames
What might lie ahead
Williams is just focused on the finish to the regular season right now starting on Friday night against the Eastern Suns before hosting the Perry Lakes Hawks at Wally Hagan Stadium a week later.
However, there is the prospect if things go to plan with the Cougars for some memorable experience over the next five weeks especially with the Grand Final to be played at RAC Arena and then the National Finals on the Sunshine Coast.
She’s not getting ahead of herself though.
“Obviously it’s really exciting to think about but I’m not trying to get too far ahead of myself yet – one week, one game at a time.”
