Taking Names and Keeping Score
Getting tough Down Under
Charlie Anderson
Now that Thomasville's own Crystal "Tuff" Coston has recently signed a contract to play basketball with the Ballarat Community Health Lady Miners in Ballarat, Australia, you can expect things in the world of women's basketball to get tougher in the Land Down Under. With her signing for the 2008 SEABL season, she becomes the first non Australian player recruited by the Miners in five seasons.

PHOTO BY ARTHUR MCLEAN Crystal Coston during her days as a player at the University of Mobile.

Coston, who graduated from Thomasville High School in 2002, has left her mark where ever she has been. At THS she was a good student and a two sport star, drawing attention from College recruiters both for her skill in basketball and in softball.

After making a choice to further her education and play basketball at the University of Mobile she took the Lady Rams and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference by storm in her first season on campus by being named freshman of the year in the GCAC and winning Honorable Mention NAIA All-American status. She followed that first year up with three more outstanding seasons in which she was named as a NAIA All-American all three years and established new records in almost every statistical category recorded by the University's basketball program.

Along the way she proved she was not just a basketball player but more importantly a student athlete by completing her degree in four years. This past year she took yet another first step in her basketball odyssey when she spent most of 2007 playing professionally for the Bausch & Lomb Wildcats in Ireland.

This new adventure into the land of the Kangaroo and Koala, which will not only take her to the other side of the globe, but will introduce her to a myriad of new things, has her excited. In an interview which is posted on the team's web site Coston talked about her thankfulness at having the opportunity to play professionally in Australia and learn about the culture and how the game of basketball is played there.

The Lady Miners are equally excited about "Tuff" becoming a part of the team as well. Team Coach, Kym Cassells has been very impressed by what she has seen in films of the Thomasville native and believes her more physical style of play will give the team a new dimension, which after four successive SEABL Grand Finals may be just what the team needs.

The team will fly Coston out this week on a tourist visa which will get her access to the country but they will be expediting as much as possible the process of getting her a sports visa which will clear the way for her to play basketball there. The urgency in getting the second visa is due to the Lady Miners' wish to have her as an active player on their roster before their season opener with the Bendigo Lady Braves at the Minerdome on March 1. The game with the Lady Braves will be a rematch of the Grand Final last season.

With all she has accomplished in the past, all she continues to do presently and all we can expect from her in the future, there is no doubt "Tuff" as she is affectionately known by teammates, family and friends has earned the right to be considered Thomasville's reigning First Lady in Sports. We wish her nothing but the best in this new venture and know that she will make us all proud as she teaches another part of the world how basketball is supposed to be played.

Until next time……be safe!

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Frances Nichols passes at 91	1
Bryant is a contestant in Ms. Senior Alabama Pageant	1
Dunagans to celebrate golden anniversary	1