Orla O'Reilly must go down as one of the best basketball players this country ever produced

One of Ireland’s greatest ever women’s basketball players that graced the hardwood floors, both in Ireland and abroad, Orla O’Reilly, has recently announced her retirement from playing professional basketball.

However, the Cork woman is now in her first coaching role as Coaching Co-ordinator with the Keilor Basketball Club, based in Melbourne.

The main reason Orla decided to stop playing was as a result of suffering two consecutive concussions, and after receiving medical advice, she felt it was the right decision to make at this stage of her career.

In her playing career, she played professionally for over 10 years across Europe and Australia, including the top leagues in the Czech Republic, Spain, and Iceland.

“I’ve been lucky to be part of some incredible programs here in Australia, most recently winning both the NBL1 National Championship and the NBL1 South Championship with the Waverley Falcons,” Orla said.

“That season was especially meaningful, as I also gave birth to my son Archer in October, joined the team in January, and by August we had won a championship.

“Balancing training, games, and an hour-long commute across the city on very little sleep was tough at times, but the experience was unforgettable.

“I played with the Diamond Valley Eagles last season and although it was a difficult decision to stop playing, I felt it was the right time to step away from playing.

“This past season I suffered two concussions just one week apart, which took a bigger toll than I first expected. 

"In the months that followed, I dealt with ongoing post-concussion symptoms like daily headaches that would last from morning to night, along with balance issues. 

"My specialist advised me to focus fully on rehab and recovery if I wanted the chance to return to exercise in the future. 

"While my vestibular system is still rebuilding, I’m really grateful that the other symptoms have eased."

O’Reilly, who is now based in Melbourne with her partner Peter and her two children Finley and Archer, has now started her coaching career as Coaching Co-ordinator with the Keilor Basketball Club. 

However, with the experience that O’Reilly has crammed into her magnificent playing career, she will definitely be a top coach in the future, where ever or whenever a top job comes her way, but right now she is very happy focusing on coaching young athletes.

“I am based in Melbourne, with my partner, Peter and our two energetic boys, Archer, who is our little tornado at two years old, and Finley is our curious five year old.

“I had already started transitioning into coaching and have been working as a Coaching Co-ordinator at Keilor Basketball Club for the past year. My role involves supporting coaches within the girls program, which consisted of over 20 teams last season. 

"Keilor is one of the leading junior basketball clubs in the state of Victoria, so it’s been an incredible learning experience for me.

“I’m currently coaching the U18 girls, and we’ve just wrapped up the tryout process. 

"With so many players wanting to represent Keilor, we held four separate tryouts to form the teams. 

"To give an idea of the scale, the U12 boys, for example have ten teams ranging from 12 to 14 players on each panel. 

"The overall standard of junior basketball here in Australia is really impressive and I really love the way each day is different with the young players texting you after every training session.

“Looking ahead, I see my coaching future as a mix of working on individual skill development with players who are eager to improve, and continuing to coach teams. 

"I love working with youth athletes, so that’s definitely where my focus will stay. 

"Fortunately, Australia’s strong basketball culture provides endless opportunities for coaches and people passionate about the game."

The one thing that Orla definitely misses about Ireland is being near her family, however, she got the chance to get home last year for her parents to see their grandkids, Finley and Archer, who they met for the very first time.

“I had the opportunity to visit home in 2024 with my two boys, which was very special. 

"It was the first time my family met my youngest son Archer and it meant a lot to share that time together.

“I’m really looking forward to our next visit. 

"What I miss most about Ireland is my family, of course, along with the culture and the close-knit Irish basketball community. 

"When I was playing professionally in Europe, I loved coming home during the off-season to coach young Irish players at camps. 

"There’s so much talent in Ireland, and it’s inspiring to see more and more players now building successful basketball careers,” Orla concluded.