#WomenWillWin – Marianna Tolo

Marianna Tolo and Her BBall History

Among the professional players to be highlighted for this campaign includes 29-year-old Marianna Tolo, who we caught up with to hear some of her history and her advice to other players. As a child, Marianna was constantly preparing for a future she didn’t yet know was coming, training and playing until she was able to keep up when she received a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport. “My foundations as a child really set me up for life — by nailing the basics of my craft I was able to build from there,” she reminisced. “Every practise and game was an opportunity to develop my skills even further.”

She went on to grow her achievements and played all around the world, including the 2016 Rio Olympics and three bronze medals in three 2009, 2011 & 2013 World University Games, and still, her focus remains on the opportunity she had to meet other players.  “I was able to learn from my teammates, opposition, and coaches what it meant to be elite.”

Basketball Made Her The Woman She is Today

Marianna credits basketball in making her the woman she is today, listing it as the reason behind her confidence, teamwork, and ability to handle anything she runs up against. “I went from being a shy, quiet, uncoordinated kid to someone who is strong, skilled, and comfortable to speak in front of people.”

Marianna’s Future Goals

Despite her impressive history of success, Marianna still has her eyes on further goals. “In my immediate future, I want to win the WNBL championship with the University of Canberra Capitals,” she said. More long term, she intends to make the Opals team that goes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and win a medal.

“Sports has taught me so much that I will use outside of my sporting career including leadership, hard work, persistence, and discipline.” Marianna believes that her basketball experiences, such as spending three years playing in France, broadened her horizons. “It really challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone and helped me to develop other parts of my game that I hadn’t explored before.”

Marianna left us with the reminder that effort and teamwork are of vital importance when it comes to being your best, advice that should resonate with any young woman.