Stealing time from Marty Clarke

And that ain't easy...

As the head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport’s men’s basketball program as well as head coach of the Australian Under-19 Emus and assistant coach of the Australian Boomers, Marty Clarke is a busy man.

Last week he returned from a tour of France with the Emus and went straight into a coach’s summit in Sydney, then he attended the Boomers training camp in Canberra. This week he’s in Melbourne for the Under-19 Four Nations tournament against Spain, Greece and France while next week he’ll be in New Zealand for the FIBA U19 World Championship.

After that he’s revisiting his home town for the Under-16 National Championships in Ulverstone, Tasmania, then a day later he’ll be in Sydney for the second Boomers training camp. Then he tours Argentina and Brazil with the Boomers.

Four days break comes before the third Boomers training camp, then it’s Sydney and Auckland for Boomers games against New Zealand, a tour to China for the Stankovic Cup, two weeks rest and a tour to Italy with the next batch of Australian Emus.

He’ll traverse the globe over the next four months, leaving his wife Julie (nee Wilts, an Australian junior rep player who won a Bronze Medal at the World Youth Championship in 1989) and four kids behind, with Australian basketball the beneficiary.

We caught up with Marty for an extended conversation that covers all those topics, so sit back, relax and hear what one of the hardest working men in Australian basketball has got to say about life, family, work, college basketball and more.

CLICK HERE to listen to a conversation with Marty

Interview by Bill Baxter for BA Media

The Emus will be hosting the Under-19 Four Nations Tournament at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre from June 26-28, 2009.  Under 19 national teams from European superpowers Spain, Greece and France will join the Emus in their last chance to prepare for the FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand in July.  All four teams boast a strong reputation at the U19 level, each earning a podium finish in the previous three U19 World Championships.  Tickets are available right now through Basketball Victoria, and fans should grab them quick or risk missing out.  Call 03 9927 6666, or email ashley.stewart@basketballvictoria.com.au for your tickets today.