29 July 2024
Australian Opals player Isobel Borlase’s Olympic debut caps off an extraordinary six months for the athlete, which also saw her drafted to the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA, with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) proudly playing a key role in keeping her on the court.
The 19-year-old has made an exceptional impact since joining the WNBL, recognised in her first season as the league’s Breakout Player of the Year in 2022/23, and named Adelaide Lightning’s Most Valuable Player in 2023/24.
However, a lingering back injury could have altered her trajectory.
Borlase is no stranger to the AIS, early in her career she finetuned her skills at Basketball Australia's Centre of Excellence, based on campus, alongside fellow Opal Jade Melbourne.
"It was a massive step to move away from home, but if you want to be the best, those are the kind of steps that you have to take, and there's no better place to go to than the AIS," she said.
Back in Canberra last year, Borlase was training for the Under-19s World Cup, while trying to manage a lumbar disc injury and annular tear.
"I was getting neural pains down the back of my leg, I tried to do well in training but my back just didn't agree with the load that was given".
On edge, and feeling like her progression was plateauing, Borlase spoke with members of the AIS Performance Services team and Basketball Australia, who offered her a lifeline, intensive rehabilitation.
When an athlete is identified as having a complex or ongoing injury, the AIS will use its expertise and resources to help them return to performance, while working closely with their sport or institute.
"We identify a block of time for the athlete to come here with the intent to try and fast track their rehab process," Andrew Heffernan, a senior strength and conditioning coach who worked with Borlase, said.
"Six days a week, Izzy would have two to three sessions a day, she worked with medicine, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, psychology, physiology and the dieticians."
After a few weeks her rehab moved back on court, where she worked with Centre of Excellence head coach David Herbert.
"Some elements of my shooting technique contributed to my back, he was a big help in rejigging my shot," Borlase said.
"After that six weeks, I left for the World Cup. Literally in that six weeks, they got me primed. I genuinely felt fit".
Heffernan says there is a sense of fulfillment knowing the effect intensive rehabilitation can have, but it doesn't end when the athlete leaves the AIS.
"We had a really nice handover to the South Australian Institute of Sport and Adelaide Lightning around the work we had done with Izzy.
“There's a heavy emphasis on education to limit these things happening in the future and how to manage and look after your body better."
Borlase remains in contact with the AIS Performance Services team and still uses what she learned.
"It's made me realise you've got to look after your body, if I don't feel right before I get on court l try the things I've been taught.”
"That six weeks was highly beneficial for setting me up for the future".
Borlase will make her Olympic debut for the Opals from July 29. You can learn more about AIS intensive rehabilitation here.