40th Anniversary Honourees – Gaylene McKay
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Deakin Melbourne Boomers, individuals who have made special contributions to the Boomers and our history will be honoured at each Home Game at the Boom Box.
For our Home Game this Saturday December 30, Dr Gaylene McKay is the esteemed guest whose history and success with the team will be celebrated.
Dr Gaylene McKay is one of the leading sport sciences experts in women’s basketball in Australia and is a big part of Australian women’s basketball.
Gaylene has had a lot of successes on the basketball court, being the first WNBL basketball player to amass over 300 games.
She also has been integral to the Melbourne Boomers and the health of our players, having utilising her sports medicine knowledge as the Head of Medical and leading physiotherapist for the Boomers.
Gaylene played for both the Bulleen Boomers and the Nunawading Spectres from 1981 to 1997, an incredible achievement on its own, for 338 games.
She was introduced to physiotherapy in high school after she suffered a significant injury to her ankle and from there, her interest in physio grew.
After finishing high school at Oak Park High School, she went to study physiotherapy at La Trobe University whilst simultaneously playing in the WNBL.
She won six WNBL championships while with the Nunawading Spectres (1983, 84, 86, 87, 88 and 89).
She then moved from the Nunawading Spectres to the Bulleen Boomers in 1991 and made the decision to be both team physiotherapist and team member.
Gaylene was made captain by her teammates for her last three years of playing for the Boomers, a massive achievement whilst also being the team’s physio.
Juggling both roles was hard for Gaylene but she pushed through and has worked for the Boomers ever since as a physiotherapist for over 30 years.
In 1985, Gaylene was co-captain of Australian Junior Women’s team who went to play for Australia in the inaugural FIBA World Championship in Colorado, USA.
Joining her in that same team was fellow Boomers legends Debbie Slimmon and Michele Timms and the team placed 6th in the competition, a great feat for Australia’s first international competition.
She was made a life member of the WNBL in 1993 for her basketball efforts both on and off the court.
Gaylene was also the head physiotherapist for the Opals, the Australian women’s national basketball team from 2017 to 2021.
She also completed her PhD at La Trobe University in 2003 in order to continue understanding basketball related medicine and rehabilitation, and her studies have helped her to understand the players she helps daily.
Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist Dr Gaylene McKay is also the Managing Director of Alphington Sports Medicine, a role she has held since the mid 1990’s.
Gaylene is the current Head of Medical for the Boomers, doing incredible work to keep our athletes fit and ready to face the other WNBL teams each week.
Gaylene was extremely honoured to be a part of the 40th anniversary tributes for the Deakin Melbourne Boomers and said she was “both humbled and honoured” to receive this recognition.
“I have been the physiotherapist for the Boomers from 1991 to the current season, which is 32 consecutive years. I am thrilled to be receiving this acknowledgement in this way.”
See Gaylene receive her acknowledgement at our next Home Game on Saturday, December 30 at the Boom Box, next to the Melbourne Zoo! You can purchase tickets for the game here!
OFFER: We have 20% off all upcoming home game tickets this season. Use code BOOMBOX to receive 20% off your tickets!