Wildcats Association Series: Andy Stewart, Cockburn Cougars

In his first season with the Perth Wildcats, Andy Stewart enjoyed immediate success as an assistant coach with a 2009/10 NBL championship, before going out on a high in his final year with another title in 2013–14.

Stewart’s list of basketball accolades and contribution to the sport is extensive, earning him an induction into the Basketball WA Hall of Fame in 2021. Though his journey into the game wasn’t an obvious path.

“As a kid I was always interested in football, certainly not basketball. Then my dad moved to Malaysia, so I ended up playing basketball and loved it.”

His introduction to basketball set him on a path into coaching relatively early, eventually leading to a long-standing impact across Western Australian basketball. His connection to Cockburn came through family, with his kids moving across from the Lakeside Lightning, where he had spent 13 years and coached more than 400 SBL games, to the Cockburn Cougars.

“My kids had started to move across to Cockburn, so I started getting involved there. One thing led to another, and it probably wasn’t until about 2016 that I got back involved in coaching kids.”

Over the past decade, Stewart has become embedded within the Cougars program, initially working within the girls program before helping build one of the club’s most memorable junior success stories with the under-14 group. 

Stewart and assistant coach Jess Van Schie guided a group that would go on to achieve a historic National Club Championship. The journey started years earlier when they were just 10- and 11-year-olds.

“We took them as a group of 10 and 11 year olds and saw that there was this pretty talented group.”

Their first nationals campaign was a learning curve, finishing well outside the top teams.

“I think we came 20th or 21st, but it was a great learning experience for all of us.”

It was a turning point that led Stewart and his coaching staff to study top Victorian teams closely and understanding the level required to compete. The following year, expectations were modest with a top-10 finish the goal, but belief quickly grew as the tournament played out. 

“Our objective was to finish in the top 10, but as the tournament progressed we realised that we were a real chance. They ended up winning it, but only by a few points. They were a great bunch of kids who just got better as the week went along.”

While he’s quick to downplay his individual influence, he acknowledges the importance of strong programs and environments.

“I don’t think it’s me, I think it’s the overall program, it’s definitely not an individual coach.”

Across his career, Stewart has worked with a wide range of players, including several familiar to the Red Army. At the junior level he coached emerging talents such as Ben Henshall, who he recalls being a high-level athlete and fierce competitor who regularly pushed boundaries on the court. 

Stewart embraced that edge, recognising that elite instincts sometimes require flexibility from a coaching perspective.

“Ben’s a real athlete and a competitor as well. He would often push the boundaries. I’d want him to play a certain style of defence, he wanted to steal the ball, and you had to go with that. He was so talented in that area. I enjoyed coaching him, and he surpassed the NBL1 level very quickly.”

The motivation to coach remains through the satisfaction in working with young athletes, helping them develop not just as players, but as individuals.

“I think most coaches realise a lot of it’s not about you, it’s very much about the people you coach and seing them grow off the court as well. Most kids only remember two or three coaches, and I’d love to be in that two or three.”

Stewart reflects on reunions with former players he once coached return years later as adults, some with families of their own. Those connections, and the ability to stay in touch over time, are as meaningful as any on-court success.

Looking back, there are plenty of standout moments. His time as head coach of the Perth Lynx, along with launching the Lakeside Lightning, and winning championships at various levels.

“I loved launching the Lakeside Lightning and we won a lot of championships (2005, 2006, 2009 and 2013), but the first one’s always that special one.”

At the same time, Stewart places equal value on seasons that didn’t end in trophies.

“Even some of the seasons where you weren’t successful, you still had a great time, where you could see the influence you might have had on some of the people in the group.”

In September 2025, he was appointed associate head coach of the Cougars men’s team ahead of the 2026 NBL1 West season, marking a return to hands-on State League coaching after more than a decade.

Catch the Cockburn Cougars when they take on the Bunbury Slammers, Friday 1 May at Wally Hagan Stadium.

NBL1 West Women tip-off: 6:20pm.
NBL1 West Mentip-off: 8:10pm.