Toronto Will Be Home To The 12th WNBA Team, Led By Coach Sandy Brondello Who Is Building A Sustainable Success Formula.
When you talk to Sandy Brondello, it becomes clear that she thrives on challenges rather than avoids them. She's a woman who has spent her entire career pushing herself to the limit and beyond. From being drafted 34th overall in the 1998 WNBA draft to becoming one of only two coaches in league history to win championships with two different franchises, Brondello has always been known for her unyielding spirit.
Now, at 57 years young, Brondello is leading a new challenge - building Toronto's first-ever WNBA team from scratch. But this isn't just about filling out the league's quota of teams; it's about creating a sustainable success formula that will have lasting implications on Canadian women's basketball.
"We've been in this league for so long, and now I'm like 'what was next for me'," Brondello said. "And honestly, I could have gone down a different road, but I just felt like this is the right challenge for me."
With her leadership team in place, including President Teresa Resch, General Manager Monica Wright Rogers, and high-profile owners like Serena Williams and Larry Tanenbaum, Brondello's to-do list looks daunting. But she's not intimidated. Instead, she sees it as an opportunity to impart her values and teach good people how to do great things.
"I think the deeper the connections and the cohesiveness of the group off the court, it certainly does help it on the court," Brondello said. "You can handle any kind of conflict and adversity that you do face along the way, but I think if you have a really strong culture, you can overcome them way quicker."
Building a winning team won't be easy, especially with expansion rosters notoriously tough to construct. But Brondello knows the math and is confident in her ability to build a competitive roster.
"I want a team that will start strong in 2026," she said. "The Valkyries have shown what's possible."
But it's not just about winning; it's also about creating a lasting legacy for Canadian women's basketball. Brondello is aware of the uncertainty and unknowns, but she's not letting them get to her.
"We want to win, but it's also about the journey as well," she said. "And that's important to me."
Next year, history will be made as Toronto runs out together for the first time at the Coca Cola Coliseum. Brondello's team will have a chance to make their mark on Canadian women's basketball, and with her leadership and guidance, they won't be going in blind.
"We're bringing the WNBA to Canada, not just Toronto," said General Manager Monica Wright Rogers. "So the entire country is behind us and supporting us."
As Brondello prepares for this new challenge, one thing is clear - she's a coach who knows how to connect with people. Her authenticity is her superpower, and it's what sets her apart from other coaches in the league.
"No matter who you speak to about Brondello, they all land on the same thing: she knows how to connect with people," said Tess Madgen, former Opals captain. "Her beliefs and sticking to her beliefs is what makes her such a great coach."
With Brondello at the helm, Toronto's WNBA team will have a chance to write their own history in Canadian women's basketball. It's a momentous occasion that will have far-reaching implications on the sport as a whole.
As for what keeps Brondello up at night? She'll tell you it's not about winning or losing; it's about the journey and creating a lasting legacy.
"I'll come and bring my authentic self, and people will see the joy that we will play with," she said. "In the end, it really is a game. And hopefully, in the process, we can win and have success together."
When you talk to Sandy Brondello, it becomes clear that she thrives on challenges rather than avoids them. She's a woman who has spent her entire career pushing herself to the limit and beyond. From being drafted 34th overall in the 1998 WNBA draft to becoming one of only two coaches in league history to win championships with two different franchises, Brondello has always been known for her unyielding spirit.
Now, at 57 years young, Brondello is leading a new challenge - building Toronto's first-ever WNBA team from scratch. But this isn't just about filling out the league's quota of teams; it's about creating a sustainable success formula that will have lasting implications on Canadian women's basketball.
"We've been in this league for so long, and now I'm like 'what was next for me'," Brondello said. "And honestly, I could have gone down a different road, but I just felt like this is the right challenge for me."
With her leadership team in place, including President Teresa Resch, General Manager Monica Wright Rogers, and high-profile owners like Serena Williams and Larry Tanenbaum, Brondello's to-do list looks daunting. But she's not intimidated. Instead, she sees it as an opportunity to impart her values and teach good people how to do great things.
"I think the deeper the connections and the cohesiveness of the group off the court, it certainly does help it on the court," Brondello said. "You can handle any kind of conflict and adversity that you do face along the way, but I think if you have a really strong culture, you can overcome them way quicker."
Building a winning team won't be easy, especially with expansion rosters notoriously tough to construct. But Brondello knows the math and is confident in her ability to build a competitive roster.
"I want a team that will start strong in 2026," she said. "The Valkyries have shown what's possible."
But it's not just about winning; it's also about creating a lasting legacy for Canadian women's basketball. Brondello is aware of the uncertainty and unknowns, but she's not letting them get to her.
"We want to win, but it's also about the journey as well," she said. "And that's important to me."
Next year, history will be made as Toronto runs out together for the first time at the Coca Cola Coliseum. Brondello's team will have a chance to make their mark on Canadian women's basketball, and with her leadership and guidance, they won't be going in blind.
"We're bringing the WNBA to Canada, not just Toronto," said General Manager Monica Wright Rogers. "So the entire country is behind us and supporting us."
As Brondello prepares for this new challenge, one thing is clear - she's a coach who knows how to connect with people. Her authenticity is her superpower, and it's what sets her apart from other coaches in the league.
"No matter who you speak to about Brondello, they all land on the same thing: she knows how to connect with people," said Tess Madgen, former Opals captain. "Her beliefs and sticking to her beliefs is what makes her such a great coach."
With Brondello at the helm, Toronto's WNBA team will have a chance to write their own history in Canadian women's basketball. It's a momentous occasion that will have far-reaching implications on the sport as a whole.
As for what keeps Brondello up at night? She'll tell you it's not about winning or losing; it's about the journey and creating a lasting legacy.
"I'll come and bring my authentic self, and people will see the joy that we will play with," she said. "In the end, it really is a game. And hopefully, in the process, we can win and have success together."
! Sandy Brondello's philosophy of building a strong culture and connections off the court resonates with me. She's all about creating a sustainable success formula that goes beyond just winning games. It's about leaving a lasting legacy for Canadian women's basketball, and that's something I can get behind 
. At 57, Sandy is still pushing boundaries and taking on new challenges. That's the kind of leadership and mentorship we need in sports - someone who's going to inspire our young players to be their best selves.
. Those two are trailblazers in their own right, and having them on board is going to bring some serious excitement and energy to the league.
! With Brondello at the helm, I know we're in good hands 
. i mean, she's got an awesome leadership team behind her (serena williams and larry tanenbaum are on board 
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. she wants a team that not only wins but also has a strong culture off the court, which can definitely help them overcome adversity 
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, but brondello seems confident in her ability to build a competitive roster 
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. the fact that brondello is putting her values and authenticity front and center is really refreshing 
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Sandy Brondello is literally the ultimate coach - her passion and authenticity are infectious 
. And can we talk about how awesome it is that Serena Williams and Larry Tanenbaum are backing this team? 
️! I'm totally rooting for Brondello and the Valkyries to make their mark on the league 
. Bring on 2026 
can't wait to watch some amazing basketball games at the coca cola coliseum! but seriously, coach sandy brondello seems like an awesome leader 
like serena williams and larry tanenbaum! can't wait to see how they'll support the team. but what i want to know is, will they have any fun players on the roster? 
just kidding, kinda...
And don't even get me started on the roster construction... It's like they're gonna send a bunch of random players up there and expect them to magically gel? 
I mean, I love Sandy Brondello's vibes as a coach, but can she really make this work? We'll have to wait and see...