Estimated 6 minutes
The Toronto Tempo, Canada’s only WNBA team, is set to kick off in May – but will everything go as planned for the Tempo?
The league and players have yet to finalize a collective bargaining agreement. The original deadline was in October, but negotiations didn’t lead to an agreement even after an extension.
Team president Teresa Resch mentioned in a recent chat that they’re looking for a permanent practice facility, gathering feedback from the community and fans about a mascot, and working towards securing a local broadcast deal – which would be a first for Canada.
The Tempo made their arrival in Toronto with lots of excitement. They appointed general manager Monica Wright Rogers back in February 2025 and introduced head coach Sandy Brondello in November.
Brondello had previously led the New York Liberty (2022-2025) and coached the Phoenix Mercury (2014-2021), winning championships with both teams.
As of December, the team has over thirty staff members but hasn’t signed any players yet.
In an exclusive interview with CBC Sports, Brondello expressed that right now, she’s focused on “controlling the controllables.”
With more than 20 years of coaching experience under her belt, Brondello is handling this unique situation with confidence.
“We can do the preparation behind the scenes,” she shared with CBC Sports during her studio visit. “We’re out watching a lot of college games. We’re strategizing what the expansion draft could look like and potential players that we could have on. We’re targeting the free agents who we feel that we have a really good shot at.”
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Brondello was named the first coach in Toronto Tempo franchise history in November 2025. (Evan Mitsui/ )
Brondello believes that while this situation complicates things for the Tempo’s debut season, her background helps her manage challenges effectively.
“I suppose my experiences working with different teams has helped shape me, like what works [and] what doesn’t work? That doesn’t mean it’s always been perfect, but I mean what a great opportunity to learn from those situations.”
The former professional player and two-time league champion emphasizes her care for her players as individuals; she describes herself as a “players coach” who draws from her own journey as an athlete.
Brondello is married to basketball coach Olaf Lange , who was part of her coaching staff at New York Liberty. The couple has two kids , still based in Phoenix , which they chose so as not to uproot their family unnecessarily.
Her goal in Toronto is ensuring there’s unity on both court and off.
“I do a lot of activities and team building with my players because I think the more that they can get connected off the court and be more vulnerable and open about who we are … we come together as one.”
Building a culture from scratch
She’s keen on creating culture around this team that’s not just hers; it’s theirs.
“We’re building from scratch , and that includes the culture. You know , we’re building our culture from beginning. We’re building legacy for this new team , which is very exciting because we can leave our mark on it.”
The Tempo will join two other professional women’s teams: AFC Toronto (NSL) and Toronto Sceptres (PWHL). She met AFC Toronto coach Marko Milanovic during an earlier visit.
Brondello recognizes how vital it is to have fans supporting you along with city pride. The strong presence of women’s sports within Toronto was something she considered before taking up this role. Her belief in using women’s basketball as means to empower females aligns well with what Tempo aims to achieve.
She finds herself part of an ecosystem within professional women’s sports that’s continuously growing across Canada.
Brondello enjoys Toronto’s diversity; it reminds her of Australia where she’s from originally. She also pointed out how friendly Canadians are but admitted being surprised by how large Toronto is along with its heavy traffic situation.
Though Brondello hasn’t traveled extensively through Canada yet , she’s eager for exploration while learning more about it all ahead ; she hasn’t tried out Poutine yet either stating she’d choose it over Vegemite anytime!
Brondello brings lively energy along genuine candidness into coaching philosophy too! To young girls across Canada aspiring toward becoming basketball stars or coaches someday -she shares simple honest advice centered around authenticity:
“What you see is what you get from me,” she says. “I’m trying being best person possible! Sure I’ll face failures sometimes-but I’m quick learner nonetheless! So remember-don’t pretend someone else-be your true self!”
