PAGE 1 PAGE 2 BOARD OF BASKETBALL IRELAND 2012/2013 CHAIRMAN ..................................................................................................Paul Meany MEMBER .......................................................................................................Dave Cody MEMBER .......................................................................................................Frank Cashman MEMBER .......................................................................................................Fergal Molloy MEMBER .......................................................................................................Helen King MEMBER .......................................................................................................Jackie Dunne MEMBER .......................................................................................................Ann Diffney MEMBER .......................................................................................................Derek McGrath BASKETBALL IRELAND NATIONAL COUNCIL 2012/2013 PRESIDENT ................................................................................................................ Gerald Kelly BASKETBALL IRELAND COACHES (BICC) ........................................................ Francis O’Sullivan BOARD NOMINEE .................................................................................................... Ann Diffney BOARD NOMINEE .................................................................................................... Jackie Dunne COLLEGES (NBCC) .................................................................................................... Noreen O’Connell COMPETITIONS STANDING COMMITTEE (CSC) ............................................ Margaret Miley GAME COMMISSIONERS ....................................................................................... Rovena Fahy INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (IAC) .............................................. Ger Tarrant NATIONAL AREA BOARDS COMMITTEE (NABC)........................................... Angela Hughes NATIONAL REFEREES COMMITTEE (NRC) ...................................................... Paul Dempsey NATIONAL TABLE OFFICALS COMMITTEE (NTOC) ....................................... Geraldine O’Neill POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE (PPSC) ............................................ Brigid Lalor POST PRIMARY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE (PPSC) ............................................ Paul Ryan PRIMARY SCHOOLS Mini-BASKETBALL COMMITTEE (PSMNC) ........Noel Keating SENIOR GAMES MANAGEMENT BOARD (SGMB) ......................................... John Landy WOMEN’S SENIOR CLUB COMMITTEE (WSCC) ............................................. Maeve Caffola PAGE 3 Message from FIBA Europe Dear Irish Basketball Friends, Following a wonderful visit to Ireland in January this year along with Mr Novak, it is now with pleasure that I can be writing this letter at such an exciting time for Irish basketball. I refer of course to the reformation of the Irish senior men’s representative team following a three-year hiatus. Playing against England in a friendly game earlier this year, this indicated a major step in the right direction for basketball in Ireland. Once more, future generations can aspire to wearing the green singlet of their country at senior level. I wish the best of luck to all those involved in the Irish basketball community for the up-and-coming year, and I hope to see men’s and women’s senior teams attempting to qualify for EuroBasket tournaments in the not-too- distant future. Kind regards, Olafur Rafnsson FIBA Europe President Dear Irish Basketball Friends, First of all I would like to thank you for your wonderful hospitality back in January when you hosted President Rafnsson and I. Congratulations on a successful year which has seen Irish basketball take a major step in the right direction, with two Irish basketball teams set to take part in FIBA Europe competitions in the pending summer. These teams, the U16 Men’s and Women’s squads – enter FIBA Europe competition at the youngest level, signifying Ireland’s obvious plan with an eye on the future. It is of no secret that large minority communities from countries with high basketball pedigrees have formed in Ireland over the past decade. I was therefore heartened to read earlier this year that moves have been made to involve these communities in Irish basketball programs. It is of my belief that this will lead to further strengthening the sport of basketball in Ireland, by bringing significant knowledge and skill to the sport, as well as deepen the nation-wide talent pool. Best of luck for the upcoming year and I sincerely hope that next summer we will see Ireland competing in our Men’s and Women’s competitions at both U16 and U18 level, if not more competitions. Kind regards, Kamil Novak FIBA Europe Secretary General PAGE 4 CHAIRMAN ’S REPORT BY PAUL MEANY In sitting down to pen this Chairman’ report, it occurred to me that I have now been involved with the game of basketball for fifty years! Half a century! A long time in anyone’s terms. Over that time, I have witnessed some of the greatest days and developments in Irish basketball but I have also been present at some of its darkest hours. Thankfully, after the near-death experience of 2009, I can report to the members and to the general public that we are now very much on the path to full recovery. Yes, we receive reminders from time to time about past difficulties but overall we can now focus on the effective management of our current financial situation and we can dream again about the future of our sport. I wrote to you in March about one of those legacy difficulties when we received word that we have to return 10% of capital grants which had been received from the Department of Sport between 1999 and 2006. The bad news is that this amounts of €124,000. The good news is that the progress that we have Controller, Donal Walsh, the support of for the day when we will again have made over the past three years means that FIBA Europe and our other stakeholders, money to invest in the expansion of new we are now in a position to absorb this together with the wise and understanding programmes to bring Basketball to new penalty over the next five years without counsel of John Treacy and the Sports levels both on and off the court. this blow being fatal. Council, have all been significant Perhaps at this point it is timely to contributors to our current financial The support of the members for our remind the members that the Board registration system, the courage of of Basketball Ireland (with its focus on the Basketball Ireland Patrons (who "Not alone is he the symbol governance, legalities, finance and the loaned us almost €250,000), The external stakeholders that influence our financial acumen of the Finance and figurehead for the sport game), the representative Council of Audit and Risk Committee of Basketball in Ireland but Basketball Ireland (with its focus on the (who prepared a workable he has provided practical joined up strategies to develop all the financial plan), the and effective leadership facets of the game of Basketball) and the astute and careful to the Council over the staff of Basketball Ireland (with their focus management of on being the service centre which glues the Association’s past twelve months." those elements together) are working hard finances by our to complement each other’s work in the Financial interest of the membership. position which gives us the capacity to deal with this latest setback. To see how this has been progressing, the Board and the Council sat down Yes, we are only half way through the in April to review how well the Board/ programme whereby we must make Council model was working. The €200,000 a year to pay off our debts, but meeting saw the Board and Council already the Board, the Council, and members united in their determination the staff, led by our excellent to build on the achievements to date and Secretary General, to take the next agreed steps to further Bernard O’Byrne, develop their respective responsibilities are planning by doing further work on the areas of PAGE 5 CHAIRMAN ’S REPORT CONTINUED Governance, Roles & Responsibilities and from his role as Communication for priority work. CEO of the ERC. Dave Cody became At this point I would like to pay public Company Secretary tribute to the Association’s President, and while all of the Gerry Kelly, who was elected at last year’s Board have given AGM. Not alone is he the symbol and huge commitment figurehead for the sport of Basketball in to their governance Ireland but he has provided practical and role, I would like to effective leadership to the Council over pay particular tribute the past twelve months. Paul to Jackie Dunne who In this regard, I also thank all of those has worked long long volunteers who have given their time hours to share her to the constituent bodies that make up governance expertise the Council, and I particularly thank with the Board. those people who have been nominated I have already paid to represent these constituencies on the tribute to our Secretary Council. General, Bernard O’Byrne. I now want to thank the excellent staff at Headquarters for their outstanding itself in financial meltdown. We thank work on our behalf. Today, I also want to the members for their commitment and pay particular tribute to Shane Whelan for their expertise. who left us since the last AGM to pursue a I look forward to seeing you at the new