Front cover copy to go here front cover copy to go here Date to go here From The COO As always, it has been a busy end to the year with lots of basketball activity taking place. The Smarter than Smoking BWA State Championships have seen almost 200 teams play over the first two weekends of the tournament, with games having to be played at Loftus Recreation Centre both weekends to cater for the demand. Well done to all of the teams participating and to the hard working volunteers at Associations and the staff at Basketball WA to organise a tournament of this size. Good luck to the teams participating in the last weekend. After hosting a game in Alice Springs and being on the road for two weeks, the West Coast Waves have two more home games this year on Friday 12 December against Dandenong and Saturday 20 December against Canberra. We would love to see as many people as possible at the WABC to help the team pick up a couple of wins heading into the Christmas & New Year break. Since our last newsletter we have also held our Smarter than Smoking Champions Cup program with the winning schools from all of our Association Cups participating at the WABC to find the top boys, girls and mixed teams from our popular schools program. Basketball WA is also holding three development camps in January with a Shooting Camp, Complete Player Camp and a Basketball Strength & Conditioning Camp. Further information on those camps is on the Basketball WA website. Lastly congratulations to our High Performance Manager Brett Coxsedge and partner Bronwyn on the birth of their second daughter Zara Clare. Also a notice to our members that the Basketball WA Office will close at 5:00pm on Friday 19 December and will reopen on Monday 5 December. Thanks to all of our members for another great year of basketball. Best Wishes to all of our members and families for a Christian Rice safe an happy holiday season. BWA COO In This Issue Country Associations 2 Champions Cup 5 Holiday Camps 6 Waves do Alice 9 Springs State Champs 11 The Basketball WA office will be closed from Monday, 22 December 2014 through to Friday, 2 January 2015 inclusive. We will re-open Monday, 5 January 2015. From all the staff at Basketball WA, we wish you a safe and happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Basketball Western Australia PO Box 185 FLOREAT WA 6014 6272 0741 [email protected] 2. BWA 2014/2015 Country Associations Please find some information regarding the 2014/2015 Country season: Affiliation All Associations who were affiliated with Basketball WA (BWA) during the 2013/2014 Country Season were sent the new forms for Season 2014/2015 on 4 July 2014. The deadline was 1 October 2014. If you have not completed Form A and nor paid the fee, please do so as soon as possible. If you have not received these forms, please contact Jackie Keepa at the email address below. NB: Form B – Player Registrations - and the accompanying fees, plus Form C, are due back by Friday 9 January 2015. These fees must be paid by the deadline if your Association intends participating in the 2015 Country Championships 2015 BWA Country Championships The 2015 BWA Country Championships will be held over 4 weekends in February/March 2015 at the WA Basketball Centre in Underwood Avenue, Floreat. The dates and age groups are as follows: Under 16/18 Championships: U16 Men and U18 Men and Women Saturday 7 February 2015 7.30am – 7.30pm Sunday 8 February 2015 7.30am – 3.00pm Junior Girls Championship: U13, U14, U15 and U16 Saturday 14 February 2015 7.30am – 7.30pm Sunday 15 February 2015 7.30am – 3.00pm Junior Boys Championship: U13, U14 and U15 Saturday 21 February 2015 7.30am – 7.30pm Sunday 22 February 2015 7.30am – 3.00pm Senior Championships: Saturday 28 February 2015 8.00am – 9.30pm Sunday 1 March 2015 8.00am – 9.00pm Monday 2 March 2015 8.00am – 3.00pm 3. Annual Country Conference: Sunday 1 March 2015 1.00pm – 2.30pm Please note that times are approximate, and will depend on the number of teams registered. The Nomination forms were sent out on 4 July 2014 and again on 11 November 2014. The closing dates are: Early bird with payment 12 December 2014 or the final date 9 January 2015. Working with Children Checks Every person over the age of 18 year working with children is required by WA Government legislation to hold a Working with Children Check card. This also applies to all under- age Team coaches and managers. Application forms are obtainable from Australia Post Offices. People who commence working with children can start prior to receiving their card upon presentation of the receipt of their application for the Card. The cost of the Check is $10 for volunteers. There are several exemption categories, but Basketball WA recommends that all coaches and managers obtain the card if they are with teams competing in the 2015 Country Championships. In addition, BWA recommends that every BWA Affiliated Association maintains a register of WCC Card numbers and expiry dates. You have been sent the template to use already. Each Association will be required to submit this list when nominating teams to participate in the 2015 Country Championships. Further information regarding the legislation is available at www.checkwwc.wa.gov.au or by phoning (08) 6217 8100 or 1800 883 979 (toll free) Referee Education & Training BWA has a new Education & Training Officer, Jess Byrnes. If your Association wants to purchase green referee shirts, Jess is the contact for these. All Referees attending Country Championships must be wearing a green shirt. Also if your Association has a group of participants and wishes to host a Referee course, please call Jess at BWA’s office for more information at email [email protected] or telephone (08) 6272 0760 Enquiries Please do not hesitate in contacting Jackie Keepa, BWA’s Community Basketball Administrator at telephone (08) 6272 0750 email [email protected] 4. 2015 U16 State Team Coaching Announcements Basketball WA is pleased to announce the appointment of its Head Coaches for the U16 Metro and Country Men’s and Women’s State Team Programs for 2015. Former Lakeside stalwart and Perth Wildcats assistant Coach Andy Stewart will head up the U16 Metro Women’s team. Stewart has a wealth of experience at junior and senior level, having been an instrumental figure in the development of the Lakeside Lightning. His knowledge and guidance is sure to have a positive effect on the women’s program. Brian Lawrie (Wanneroo) will take charge of the U16 Metro Men’s team. Lawrie has long been (and still is) involved in WA State team and Basketball WA High Performance Programs over a number of years. His leadership is sure to be instrumental in the preparation of a competitive team. Julieann Bissaker returns for her second year in charge of the U16 Country Women’s team. Bissaker will be hoping that her success at the WABL level with the South West Slammers will transfer to the State team program. She will be a year wiser which is sure to assist her in her building of a solid program. Rounding out the appointments is Haydn Kirkwood (Albany). This will be Kirkwood’s first foray into coaching at the State level. Kirkwood has coached on Basketball WA Development tours and currently heads up the NITP in Albany. His enthusiasm and passion will be important as he looks to put together competitive men’s program The U16 National Championships will be held in Ulverstone from 4-11 July 2015. Registrations for State trials are currently open. For more information and to register for the trials please go to www.basketballwa.asn.au PMBL and Super-League Update The PMBL’s newest division, the Super-League is nearing a close with Finals currently unfolding. The competition boasts fully-timed quarters, shot clocks, cash prizes for the Champions and Runners-up, as well as some of the best current and past SBL players in the state. With six teams competing for the inaugural title, the season has given its fair shares of tight games as well as blowouts. The season – which began in September – comes down to the Grand Final on the 16th of December. Join us in crowning the first ever Champions at the WABC from 7:30pm. The rest of the PMBL divisions are fresh into their new season, with the Summer 14/15 competition beginning late-November. The competition is once again completely full on all three competition nights with teams registering for the waiting list daily. Four rounds of games will be played before the break which will see us through the Christmas and New Year period. Games recommence on the 5th of January with Finals taking place towards the end of March. Those teams still hoping to join the PMBL are encouraged to add their details to the waiting list. If waiting list teams can’t be offered a place this season, they’re contacted as soon as nominations for the following season are opened. To keep up-to-date with everything that’s going on in the PMBL and WABC, like us on Facebook (BWA Perth Metro Basketball League) and check out the competition website www.pmbl.asn.au. 5. “SMARTER THAN SMOKING” CHAMPIONS CUP WRAP-UP The “Smarter Than Smoking” Association Cup program for 2014 has drawn to a close with the “Smarter Than Smoking” Champions Cup being held at the WA Basketball Centre on Wednesday, 26th November 2014.