Spartans
18-09-08, 07:52
Spartans Farewell Big Joe
Long time Southern District Spartans Team Manager and Brisbane Bullets Manager Big Joe is scheduled to depart the shores of Australia on Tuesday 23 September 2009 to take up a management role with Cyprus based professional basketball Club, Seastar Apoel.
Having played all his junior basketball at the Southern Districts Basketball Association and more recently been the Team Manager of the Brisbane Bullets for the past 9 seasons, the basketball community in general will be losing a very big personality.
With the recent demise of the Brisbane Bullets the second time around, it became apparent that Big Joe was not going to find a home in the NBL for the upcoming 08/09 season.
“I went down to Melbourne and contacted the clubs whom I am close with but the second time we went down was simply too late and a lot of them had already made arrangements for the role to be filled,” Big Joe stated.
“I was one week too late with one club and just two days too late with another but that’s the nature of the game and this industry,” he added.
Having a double bachelors degree in business, Big Joe was nearly forced to return to the books as an accountant before getting an early morning 1am call from good friend and former Bullets head coach, Joey Wright.
“I was driving back from the Coast and got a text message saying to pick up the next call from a private number,” Big Joe said.
“It was Joey (Wright) who asked me if I’d be keen to join him over there, if a deal could be put in place. He called and we finalised it all and now I’m off,” he concluded.
Big Joe has been an extremely popular member of the basketball community here in Brisbane and throughout the nation, having involvement in just about all aspects of basketball from juniors to seniors both nationally and internationally.
“There is no doubt he will be missed by the entire basketball community,” Spartans General Manager Allan Ladewig said.
“He is extremely well liked, gets along with everyone and is just one of those guys who you know will be at any basketball event helping out where needed. I know we will miss him immensely.”
He has managed Queensland State teams, the Spartans junior and senior men’s teams in the QABL and SEABL to name a few, has co-organised State and National Championships and was an instrumental part of the all conquering Brisbane Bullets team of 06/07 who won an amazing 26 games straight enroot to the NBL Championship.
“Everything is just going so fast right now. I am really going to miss Brisbane, the people here and of course my mates,” Big Joe said.
“There is so many people I need to thank, but the three main people who stick out in my mind are Narelle Kelly (Former Bullets Operations Manager) Madonna Grimley (Virginblue Groups) and Eddy Groves (Former Bullets Owner) for everything over the past 9 wonderful seasons.”
Club Apoel requested Big Joe arrive in Nicosia on Monday 8 September 2008 but this was simply impossible but flights have now been confirmed to depart Brisbane next Tuesday, 23 September 2008.
“The first preference is to stay here in Brisbane, there is no doubt about that, but at this stage, that’s not looking likely. If a job opportunity presents itself before next Monday, I would stay in a heartbeat,” he concluded. “ I will of course be checking out players, while in Europe, for the Arrow Caravan and Towbar Spartans, my home town SEABL team. We already have some huge signing in Mick Hill, Adam Gibson, Greg Vanderjagt and at least three other current NBL players along with one of Australia’s best coach’s, making the trek to Carina in 2009”.
With that in mind and pending a working VISA approval by the Cypriot Consulate at this stage, it’s full steam ahead. The European season is scheduled to end on 25 April 2009 with Big Joe will return to Brisbane early April 2009 and will re-link back into the SEABL with the Southern Districts Spartans and hopefully the new Brisbane based NBL structure currently under review.
ENDS
For Further Information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au
Long time Southern District Spartans Team Manager and Brisbane Bullets Manager Big Joe is scheduled to depart the shores of Australia on Tuesday 23 September 2009 to take up a management role with Cyprus based professional basketball Club, Seastar Apoel.
Having played all his junior basketball at the Southern Districts Basketball Association and more recently been the Team Manager of the Brisbane Bullets for the past 9 seasons, the basketball community in general will be losing a very big personality.
With the recent demise of the Brisbane Bullets the second time around, it became apparent that Big Joe was not going to find a home in the NBL for the upcoming 08/09 season.
“I went down to Melbourne and contacted the clubs whom I am close with but the second time we went down was simply too late and a lot of them had already made arrangements for the role to be filled,” Big Joe stated.
“I was one week too late with one club and just two days too late with another but that’s the nature of the game and this industry,” he added.
Having a double bachelors degree in business, Big Joe was nearly forced to return to the books as an accountant before getting an early morning 1am call from good friend and former Bullets head coach, Joey Wright.
“I was driving back from the Coast and got a text message saying to pick up the next call from a private number,” Big Joe said.
“It was Joey (Wright) who asked me if I’d be keen to join him over there, if a deal could be put in place. He called and we finalised it all and now I’m off,” he concluded.
Big Joe has been an extremely popular member of the basketball community here in Brisbane and throughout the nation, having involvement in just about all aspects of basketball from juniors to seniors both nationally and internationally.
“There is no doubt he will be missed by the entire basketball community,” Spartans General Manager Allan Ladewig said.
“He is extremely well liked, gets along with everyone and is just one of those guys who you know will be at any basketball event helping out where needed. I know we will miss him immensely.”
He has managed Queensland State teams, the Spartans junior and senior men’s teams in the QABL and SEABL to name a few, has co-organised State and National Championships and was an instrumental part of the all conquering Brisbane Bullets team of 06/07 who won an amazing 26 games straight enroot to the NBL Championship.
“Everything is just going so fast right now. I am really going to miss Brisbane, the people here and of course my mates,” Big Joe said.
“There is so many people I need to thank, but the three main people who stick out in my mind are Narelle Kelly (Former Bullets Operations Manager) Madonna Grimley (Virginblue Groups) and Eddy Groves (Former Bullets Owner) for everything over the past 9 wonderful seasons.”
Club Apoel requested Big Joe arrive in Nicosia on Monday 8 September 2008 but this was simply impossible but flights have now been confirmed to depart Brisbane next Tuesday, 23 September 2008.
“The first preference is to stay here in Brisbane, there is no doubt about that, but at this stage, that’s not looking likely. If a job opportunity presents itself before next Monday, I would stay in a heartbeat,” he concluded. “ I will of course be checking out players, while in Europe, for the Arrow Caravan and Towbar Spartans, my home town SEABL team. We already have some huge signing in Mick Hill, Adam Gibson, Greg Vanderjagt and at least three other current NBL players along with one of Australia’s best coach’s, making the trek to Carina in 2009”.
With that in mind and pending a working VISA approval by the Cypriot Consulate at this stage, it’s full steam ahead. The European season is scheduled to end on 25 April 2009 with Big Joe will return to Brisbane early April 2009 and will re-link back into the SEABL with the Southern Districts Spartans and hopefully the new Brisbane based NBL structure currently under review.
ENDS
For Further Information please contact: sdbal@bigpond.net.au