Spirit of the game...

[2 cents]

this may not be of interest anyone but just thought i would throw it out there..

was watching junior rep game in Gladstone yesterday and i saw a "coach" (and i use that term loosely) tell his team to play a full court press at the end of the game...

doesn't sound like a big deal but they were already up by 40 an the losing team only had 3 players left on the court after the rest of the team had been fouled out...

maybe im just old fashioned but personally i think that its pathetic an unnecessary and plain old bad sportsmanship.. is that what we want to be teaching our kids to kick a team while they are down???

i think in Mackay they have a "spirit" of the game rule which states that once a team is up by more then 30 the winning team is only allowed to play half court D and anything over is a violation and apparently repeats lead to a tech? is that true and do any other associations have rules etc that enforce good sportsmanship other then the obvious ones brought in a few years ago???

what do others out there in BD land think am i just getting old or is that coach a d!ck an teachin his kids the wrong lesson???

[CRACK]

"the mercy rule" is an unritten rule in sports, I feel if its a high competition its good to play till the last second of the game. I feel when its a team is up 20 they should stop pressing and pick it up at half court, I have also seen a "Club do this in under 12s and up by 60 points full court press.....

This is bad sportsmenship and is takes the enjoyment out of the game!

[Jeanelle Hurst]

My child was selected as a State South U 18 Girls Team member on the 9th February 2010 and deselected 38 days later on the 19th March because I couldn’t pay the representative fees within the payment schedule time frame.

The parents of the U18 Girls Squad were provided with the costs for representing the state (for the first time) on the 7th February , two days before the team was selected. The payment schedule required two $800.00 installments plus a further and yet to be decided amount to be paid in full by the 29th March.
Time line:
7th February State representation Fees and Payment Schedule given to State Team squad.
9th February State Team selected and team members notified.
15th February 2010: 1st Payment of $800.00 required.
15th March 2010: 2nd Payment of $800.00 required.
29th March 2010: 3rd Final and yet to be determined amount required.
10th April U18 Nationals
This payment schedule demanded that my child fundraise $279 per week over 7 weeks from the date of selection.

I first became aware of the financial viability pre-requisite for all state representatives when my girl was 12 years old.

At that time the parents of my child’s representative school team were required to sign a document stating words to the effect - that - if my child is selected for the state team I will have the financial resources to pay for all the competition costs.

The situation was made clear to the parents that if you didn't have the resources and or the document wasn’t signed your child would not be considered for selection to the state team.

I didn't have the resources to pay her way but signed the document in order to allow her to be viewed and assessed as financially viable.

I spoke recently with the parent of another child who told me that over the past five years she had been questioned regarding her families financial viability prior to the selection process for every major competitive event.

The family is of Polynesian descent and on one occasion the parent was questioned in front of another parent. Following the inquiry the other parent commented that she had never been asked this question. The parent who was the subject of the inquiry responded that perhaps it was because she drove a BMW.


The state team pathway is the only recognized and signposted single lane pathway for progression towards national representation and 'professional' basketball in Australia and yet this pathway imposes financial hurdles and brick walls at every opportunity for advancement.

Many people would argue that the user pays system maintains and justifies the club representative pathway system in Australia.

I’ve observed that the user pays system denies access and opportunities to financially and socially marginalized children and youth.

Many people would argue that the user pays system as funded by families throughout Australia allows thousands of children, youth and parents to chase and live the representative dream.

Yet only a handful of youth gain access to NITP, AIS programs and national representation.

The vast majority are left to play social basketball and tick the lifestyle benefits box.


We have a school representative system that has a parasitic relationship with club basketball enlisting the services of club and association trained representative players to showcase school basketball at the expense of families who are already drip feeding the Australian club system.

Aside from a handful of schools that may now be offering scholarships to emerging athletes school basketball offers little and nothing - but more financial and time management burden to sporting families.
Schools and clubs compete for the services of young athletes with little or no thought given to their young player’s physical, emotional, academic and financial needs beyond the next major tournament.

The club and school systems in Australia seem to be built on the premise that families have unlimited resources.

And yet families watched in wonder as national teams were brought to their knees by limited and finite resources.

Why aren’t the lessons learnt at the senior national level applied to junior basketball ?.

Following the death dive of the Brisbane Bullets people spoke about going back to the grass roots.
If the grass roots is junior basketball then why isn’t junior basketball rationalized and constructed on the principal of limited resources.

If it were then we would be forced to deconstruct the club representative system in Australia and force the hand of a national school based competition that would broaden, increase and strengthen the player and spectator base throughout Australia…reaching into and supporting regional areas in every state and giving every child a fair go.

Sporting and academic progress and achievement would be strapped at the ankle and aligned at the hip pocket to offer the best possible outcomes for children and youth.

The spectator base would develop and expand as the school and surrounding community identified with their basketball team(s) following their progress into representative and professional basketball.
Fundraising would become a community inspired event working to support the school team(s) while promoting the school and basketball within the wider community.

Basketball stadiums are mushrooming out of schools all over the state suggesting that the infrastructure is developing to sustain a national schools basketball program / schedule utilizing both school and club/association stadiums.
Scholarships at secondary and tertiary level would evolve in response to the need to provide opportunities within Australia and slow the flow of our athletes seeking opportunities overseas.

The representative club system in Australia is modeled in the shape of a pyramid designed to channel a handful of kids into the NITP, AIS programs and on to national representation.

Australia also needs a more egalitarian fan shaped model offering academic, sporting, career and lifestyle options for the majority of our kids.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

With reference to the 2009 – 2010 exclusion and banning of the U12, U14, U16, U18 and U20 children and youth who play and train under the PAWES umbrella.

http://www.ntis.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/63815/NRETAS_Member_Protection_Policy.pdf

NORTHERN TERRITORY INSTITUTE OF SPORT
Member Protection Policy

"2.2 Victimisation
Victimisation means subjecting a person, or threatening to subject a person, to any detriment or unfair treatment because that person has or intends to pursue their right (under anti-discrimination laws) to make a complaint or support another person in making a complaint.
Example: A member of a club is threatened with non-renewal of membership after he/she states their intention to go to the Anti-Discrimination Commission to lodge a complaint"



http://www.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/115587/4._Racial_discrimination_information_sheet.pdf

"Racial Discrimination and Harassment

Every person in sport, in every role, has the right to participate in an environment that is fun, safe and healthy, and to be treated with respect, dignity and fairness.
Harassment and discrimination in sport deny participants these rights and can result in feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, anger and intimidation. Harassment and discrimination can also affect an individual’s athletic performance, level of enjoyment, job security, work, academic achievement and health.

Is race discrimination or racial harassment against the law?
Yes. The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cwlth) (RDA) makes racial discrimination unlawful in Australia. The RDA aims to ensure freedom and equality of all human rights regardless of race, colour, national and ethnic origin, descent, ethnic or ethno-religious background. It is also racial discrimination if you are treated unfairly because of the race of your relatives,
friends or work colleagues.

The Racial Hatred Act 1995 (Cwlth) extends the coverage of the Racial Discrimination Act to allow people to complain about racially offensive or abusive behaviour. The act aims to strike a balance between two valued rights: the right to communicate freely and the right to live free from vilification.

There is also legislation in place in every state and territory making discrimination and harassment in relation to a person’s race, colour, national and ethnic origin, descent, ethnic or ethno-religious background unlawful.
What is racial discrimination?
Discrimination in this context means treating someone unfairly because they happen to belong to a particular group of people because of their race, colour, national and ethnic origin, descent and ethnic or ethno-religious background.

When something is done for two or more reasons and one of the reasons is described above, the act is considered unlawful.

Under racial discrimination legislation a sporting organisation may also be vicariously liable if people representing the organisation (e.g. coaches, board members, managers, officials, etc.) behave unlawfully in the course of their duties.

The sporting organisation would need to show that they took all reasonable steps to prevent the unlawful act, (e.g. establishing codes of conduct, policies and procedures and providing education and training) to avoid liability.

There are three types of unlawful racial discrimination:
• Direct discrimination
• Indirect discrimination
• Harassment

Direct racial discrimination – treating someone differently
Direct discrimination is to treat someone unfairly or less favourably on the basis of his or her race, colour, national and ethnic origin, descent, ethnic or ethno-religious background, compared to the way that someone of a different race would be treated in a similar situation."



http://www.hreoc.gov.au/racial_discrimination/whats_the_score/pdf/basketball.pdf

"Basketball Australia
Member Protection Policy (MPP)

Harassment in sport has become an issue that many sports have had to face. Basketball

Australia has acknowledged that a proactive and preventative approach needs to be taken in dealing with the issue.

‘Member Protection’ is a term that is now widely used in the sports industry.

Member protection is all about practices and procedures that protect a sports organisation’s members
– including players/participants, administrators, coaches and officials. It involves: protecting members from harassment and inappropriate behaviour; adopting appropriate measures to ensure the right people are involved in an organisation; and providing education.
33
Basketball Australia’s Member Protection Policy provides information on what is acceptable behaviour and provides guidelines for the protection of the health, safety and well being and participants in basketball.

The MPP sets out the procedures to be followed in dealing with complaints of harassment (which includes sexual harassment, racial harassment, sexuality harassment, disability harassment, abuse, child abuse, vilification and discrimination), in an effective, appropriate and timely manner. This includes procedures for informal and formal resolution of complaints and an appeal mechanism.

The MPP applies to basketball associations and clubs, officials,coaches and players. From 1 July 2005, affiliated associations must comply with Basketball Australia’s Member Protection Policy. Some strategies that associations should have in place are:
- implement Codes of Behaviour for coaches, officials, players and spectators. Have parents and players sign ‘contracts’ agreeing to abide by Codes of Behaviour
- have appropriate people within the association undertake Member Protection Officer training (courses are run by state/territory departments of sport and recreation)
- conduct education/information courses for players, coaches, parents and officials on harassment and discrimination (state/territory departments of sport and recreation can assist with this).

Complaints

Basketball Australia, states and territories and league associations are required to establish
procedures for dealing with complaints made under the Member Protection Policy. If an
association has established procedures, then all complaints at association level will be dealt
with by the association. If the association has not established the procedures for dealing with
complaints, the complaint will be dealt with by the relevant state or national body.
Complaints can be made informally or formally and the MPP contains a resolution procedure
for handling both. An individual making a complaint will be referred to the appropriate
Member Protection Officer (appointed by the local or state association or shared with
another sport) who will be available to: listen to and inform the complainant about their
possible options; act as a support person for the complainant, including supporting them
through any mediation process undertaken to resolve the complaint; and refer the matter to
a hearings convener for a hearing to be held under the MPP if required.37"



http://www.antidiscrimination.tas.gov.au/publications/section_104_-_obligations_of_organisations

"Obligation of organisations – Section 104
What are the obligations of an organisation?
Under section 104 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (“the Act”), every organisation has an obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure its members, officers, employees and agents are aware of and do not engage in, repeat or continue discrimination and prohibited conduct.
Organisations also have an obligation to ensure that its members, officers, employees and agents are aware of any order made by the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal in relation to a proven complaint that is relevant to the conduct of its members, officers, employees and agents"



http://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/legislation/index.html

http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/whats_the_score/index.html

[Unregistered]

I read in the Courier Mail today that this matter will be going to the anti - discrimination board.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

With reference to the 2009 – 2010 exclusion and banning of the U12, U14, U16, U18 and U20 children and youth who play and train under the PAWES umbrella.

5 October 2010

MEDIA RELEASE

FAIRNESS NEEDED IN WORK AND PLAY

Acting Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Neroli Holmes has called upon the Queensland government to repeal a provision of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (the Act) that exempts not for profit associations from the anti-discrimination provisions of the Act when providing goods and services.

“Recreation is an important part of the Australian lifestyle. We all enjoy our recreational activities but unfortunately, the law does not set a level playing field to allow all to participate.

A recent Tribunal case has made it clear that in Queensland, sporting and other recreational clubs are free to discriminate when providing goods and services” Ms Holmes said.

The recent decision handed down by QCAT, (in the case of Yohan v Queensland Basketball Incorporation) has made it clear that sporting and other „not for profit‟ associations are free to discriminate in the provision of goods and services on any of the 16 grounds covered by the Act, including race, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, religion, sexuality and gender identity.

“In 2010, it is appropriate that associations that are such an integral part of our community should be covered by the prohibition of discrimination on all grounds under the Act” Ms Holmes said.

“Sport is all about fair play, playing by the rules, and having a fair go. Discrimination has no place in the sporting arena. The same can be said for all other social, cultural, recreational and community service associations. It is time for this unfair law to be changed” Ms Holmes said.

Interviews: Acting Commissioner Neroli Holmes
Media contact: Mackayla Jeffries on 07 3247 0920 | TTY 1300 130 680

[Jeanelle Hurst]

A while back a lone parent sat in the late afternoon gloom of an inner city basketball stadium waiting for her child to finish individuals training.

The parent observed a security guard escorting a respected friend and member of the Queensland wide basketball community from the cafeteria area and the stadium.

Soon after, the woman was swamped by stadium management personnel who launched into damage control to defend their action in removing the man from the premises.

The woman responded in defence of the man and his family arguing that the cafeteria was the families livelihood.

A member of the stadium management justified the eviction of the man and his family with words to the effect :

“They’re Greeks, they have plenty of money”.



It seems that individuals within Basketball Queensland and Brisbane Basketball are at liberty to make gross generalisations regarding individuals and groups who find themselves in opposition to these two quasi community organisations.

Further, it seems that the ‘ THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION’ by BQ and BBI against all vocal enquiry, discussion and opposition has become both the theme song and the battle cry for individuals within these organisations.

One wonders where does the cavern of unlimited resources lie in relation to the threat of legal action.

Are individuals within Basketball Queensland and Brisbane Basketball putting their personal wealth on the line when threatening legal action.?

Or is junior basketball revenue the leverage used to defend employment contracts, personal prestige and political grandstanding.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Approximately 6 weeks prior to the U18 Classics last year two young men walked into the BBI foyer early one Sunday morning to purchase their rep shorts. The young men were pumped - excited and eager to suit up for the Brisbane Basketball Association as new recruits to the U 18 Silver Team.

The boys were from marginalised backgrounds and - had never before - had the opportunity to play representative basketball.

The young men greeted the woman at the counter and asked politely to purchase their rep shorts.

The woman addressed the young men with hostility, demanding to know what they wanted the shorts for. The level of aggression in the woman’s body language and tone of voice was unmistakable.

The boys were shocked but maintained their composure as I tried to make light of the situation and deflect the woman’s hostility away from the boys. I explained to the woman that the young men had been selected in the U18 Silver Rep team.

The woman did not apologise for her attitude and behaviour.

A few months later one of the young men, an African refugee, found himself at the centre of the Brisbane Basketball club finals incident which led to a victimisation complaint being lodged with the Anti-discrimination Tribunal.

Some of you will remember this young man from the U18 Classics.

He was and is a great kid, shy, gentle and eager to learn, treating all people he comes across with respect and warmth.

On the night of the club finals this young man was playing in the U20 men’s team, the last team to play that night. As the events of that night unfolded the young man was seen sitting on the team bench with his head in his hands.

This young man was one of the young men dragged before the Brisbane Basketball Inc ‘kangaroo court ‘ which was held after the club finals incident. Early in the ‘kangaroo court’ proceedings a BBI representative asked this young man for his date of birth and name. The young man responded telling the BBI representatives his name and that he was born in 1993.

The BBI representative responded, telling him that he was born in 1991 according to their records and that his name was different to the one on their records. The young man told the BBI representatives that he was not the person on their records.

The young man told the BBI representatives that he had recently played for the U18 Silver Rep team

Despite the obvious confusion regarding this young man’s identity he was accused that night of pushing a referee and swearing at a referee.

The young man was told that he would be banned from playing for 6 weeks and that he would not be allowed to play Basketball anywhere in the world as a result of this ban.

The young man has told me that he did not push a referee nor did he swear at a referee.

This young man’s name, date of birth and contact details were lodged with the BBI management when he was selected for the U18 rep team so there can be no question regarding his identity.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Hi I've just noticed that the previous post seems to have gone
walk about..

I'm sorry BenDoes if that cause an issue.

But for now...
Merry Xmas and Wonderfull New Year...

and there's always another day...
and it's not over till it's over...
gentle smiles...

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Once upon a time.......

The Lord of the House of Basketball was confronted with a predicament.

A situation involving the smallest family and the most powerful family in his land had erupted a few metres from the entrance to his domain.

The situation demanded that the Lord of the House of Basketball maintain an impartial role and fulfil his obligation to undertake an independent enquiry : investigate the history of issues and mediate a fair and equitable outcome.

Instead..... the Lord of the House of Basketball formed a not so holy alliance with the most powerful family in his land and waged a war of attrition against the smallest family – a gathering of socially and financially marginalised children and youth aged from 8 – 20 yrs.

In response to the ‘situation’ , a young man lodged a complaint with the one truly independent authority in the land - The Anti-Discrimination Commission - on behalf of the family of children and youth.

This once upon a time story has no rhyme nor reason .. it’s just a sad story about a Lord who lost his impartiality and his way and a family of children and youth who were exiled to the far reaches of the land in order to protect the credibility and the integrity of the House of Basketball.

And so the story goes....

[Unregistered]

There have been plently of other people in sporting associations everywhere who have been treated badly and unfairly by the politics/people/management.

harping on about this previous issue doesnt change what happened......

[Jeanelle Hurst]

You’re right...we can’t change what’s happened
....but we can discuss, address and deliver an equitable outcome...for these kids

[Jeanelle Hurst]

And so the story goes
When the Lord of the House of Basketball lost his impartiality he then had to protect his credibility and integrity.

And in order to protect his credibility and integrity the Lord had to shore up the defences of the most powerful family in his land and defend the credibility and integrity of this family.

And in order to protect the credibility and integrity of the House of Basketball a ruthless game of hardball was engaged with what was thought to be an undisciplined band of street balling adolescents.

The game of hardball demanded the following strategies:

(a)
The alienation and exclusion of the small family of children and youth from the large family’s domain.

(b)
The strategy of alienation and exclusion demanded the vilification of the young man and the children and youth .

(c)
The process of vilification allowed for the unfettered liberty to make gross generalisations in relation to the children and youth both privately and publicly.

The descriptive words and phrases , to quote: ‘threatened’ , ‘duty of care’, ‘aggressive behaviours’, ‘fear’, ‘safety’, ‘assaulted’, ‘braw involving 50- plus people’ were used repeatedly in relation to the children and youth.

(d)
the attempted dismembering of the small family of children and youth by imposing the condition that the children and youth would only be allowed into the most powerful family’s domain if they left the small family and entered as individuals. But only if the kinsfolk within the most powerful family would accept them.

At that time in this sad story it seemed that the Lord of the House of Basketball believed that the children and youth would contaminate the most powerful family if more than one child or youth was allowed into the kinsfolk domains at any given time.

(e)
the opportunistic attempt by the Lord of the House of Basketball to relocate the children and youth to other less powerful families in the land where the children and youth could be used as funding fodder to meet the refugee grant funding guidelines for those families.

The self-serving divide and conquer conditions, demands and strategies were win/win tactical manoeuvres for the Lord of the House of Basketball.

And so the game was on.......

[Jeanelle Hurst]

In the days of old the Lord of the House of Basketball’s package of offensive and defensive plays included the conjurer’s gift to cut and paste and delete the children and youth according to the greater need...the common good.

Much has been said about the ‘Race Card’, in our world , how this is used by people of different races to launch criticism at white Australians.

In the days of old the Lord of the House of Basketball played the ‘threat of violence’ card to great effect.

In one hand the Lord of the House of Basketball juggled a very public scenario of fear and threatening behaviour in order to justify the alienation and exclusion of the children and youth from the most powerful domain in the land.

Whilst in the other hand the Lord of the House of Basketball juggled the bartering of the children and youth to the less powerful families in the land in order to meet the grant funding guidelines for those families.

This particular strategy made a mockery of the Lord of the House of Basketball’s willingness to portray and present the children and youth as threatening and aggressive.
And so the story goes.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

In the days of old the Lord of the House of Basketball projected the image of a concerned and benevolent elder statesman forced to take the stance of protecting his kinsfolk from the threat of violence and aggression.

To the politicians, bureaucrats and influential members of the Land the Lord of the House of Basketball played the mateship card diffusing the situation with an attitude of – it’s all right mate....emotions are a bit high at the moment...when things calm down...all will be good....

The Lord of the House of Basketball played out this game plan because he believed that the legislation exempting not for profit associations from the anti-discrimination provisions of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 when providing goods and services would ultimately ‘save the day’.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

As folklore reveals there was a document commissioned by the Lord of the House of Basketball to investigate the incident between the smallest family and the most powerful family in the land.

The much acclaimed Independent document did not recommend the exclusion and alienation of the children and youth from the most powerful famiy’s domain nor did it recommend that the family of children and youth be disbanded with the children and youth dispersed among the large families kinship groupings. Nor did the report recommend the relocation of the small family to the less powerful domains in the land.

The writer of the independent document recommended that the House of Basketball’s code of conduct be read to the small family’s children and youth before their next game at the most powerful family’s domain.

Our children, when reading this story, will ask, why was this important document hidden from the small family of children and youth and their kinsfolk of supporters, lawyers, government agencies and politicians.

And it’s a question that should be asked because the document was paid for from the revenue raised from all the families in the land including the small family of children and youth.

That document didn’t belong to the Lord of the House of Basketball. The document belonged to every child who played within the Land of the House of Basketball.

The Lord of the House of Basketball did however offer up the document to a town crier in order to support the projection of himself as a responsible and benevolent leader who had commissioned an independent document to be used as a tool for fair and equitable governance.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

As folklore grew there were many in the land who believed that the independent document was used and abused by the Lord of the House of Basketball.

The independent document stood as a form of zone defence deflecting attention and scrutiny away from the facts and the issues and allowed the Lord of the House of Basketball to make offensive attacks against children and youth who had fallen within his jurisdiction of care.

And so the story goes.....
A once upon a time story .........

[Jeanelle Hurst]

How many high profile parents and coaches have found themselves before disciplinary committees in associations across Queensland and Australia.
One of my daughter’s BBI coaches was tech fouled off the floor and out the door for making a young female referee cry. The coach was banned for three weeks.

This coach was at the epicentre of the Club Finals incident as a BBI camp supporter.

Was this coach and by association: his wife and children, his team and his club excluded, vilified, banned and relocated because of his actions.

David Yohan the coach and mentor of the PAWES children and youth has never been tech fouled off a stadium floor, never been taken before a tribunal for misconduct and has never brought the game of basketball into disrepute.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

In 2008 / 2009 David Yohan opened up new territory for the development of basketball in Australia. The heart of the new territory was the suburb of Yeronga where Dave acted on the need to support and mentor marginalised children and youth by way of basketball and associated life skills programs.

The community of children and youth who meet, train and play basketball at the facilities in Yeronga have become known as PAWES Providing Awareness with Education and Sport.

This proactive community engages children and youth from the surrounding suburbs: South Brisbane, Buranda, Annerley, Fairfield, Moorooka, Rocklea, Salisbury, Coopers Plains and Acacia Ridge and from the outer suburbs of north Brisbane and south crossing the great cultural divide that Ipswich Rd has become into the suburbs of Inala, Wacol, Carol Park, Gailes, Goodna, Redbank, Riverview and west to Ipswich.

The corridor of suburbs: Yeronga, South Brisbane, Buranda, Annerley, Fairfield, Moorooka, Rocklea, Salisbury, Coopers Plains and Acacia Ridge has traditionally been neglected by Brisbane Basketball Inc and the two Basketball associations to the East and South East despite:

(a) the need to engage the children and youth from these suburbs and communities in basketball activities and

(b) the opportunity to expand the player and spectator base for Basketball Queensland and Basketball Australia.

In late 2009 the two basketball associations to the east embraced the opportunity to capitalise on funding opportunities for marginalised youth. David Yohan wasn’t driven by the opportunity to capitalise on funding opportunities. He was driven by his love for basketball and his first hand experience of marginalised life and the overwhelming struggle to survive and thrive in Basketball Australia’s User Pays System.


In 2007 two sports based programs running independently of Basketball Queensland and Basketball Australia worked to bring basketball opportunities to marginalised youth.

The two projects had developed independently and ran their course one on the north side the other on Brisbane’s southside.

The co-ordinators of these two projects met in early 2008 and identified the key issues blocking access to club based competitive basketball for marginalised children and youth.

The key issues were and still are:

Financial viability – the lack of ability to pay for club and representative registration, training and games, uniforms, medical expenses for injury prevention and treatment and transport expenses.

Parental input – the lack of parental ability to transport children and youth to training, games and representative competitions.

Educational and Sporting opportunities and pathways – the lack of collaborative strategies to engage educational and sporting opportunities and pathways for marginalised children and youth.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

On the question of institutionalised racism.

A friend commented one day, saying that you can’t discuss racism in Australia because the Australian psyche refuses to accept that it exists.
You can however discuss racism in other parts of the world, you can speak openly on the issue, you can bring the issue of racism to the table and discuss, mediate, negotiate, lobby and resolve issues and disputes.

Until recently I had refused to accept the reality of institutionalised racism in Australia. In the past I had interpreted the incidences of racist and unacceptable behaviour as ‘one offs’ by thoughtless people who didn’t understand the consequences of their actions.

But then, in trying to understand what happened at BBI on the night of the club finals in 2009 I came across mountains of documents relating to the issues of racism and sport in Australia written for and authorised by Sporting Organisations and Authorities across all tiers and codes from every state in Australia.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

But still I hesitated to arrive at the conclusion that the children and youth at the centre of the club finals incident were entangled in an act of institutionalised racism.

That was.... until I saw the infamous television commercial authorised by Basketball Australia promoting the NBL as being back in people’s homes on free to air television.

This highly controversial television commercial portrayed a young and obviously naive African American Sydney Kings basketball player hopping into bed with a married couple.

This Basketball Australia ‘fun light hearted promo’ flagrantly referenced a serious criminal charge that impacted profoundly on the lives of a young woman and man a few years earlier.

This television commercial as authorised by Basketball Australia revealed a profound lack of respect and sniggering disdain for black athletes in Australia.

So how could this happen...

How could the national body governing, directing and promoting Basketball in Australia ......Make such a shocking blunder.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Was this simply a case of pitiful and pityless school boy humour that should be excused because BA’s Larry Sengstock dismissed the concerns of high profile African American basketball players when he said “It was not meant to offend”.

Or did this blunder offer us an eye opening experience into a culture of institutionalised racism within the ranks of Basketball Australia.

If this is an acceptable observation then you have to consider the possibility that Basketball Australia is unable to provide a functioning moral compass for Basketball Queensland.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

In order to try and understand the small picture I’ve tried to look at the big picture regarding the role of colour in the history of basketball in Australia.

Wave after wave of African Amercians have been swept unto our shores...chasing the opportunity to play basketball, experience the Australian way of life and make some dollars.

Those who have stayed have wanted to contribute to the development of basketball offering different perspectives and strategies.

How many African Americans have positions within the structure and hierarchy of Australian Basketball.

How many African Americans have met with resistance to their objectives to contribute to Australian basketball.

How many African Americans refuse to speak about their experiences because their children’s progress along the Basketball goat track of a pathway may be blocked for speaking out.

How many African Americans have felt that they were allowed to entertain the masses in the eighties by way of great and wealth generating basketball games but have been denied the right to make significant contributions to the structure and substance of Australian Basketball.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

So what really happened on the night of the club finals....in 2009....
that has lead to the vilification and exclusion of a bunch of coloured kids and a young man who stood his ground trying to protect both the kids and the credibility and integrity of the House of Basketball.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Institutional racism (also called structural or systemic racism) describes any kind of system of inequality based on race.

It can occur in institutions such as public government bodies, private business corporations (such as media outlets), and universities (public and private). Institutional racism is one of three forms of racism: (i) Personally-mediated, (ii) internalized, and (iii) institutional.

The term institutional racism was coined by Stokely Carmichael of the Black Panther Party, who, in the late 1960s, defined institutional racism as

“the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture, or ethnic origin”.

[Unregistered]

I think someone likes reading their own posts

[Jeanelle Hurst]

i guess there are any number of possibilities in this micro dot of a universe....smiles...

hey..do you know how many days to go until the doors close on team registrations at BBI

do you know how many times the doors closed on the PAWES teams registrations in 2009 /2010

[Unregistered]

"Sound of a cricket chirping"

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Thanks for keeping me company...smiles...

i just found this great definition...

Systemic bias is the inherent tendency of a process to favor particular outcomes.

The term is a neologism that generally refers to human systems; the analogous problem in non-human systems (such as measurement instruments or mathematical models used to estimate physical quantities) is often called systematic bias, and leads to systematic error in measurements or estimates.

[Unregistered]

Janelle.
I can tell you are passionate about the cause but you endless - what seem like the writings of a crazy person - must be turning people off.

[Unregistered]

DR Phil???

[Unregistered]

Just a heartfelt concern for the welfare of one so obviously feeling like an outcast within a community in which fitting in is so important. :-) Phil

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Following the 2009 Club finals incident members of the BBI management made constant reference to a 2008 club finals incident involving a team of black refugee youth - arguing that ‘these people’ had still not learnt their lesson.

When listening to this type of argument you assume and accept that the African refugee youth were violent and aggressive in 2008 and still violent and aggressive in 2009.

Therefore all teams and enclaves of black refugee children and youth are violent and aggressive and must be disciplined dispersed and assimilated.

End of story.

I witnessed the first half of the 2008 club finals game. The refugee youth team played without the assistance of a manager and the direction of a coach.

As the skilled, disciplined and strategic offense of the opposing team wore down the defences of the refugee team the players started to turn on each other.

By half time the refugee team structure had disintegrated.

In early 2009 I met one of the players from that team when he joined our local club. The young man would take me aside and ask questions about basic basketball rules and referee signals....the sort of stuff my kids learnt in Biddyball. I asked him about that 2008 game and the preceding season....

How did that team play when they didn’t understand the basics ?....

He said that they just winged it......but it wasn’t until the pressure of that finals game that their lack of knowledge and experience tore the team apart.

In response to this information an email was sent to BBI management requesting that liaison protocols and processes be established to accommodate the needs of marginalised youth teams seeking registration and games within the BBI association.

The liaison process would ensure that the teams would understand the game rules, referee signals and competition protocols for playing within the BBI Association.

Further, the liaison processes would allow for collaborative and productive relationships to be established between the teams of marginalised youth and the BBI Association. The email was not acknowledged.

David Yohan and the organisations supporting the PAWES teams attempted to establish liaison processes with BBI management prior to the 2009 club finals. The requests for collaboration were not acknowledged.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Following the 2009 incident David Yohan took the brunt and grunt of blame for the outcome of that night. It was all David’s fault...he couldn’t control his players..he couldn’t control his spectators.. he should have known this was going to happen....he should be on his knees ...grovelling his apologies to the BBI community for the violence and aggression of his people.

An avalanche of blame burying the fact that David Yohan had

(a) independently undertaken the job that a Project Officer from Basketball Qld in consultation with BBI management should have undertaken.

Ie. Activate and co-ordinate a basketball liaison program for CALD (Culturally And Linguistically Diverse youth) and marginalised youth within the BBI Association.

(b Trained, mentored and coached two teams of refugee youth who successfully played out a full season at the BBI club competition without incident. The U18 team winning the finals in a joyous and disciplined manner.

(c) Independently opened up new territory for basketball in Australia by catering for the needs of marginalised children and youth in a corridor of suburbs traditionally neglected by BBI and the two associations to the east and south east.

(d) Independently acknowledged the needs of marginalised children and youth from across the metropolitan area and set about creating a structure and environment to support their needs.

(e) Independently acknowledged and established the need to run life skills programs in tandem with the Pawes basketball program.

(f) Independently acknowledged the need to establish a liaison process to ensure the development of a collaborative working relationship between PAWES and the BBI management and community.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

For weeks in the lead up to the 2009 club finals...the entrance to BBI had been swamped by very tall very athletic, very black people.

Maybe it felt strange walking through the throng - unable to identify personalities, barely able to see the expressions on the faces of these people in the half light of the entrance area.

On the night of the club finals in 2009 the Brisbane Basketball stadium stands were filled with black people.

It’s possible that the blacks outnumbered the whites on that night.

Was this normal ? ..what did this mean..?...was this acceptable ?

The U 18 team of black youth had just won their final without incident. It was a joyous occasion.

It’s interesting to note that in the early days of this discussion representatives of BBI were quick to point out that this wasn’t a real win as the best players in the BBI camp were not playing in this competition.

Why ?

Would it have mattered if the black players had beaten the best players in the BBI comp.?

Would this have tarnished the BBI reputation.?

Would it be unacceptable to be beaten by an all black team of marginalised youth with less than a year’s formal training. ?

What would happen if this situation continued to develop ?

Would white Australians pull out of the BBI clubs and the BBI association if the stands continued to be dominated by black Australians. ?

Would the black new arrivals dominate representative teams taking the places of the white Australians who had done the hard yards....the years of commitment to training and games schedules and who had paid their own way. ?

Did these black kids deserve positions on representative teams if their expenses were being paid for by charitable organisations ?

Did they deserve places on representative teams if it was only their natural athletic ability that got them there.?

Was this a slap in the face to all those families who dedicated their time, energy and resources to the training and games schedules and who paid their own way.

[Unregistered]

For weeks in the lead up to the 2009 club finals...the entrance to BBI had been swamped by very tall very athletic, very black people.

Maybe it felt strange walking through the throng - unable to identify personalities, barely able to see the expressions on the faces of these people in the half light of the entrance area.

On the night of the club finals in 2009 the Brisbane Basketball stadium stands were filled with black people.

It’s possible that the blacks outnumbered the whites on that night.

Was this normal ? ..what did this mean..?...was this acceptable ?

The U 18 team of black youth had just won their final without incident. It was a joyous occasion.

It’s interesting to note that in the early days of this discussion representatives of BBI were quick to point out that this wasn’t a real win as the best players in the BBI camp were not playing in this competition.

Why ?

Would it have mattered if the black players had beaten the best players in the BBI comp.?

Would this have tarnished the BBI reputation.?

Would it be unacceptable to be beaten by an all black team of marginalised youth with less than a year’s formal training. ?

What would happen if this situation continued to develop ?

Would white Australians pull out of the BBI clubs and the BBI association if the stands continued to be dominated by black Australians. ?

Would the black new arrivals dominate representative teams taking the places of the white Australians who had done the hard yards....the years of commitment to training and games schedules and who had paid their own way. ?

Did these black kids deserve positions on representative teams if their expenses were being paid for by charitable organisations ?

Did they deserve places on representative teams if it was only their natural athletic ability that got them there.?

Was this a slap in the face to all those families who dedicated their time, energy and resources to the training and games schedules and who paid their own way.

You really do have too much free time.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

What was it that ignited the explosion of angst throughout the final game on the night of the club finals

I think it was probably the graffiti that triggered the BBI management representative to storm up on to the stadium floor and draw the line in the sand by addressing the black spectators and players as ‘You people’.

And so the community was divided. Us and them...them and us...those people..

From that point on...every action by the black spectators and players was interpreted as an act of aggression.

The bursting balloons...the attempts by the parents to ask what was wrong?...why are you speaking to the children this way...?....the kid who was dancing at half time...the enthusiasm for the game...the girls who collected the money to pay for the balloons...the players and the coach who tried to question the loss of two points...the players, the spectators and the coach who genuinely believed that two points from their basket - at a critical time in the game - had been given to the other team.

And there was no going back...no where to run...no where to hide....

The racial tolerance levee had been breached ...and the flood waters of frustration, anger and fear were rushing in.

Members of the BBI management had lost control of their emotions and the situation.

And in response some of the youth lost control of their emotions and fought back - they were kids responding to a situation they didn’t understand - but it was a situation a scenario that was all too familiar to them.

Fear has been used repeatedly to justify the actions of the BBI management on the night of the finals. I was in fear...We were in fear....that’s why the police were called to control the riotous black youth outside the stadium.

There was no riot and this is a documented fact.

The President of BBI Inc who was in attendance on the night was not consulted on the decision to call the police and was unaware the police had been contacted.

The fear factor is questionable....unless we’re talking primal fear.....

One of the referees was observed joking with police outside the stadium and overheard saying words to the effect, “if they come after me come and save me”.


As for the graffiti it was a stupid act by a couple of kids who wanted to mark some territory and given the opportunity the issue would have been addressed and the children held accountable.

Just as the holes punched in stadium walls over the years by overzealous BBI players have been filled and painted over.

[Unregistered]

Janelle.
I can tell you are passionate about the cause but you endless - what seem like the writings of a crazy person - must be turning people off.
Certainly doesnt make me want to make an offer for her and her players to play at my association. Wondering how they would go at the AGM's, strategic direction meetings, fundraising barbeques and working bees? Just wondering if its occurred to Janelle thats it's her and not the kids thats "marginalised", that it's Janette's behaviour thats marginalised janette and that maybe if she wasnt on the bandwagon the kids might take note of the behaviours of their peers and assimilate accordingly into society without all the fuss that comes with Janette?
Just a thought.
Smiles cheers happy new year thanks for sharing my time and the many wonderful stories from the Lord of the Land of Basketball. Can remember many times when the Lord of the Land of Basketball rubbed white meat eating Australian people with rich parents and backgrounds out of the game (some for good) for pushing/touching/abusing/threatening or all of the above. a basketball referee. Could any of them contact you to mount a case for them like you have for the PAWES group?

[Unregistered]

murrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Jeanelle Hurst]

I do not have a role within the PAWES community and these kids are not my players..

I speak independently of the PAWES community.

The children and youth I have met undertake fundraising activities, working bees and are members of the organisational structure of PAWES and as a result of this work experience would contribute to and value add to any association in Queensland.

[Unregistered]

Just as the holes punched in stadium walls over the years by overzealous BBI players have been filled and painted over.

Finally a point of interest.

Don't do this at home, kids. Those walls are steel. You'll break your wrist.

I speak from the experience of a friend... yes.. that's it.. a friend.

[Unregistered]

possibly the most boring thread ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Unregistered]

possibly the most boring thread ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

DEFINATELY the most boring thread ever.

[Unregistered]

DEFINATELY the most boring thread ever.

*Definitely.

Stay in school.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

It's a treasure hunt....smiles...

You are in search of........


Find the Uni's in Australia that offer sporting scholarships ?
Is a Basketball scholarship offered ?
How much is the scholarship worth and what are the conditions ?
What is the link to the website ?

Find the private schools in Australia that offer sporting scholarships?
Is a Basketball scholarship offered ?
How much is the scholarship worth and what are the conditions?
What is the link to the website?


Find the State Schools in Australia that offer Basketball as a study
option ?
Brief one or two line sentence description required ?
What is the link to the website ?


Find the Basketball Associations in Australia that offer documented
information regarding Basketball and Educational pathways with
this information readily available on their websites ?
What is the link to the website ?


Find 'other' organisations that offer
players the opportunity to pursue Basketball and Educational pathways
here in Australia or overseas ?
What is the link to the website ?


Game on ?

[Unregistered]

no one cares.ur boring everyone with ur dribble

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Find the Uni's in Australia that offer sporting scholarships ?
Is a Basketball scholarship offered ?
How much is the scholarship worth and what are the conditions ?
What is the link to the website ?

Find the private schools in Australia that offer sporting scholarships?
Is a Basketball scholarship offered ?
How much is the scholarship worth and what are the conditions?
What is the link to the website?


Find the State Schools in Australia that offer Basketball as a study
option ?
Brief one or two line sentence description required ?
What is the link to the website ?


Find the Basketball Associations in Australia that offer documented
information regarding Basketball and Educational pathways with
this information readily available on their websites ?
What is the link to the website ?


Find 'other' organisations that offer
players the opportunity to pursue Basketball and Educational pathways
here in Australia or overseas ?
What is the link to the website ?


so the lack of educational / sporting opportunities within Australia is
gibberish

[Unregistered]

Find the Uni's in Australia that offer sporting scholarships ?
Is a Basketball scholarship offered ?
How much is the scholarship worth and what are the conditions ?
What is the link to the website ?

Find the private schools in Australia that offer sporting scholarships?
Is a Basketball scholarship offered ?
How much is the scholarship worth and what are the conditions?
What is the link to the website?


Find the State Schools in Australia that offer Basketball as a study
option ?
Brief one or two line sentence description required ?
What is the link to the website ?


Find the Basketball Associations in Australia that offer documented
information regarding Basketball and Educational pathways with
this information readily available on their websites ?
What is the link to the website ?


Find 'other' organisations that offer
players the opportunity to pursue Basketball and Educational pathways
here in Australia or overseas ?
What is the link to the website ?


so the lack of educational / sporting opportunities within Australia is
gibberish

I read somewhere that there is 140 male and 60 female Australian players within the US college system. Is this true? I could see it as being true due to the lack of pathways within Australia.

[Unregistered]

I read somewhere that there is 140 male and 60 female Australian players within the US college system. Is this true? I could see it as being true due to the lack of pathways within Australia.
Patience my friend. help is on the way. Going to take some epic battles as it will detract from the "importance" ofd some vested interests but it is inevitable and the future of the game...or there wont be a future.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

The club system - a` la Basketball Australia - serves the agenda of the national representative program via the NITP and AIS programs.

The conveyor belt system identifies elite athletes - transporting them via the representative competition schedule to state, national and international recognition.

Less than 1% of all club system participants benefit from Basketball Australia’s agenda to perform competitively on the international stage.

What happens to the remaining 99% of all club system participants when they reach the U16…U18…U20 countdown into basketball oblivion.

I read an article wherein BA referred to Basketball associations throughout Australia as share holders within it’s organizational structure.

Therefore, all players registered under Basketball Australia’s monopolizing umbrella are shareholders.

1% of player / shareholders benefit from their user pays (time & money) investment in state, national and international recognition.

99% of player / shareholders compete within a user pays system of diminishing returns.

The club system institutionalizes and governs our children’s sense of self worth.

Kids fall, stumble and run away from U16, 18 and 20 basketball because selectors from the representative state national pathways tell them they didn’t make the cut…..they just weren’t good enough....

I think maybe it’s okay to reassure our kids and let them know that the club basketball system is not structurally and philosophically aligned to meet the needs of the 99% of it’s shareholders who can’t fit through the bottle necked representative pathway.

In the US, the primary basketball pathway is delivered via the schools in response to the need to ensure that the 99% of players who won’t achieve national and international recognition are delivered
viable options for career outcomes while playing the sport they love.

The Aussie club system is part and parcel of our colonial inheritance and it’s been tweaked to meet a particular need…. but needs change…evolve…

Our children need a high profile…..highly competitive school based training and competition schedule aligning academic / vocational and sporting achievement.

A national schools competition schedule could have an interlocking cellular structure and be run within a seasonal time frame allowing our student athletes the opportunity to rest their bodies and maintain their academic / vocational commitment, home and social life.

A national schools based competition would exponentially expand the spectator base in Australia.

The club system struggles to expand the spectator base.

A ten year old kid enters the club system with a spectator base of mum, dad, siblings and grandparents.

That ten year old kid exits the club basketball system at the age of 18 with his or her financially emotionally and physically depleted spectator base in tow.

[Unregistered]

The club system - a` la Basketball Australia - serves the agenda of the national representative program via the NITP and AIS programs.

The conveyor belt system identifies elite athletes - transporting them via the representative competition schedule to state, national and international recognition.

Less than 1% of all club system participants benefit from Basketball Australia’s agenda to perform competitively on the international stage.

What happens to the remaining 99% of all club system participants when they reach the U16…U18…U20 countdown into basketball oblivion.

I read an article wherein BA referred to Basketball associations throughout Australia as share holders within it’s organizational structure.

Therefore, all players registered under Basketball Australia’s monopolizing umbrella are shareholders.

1% of player / shareholders benefit from their user pays (time & money) investment in state, national and international recognition.

99% of player / shareholders compete within a user pays system of diminishing returns.

The club system institutionalizes and governs our children’s sense of self worth.

Kids fall, stumble and run away from U16, 18 and 20 basketball because selectors from the representative state national pathways tell them they didn’t make the cut…..they just weren’t good enough....

I think maybe it’s okay to reassure our kids and let them know that the club basketball system is not structurally and philosophically aligned to meet the needs of the 99% of it’s shareholders who can’t fit through the bottle necked representative pathway.

In the US, the primary basketball pathway is delivered via the schools in response to the need to ensure that the 99% of players who won’t achieve national and international recognition are delivered
viable options for career outcomes while playing the sport they love.

The Aussie club system is part and parcel of our colonial inheritance and it’s been tweaked to meet a particular need…. but needs change…evolve…

Our children need a high profile…..highly competitive school based training and competition schedule aligning academic / vocational and sporting achievement.

A national schools competition schedule could have an interlocking cellular structure and be run within a seasonal time frame allowing our student athletes the opportunity to rest their bodies and maintain their academic / vocational commitment, home and social life.

A national schools based competition would exponentially expand the spectator base in Australia.

The club system struggles to expand the spectator base.

A ten year old kid enters the club system with a spectator base of mum, dad, siblings and grandparents.

That ten year old kid exits the club basketball system at the age of 18 with his or her financially emotionally and physically depleted spectator base in tow.

Excuse my ignorance, but are you active on a committee trying to improve the present system or merely just stating facts from the outside. Seems to me like your sold on leaving the country and moving to the US

[Unregistered]

The club system - a` la Basketball Australia - serves the agenda of the national representative program via the NITP and AIS programs.

The conveyor belt system identifies elite athletes - transporting them via the representative competition schedule to state, national and international recognition.

Less than 1% of all club system participants benefit from Basketball Australia’s agenda to perform competitively on the international stage.

What happens to the remaining 99% of all club system participants when they reach the U16…U18…U20 countdown into basketball oblivion.

I read an article wherein BA referred to Basketball associations throughout Australia as share holders within it’s organizational structure.

Therefore, all players registered under Basketball Australia’s monopolizing umbrella are shareholders.

1% of player / shareholders benefit from their user pays (time & money) investment in state, national and international recognition.

99% of player / shareholders compete within a user pays system of diminishing returns.

The club system institutionalizes and governs our children’s sense of self worth.

Kids fall, stumble and run away from U16, 18 and 20 basketball because selectors from the representative state national pathways tell them they didn’t make the cut…..they just weren’t good enough....

I think maybe it’s okay to reassure our kids and let them know that the club basketball system is not structurally and philosophically aligned to meet the needs of the 99% of it’s shareholders who can’t fit through the bottle necked representative pathway.

In the US, the primary basketball pathway is delivered via the schools in response to the need to ensure that the 99% of players who won’t achieve national and international recognition are delivered
viable options for career outcomes while playing the sport they love.

The Aussie club system is part and parcel of our colonial inheritance and it’s been tweaked to meet a particular need…. but needs change…evolve…

Our children need a high profile…..highly competitive school based training and competition schedule aligning academic / vocational and sporting achievement.

A national schools competition schedule could have an interlocking cellular structure and be run within a seasonal time frame allowing our student athletes the opportunity to rest their bodies and maintain their academic / vocational commitment, home and social life.

A national schools based competition would exponentially expand the spectator base in Australia.

The club system struggles to expand the spectator base.

A ten year old kid enters the club system with a spectator base of mum, dad, siblings and grandparents.

That ten year old kid exits the club basketball system at the age of 18 with his or her financially emotionally and physically depleted spectator base in tow.

These are interesting numbers for Males only taken from an NCAA eligiblity website.

High School Athletes 546,335
High School senior athletes 156,096
NCAA Athletes 16,571
NCAA Freshman Positions 4,735
NCAA Senior Athletes 3,682
NCAA Senior Athletes Drafted 44
Percentage: High School To NCAA 3.00%
Percentage: NCAA To Professional 1.20%
Percentage: High School To Professional 0.03%

Make of it what you will but suggesting that the US system is any less elitest than the Club System, these numbers do not support that.
I was in the States last Xmas and there is trend away from school supported sports into Club based sports especially in High School basketball.

[Unregistered]

These are interesting numbers for Males only taken from an NCAA eligiblity website.

High School Athletes 546,335
High School senior athletes 156,096
NCAA Athletes 16,571
NCAA Freshman Positions 4,735
NCAA Senior Athletes 3,682
NCAA Senior Athletes Drafted 44
Percentage: High School To NCAA 3.00%
Percentage: NCAA To Professional 1.20%
Percentage: High School To Professional 0.03%

Make of it what you will but suggesting that the US system is any less elitest than the Club System, these numbers do not support that.
I was in the States last Xmas and there is trend away from school supported sports into Club based sports especially in High School basketball.

College UCLA
Note

Revenue or money earned

Money from ticket sales: $22,402,565
Money athletics gets from student fees: $2,646,743
Money from playing in away games: $3,587,023
Contributions and donations to athletics: $8,354,437
Money or benefits from a third party including speaker fees, shoe contracts, country club memberships, etc: $0
Money the university uses to subsidize the athletic department: $210,000
Money from the NCAA and conferences: $6,328,309
Money from TV, radio and Internet rights: $6,855,613
Money from licensed products, advertisements and sponsorships: $7,744,834

Athletic department total operating revenue

Operating revenue: $66,088,264

Expenses or money spent

Money spent on student athletes' tuition and fees: $8,768,645
Money paid to visiting teams: $2,359,444
Salaries benefits and bonuses for coaches (paid by the university): $9,768,187
Salaries benefits and bonuses for coaches (paid by a third party): $0
Money spent on recruiting: $696,473
Team travel expenses: $5,565,053
Game day expenses: $4,308,300
Money spent on fund raising, marking, and promotion: $2,955,998
Medical and insurance expenses: $475,566

Athletic department total operating expenses

Operating expenses: $66,088,264

Source ESPN database of College Revenues

[Jeanelle Hurst]

These are interesting numbers for Males only taken from an NCAA eligiblity website.

High School Athletes 546,335
High School senior athletes 156,096
NCAA Athletes 16,571
NCAA Freshman Positions 4,735
NCAA Senior Athletes 3,682
NCAA Senior Athletes Drafted 44
Percentage: High School To NCAA 3.00%
Percentage: NCAA To Professional 1.20%
Percentage: High School To Professional 0.03%

Make of it what you will but suggesting that the US system is any less elitest than the Club System, these numbers do not support that.
I was in the States last Xmas and there is trend away from school supported sports into Club based sports especially in High School basketball.

I think you'll find that those stats reflect the NCAA’s acknowledgement that less than 1% of student athletes will arrive at a professional athlete destination.

Which is why the NCAA’s emphasis is on aligning academic and athletic pathways…in order to provide ‘non professional’ career opportunities for student athletes…

Also thanks for referring to the club system in the US.

It's great value for money.

But I really don't think it's going to usurp the dominance of the school / sport system and in fact there seems to be enough room for both systems.

http://aausports.org/JoinAAU.aspx

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP (annual)

Athlete Application

Do you need to register your athlete(s)?
Did your coach tell you to get your child a membership?
Do you need to register your team's members?
Do you need an AAU membership to compete in an event?
Then, choose this option.

Youth Athlete Fees are $12.00 or $14.00 extended coverage (AB).
Adult Athlete Fees range from $12.00 to $37.00 | Further Info

[Do something]

TO: ALL MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

As previously advised Basketball Queensland has appointed the University of Queensland to conduct the BQ Competition and Development Pathway Review. As part of this review they are gathering data from all stakeholders so that they have a good picture of the current situation and how this is perceived by the various stakeholders. There is also an opportunity to provide feedback on possible changes.

A link to the on-line survey is below. Please click on this to commence the survey:

I aks that you have as many people as you can complete this survey to assist in the data gathering phase of this review.

Once the results of the survey are finalised a second phase of the prokect where the review group will conduct focus groups and individual interview to refine the information gathered.

GO TO BQ WEBSITE (http://hs-web01.health.uq.edu.au/survey/)

[darkjedi]

Just edited the above to include the URL to the survey.

Cheers,
dj

[Bullets back ...........]

BULLETS RE-UNION


Remember when BASKETBALL filled The Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

This coming Saturday night at the Rowland Cowan Stadium, Zahel Street, Carina you can meet and chat with some of the players who made it possible.

Former Bullets stars Leroy Loggins, Andre Moore, Rodger Smith with many more former greats will be at the Brisbane Spartans game when the Brisbane Spartans play North West Tasmania in the South East Australian Basketball League.

Be part of the crowd while Leroy, Rodger, Andre and friends sit back and enjoy the action as NBL star Corrie “Homicide” Williams, in Brisbanes newest team the Brisbane Spartans take the court.

Doors open at 5pm when the Lady Spartans play the Launceston Tornadoes.

ENDS sdbal@bigpond.net.au Phone 3398 2790 www.sdspartans.basketball.net.au

[Jeanelle Hurst]

ACCESS & EQUITY ON AUSTRALIAN BASKETBALL COURTS for all Aussie kids.....

LOBBY GROUP....

The ACCESS & EQUITY ON AUSTRALIAN BASKETBALL COURTS lobby group has evolved in response to the Basketball Australia’s user pays Club system which prioritizes financial viability over player ability.


The user pays - no pay no play policy denies access to regional, national and international representative and professional pathways for thousands of marginalized children and youth across Australia.

The Access & Equity on Australian Basketball Courts Lobby Group believe that the development of a National School Basketball Program and Competition Schedule would ensure access and equity for all Aussie kids.

It is proposed that a National School Basketball Program and competition schedule would:

• align academic, vocational and sporting pathways, achievements and outcomes regionally, nationally and internationally

• contribute to the evolution of the student athlete culture in Australian sport

• commit to affordability, fundraising and sponsorship strategies and to developing the spectator base around school communities

• work towards the development of scholarship opportunities for student athletes enrolled at Australian universities and Tafe Colleges.

• open the door on regional, national and international representative and professional pathways for all Aussie kids

[Jeanelle Hurst]

If........ the National Basketball League Teams knocked on the door of every school in Australia......

driving into the hearts…..minds…..and imaginations of every child
the sheer joy and pure ambition….
to play basketball....work hard at school...and succeed in life.....


Then this would be a battle worth fighting....for......

The Development of a National Schools Basketball Program and Competition Schedule…… opening the door on access...equity...and opportunity for every child....

And in the process …..the National Basketball League may find their niche in the Australian sports arena...

.and build the foundations of their spectator base from within the pursuit of academic and sporting excellence in Australia...

Give every child access to......and equity for..... and opportunity to.....

utilise and align their athletic ability to academic performance...along a multi-lane highway .and open the doors on their future..

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Basketball in Australia is sunsafe, unisex and has a transnational identity and standing and yet struggles to build the spectator base.

It’s possible / probable that the problem lies in the business plan philosophy, structure and methodology of the Basketball Australia representative club system…..

Coaches proclaim….…

there’s no….i….. in team…

and yet the Individual quest for national representation is the lifeblood and adrenalin pumping through the club system in Australia.

The club system is constructed in the shape of a pyramid…designed to shunt individuals up the representative ladder to meet the needs of the national representative program.

The pyramid’s building blocks are financially viable family units locked into the logistically challenging regime of the representative training and competition schedules.

As a result stadiums across Australia are sparsely populated enclaves inhabited by individuals and their family units addicted to and in search of the holy grail of national representation.

And somewhere in the strategy to construct this icon of international basketball competitiveness …..

and somewhere in the scramble to the top of the pyramid….

The sense of community….the joy in the game…the support for the game…the inspiration in the game of basketball has lost it’s way.

The club system in Australia is not designed to and does not function to exponentially develop the spectator base in Australia.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

St JAMES @ King George Square BRISBANE City 12/1011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYi1xXnxPHQ&feature=feedu

[Jeanelle Hurst]

A friend said recently…..
“Only americans know how to make em”

Australians know how to make some of em…
it’s the neglect to make all of em that matters…

Over a hundred years ago the NCAA evolved from the need to put a stop to the number of injuries and deaths in the game of football…

The NCAA grew out of the need to protect…support and assist individual athletes…. and in doing so ………

Constructed…. over time an organization that fanned out from the grass roots to bring sporting…academic…financial and career benefits to all.

And right from the beginning... participants within the evolving NCAA network were required to build their spectator bases…to bring their spectator bases to the collective table.

The US system evolved as a kind of…… leave no child behind…
strategy founded in the objective to build a financially viable student athlete multi-lane highway.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

We’re a small population in a big country and we can’t afford to waste our resources..............

Currently we have two competition systems running in Australia……

The exclusive club system that does deliver on it’s commitment to training and competition schedules but fails to open it’s doors and provide accessible and equitable multilane highways….for all it’s shareholders…

A club system……that has failed to mine the resources of athletic ability within the ranks of the financially and socially marginalized youth in this country….

that has failed to populate and popularize this sport…

An NITP program that until recently has been blinkered by the jurisdiction of the club system and stunted in it’s outreach capacity by the shunting system that allows 40 male/ female north/south players from each age group to progress along the representative pathway annually.


And the show pony school basketball championships parading academic and sporting opportunity but practicing the art of the user pays system….

A couple of years ago…it was proposed that a national school team be preselected on the basis of their ability to prepay…a Disneyland trip to the states…………..head shaking stuff…..

Too few schools commit to the time and money investment in developing and protecting their student athletes and providing pathways and opportunities....

while too many schools annually and opportunistically trawl for club / representative trained athletes to win their trophies.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

We have a compartmentalized and fragmented basketball pathway in Australia built on the needs of the state and not on the needs of the child.

The national agenda was celebrated a few years ago when the need to accommodate an international competition schedule dictated the reshuffling of junior basketball competition schedules all over the country.

Children and youth who play within the structure and methodology of basketball Australia have become commodities…interchangeable building blocks…in an industry that is not regulated….

where children and youth are expected to perform as professional athletes…without the associated benefits and safety guards

whose performance as professional athletes at regional, state, national and international levels…feeds the performance indicators for Basketball Australia and it’s subsidiaries....

with those same performance indicators feeding the salary and travel packages of the upper echelons of management….

a couple of years ago BQ wrote off $800,000.00 in salary and associated travel…and I guess we would anticipate an exponential increase since then…

[Jeanelle Hurst]

When you extract the representative dream from the Basketball Australia organizational structure you are left with a public utility.

And as a parent…you have to ask yourself…is this public utility meeting the needs of my child and the children around me…

[Unregistered]

Wonder what it is you are really trying to say in your shambolic rambling? Ah...no don'tanswer that!

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Time to recap

Our children and youth need a National School Basketball Program and Competition Schedule that:

• aligns academic, vocational and sporting pathways, achievements and outcomes regionally, nationally and internationally

• regulates competition schedules affording student athletes time out for academic commitments, rest and recovery and strength and conditioning programs.

• commits to affordability, fundraising and sponsorship strategies and to developing the spectator base around school communities


• develops scholarship opportunities for student athletes enrolled at Australian universities and Tafe Colleges.


• opens the door on regional, national and international representative and professional pathways for all Aussie kids

• contributes to the evolution of the student athlete culture in Australian sport

I guess it's timely also that I explain to you ….why I choose to sign my name to my ‘shambolic ramblings’…

When our kids step out on to the basketball courts …they're identified by their number…and their name…and we hold them accountable for their actions…

Equally I have to be accountable for my thoughts and words...

maybe... our paths have crossed in previous discussions....I think it's fair to say that I'm going to be here for a while longer.......as the objectives listed above require discussion and resolution....
you're welcome to participate...cheers and smiles...

[Unregistered]

Im just going to say this - you blab on way to much. and also the fact the people you are defending arent really worth defending. Ive read this impartially over the last 12 months and gave the boys the benefit of they doubt.... until a few months ago when I filled in for a Thursday night team who so happened to be playing against these PAWES kids... and can I tell you that the majority of them disgust me. Ive played basketball my whole life and just finished a season of ABA, so Ive seen it all, but these guys were so arrogant, so rude, and so short tempered it wasnt even funny. At one point, Yohan (i think his name is) had to reel them in as they were just losing the plot. Let me spell it out to you a bit more.... Thursday night basketball, isnt exactly the most exciting league to play in... guys just play for fun and for a casual run. This Pawes kids started getting verbally and then physically abusive once they found out that they were just getting their asses handed to them. They couldnt hack it. Pushing and shoving, swearing every time a ref called something. Trying to physically engage people on my team, for no reason at all. We were just baffled. We didnt start anything with these guys, they just seemed to have lost all control of their emotions. It was embarrasing. I was literally embarrassed for these guys, and the community as I know they can be better than this....... And im going to say this much, Im not Australian, Im from another country myself, so dont give me this racial barrier bullcrap, Ive been there and Ive done that... in australia there is so prejudice, - its simple, you're either good enough, or your not. Its got nothing to do with race... so Jeanelle, seriously just stop wasting your time and everyone elses, stop making excuses, and stop making an issue that isnt there. These guys are a disgrace

[Unregistered]

Time to recap

Our children and youth need a National School Basketball Program and Competition Schedule that:

• aligns academic, vocational and sporting pathways, achievements and outcomes regionally, nationally and internationally

• regulates competition schedules affording student athletes time out for academic commitments, rest and recovery and strength and conditioning programs.

• commits to affordability, fundraising and sponsorship strategies and to developing the spectator base around school communities


• develops scholarship opportunities for student athletes enrolled at Australian universities and Tafe Colleges.


• opens the door on regional, national and international representative and professional pathways for all Aussie kids

• contributes to the evolution of the student athlete culture in Australian sport

I guess it's timely also that I explain to you ….why I choose to sign my name to my ‘shambolic ramblings’…

When our kids step out on to the basketball courts …they're identified by their number…and their name…and we hold them accountable for their actions…

Equally I have to be accountable for my thoughts and words...

maybe... our paths have crossed in previous discussions....I think it's fair to say that I'm going to be here for a while longer.......as the objectives listed above require discussion and resolution....
you're welcome to participate...cheers and smiles...

I think instead of pushing your barrow here for noreal result, your passion would be better suited to lobbying the governments of this country. I think you are right, access to sport needs to be accessible to all children and the government needs to be involved either through the schools or via subsidies to clubs and associations. The money they wasted in building the education revolution and the laptop program, which still hasn't been delivered would have more useful to encourage and facilitate more access to sport for the children of this country.

[Unregistered]

until a few months ago when I filled in for a Thursday night team .......

Mate i also played against hoop dreamz a number of times and so have a number of my mates who play in other teams. Think you need to get you facts straight firstly they dont play on thursdays they play on mondays. Never had an issue with them, they are actually really nice and funny guys if you ever took the time to talk to them. Dont get me wrong they do play hard but i guess some of them play with more passion than some of us. Also lets no act like were all perfect. How many times do we see our team mates or even some of us getting upset with some things that happen in the game. Sounds to me you just wanted to add your 2cents worth in something you have no idea about.

[Unregistered]

i've also played against the girls team and they were sooo nice. My boyfriend played against both the boys’ teams and they seemed good to. Sounds to me you were disgusted before you even played them and im actually questioning if you ever did in the first place. Sorry like the above posted kind of mentioned you’re a perfect person.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

I think there are always going to be agitators on this site …who play some pretty extreme mind games and say hurtful things behind the cloak of anonymity……

Finding.....in search of...... a level playing field is something of a challenge and there is.........a reason for coming here before approaching government agencies….

First up we need to find the common ground….

This isn’t just an issue for the socially and financially marginalized youth in Australia…

This is an issue for every child and youth who’s been or will be afflicted by ‘Overuse Injuries’…. repetitive strain or cumulative trauma

Injuries…occurring as a result of a lack of regulation…

Occurring as a result of the relentless regime of competing and overlapping club, representative, state and school training and competition schedules over.....for many a 6 year period.......12 – 18 years…

Occurring because our kids are viewed as interchangeable building blocks……when one goes down…there’s always another one desperate to fill the space.....

because the pathway options are so limited……

and so the injury count….in junior sport…is a side issue…a non issue…..
too bad…too sad….


This is an issue for every child or youth who’s parents have invested thousands of dollars over the 6 year period only to find their kids.....

disengaging themselves from the sport they love,,,,, as they recognize the diminishing returns…the lack of viable pathways…..


But enough already…of the why……smiles….....it’s the how.....
........that’s the challenge……

There are schools and associations….thinking creatively and laterally….. opening doors…on exciting futures...............lots to talk about...

[Unregistered]

no idea about? A few years ago I used to be a 'leader' to a group of teenage kids from the same country. This was for about a year or so. So I actually have compassion for people from their country and like them a lot. I, myself come from another country, so as I said, I know what 'boundaries' people feel there are, and also know how to overcome them.... so when I found out we were playing against them I was looking forward to it... but their behaviour during the game was very agro , and very unwarranted.... disgusting

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Give it a rest matey

These kids have been bagged enough

I can only think that you are here…… because you’re aware that if discussions become volatile..they have been shut down in the past..

If that’s your intention……… it’s not going to work here...

My understanding of Ben Does…is this..…. that if statements are too provocative …they can be removed…and further that it would be inappropriate to shut down a discussion based on the input of a couple of anonymous…vindictive and volatile statements....

[Unregistered]

no idea about? A few years ago I used to be a 'leader' to a group of teenage kids from the same country. This was for about a year or so. So I actually have compassion for people from their country and like them a lot. I, myself come from another country, so as I said, I know what 'boundaries' people feel there are, and also know how to overcome them.... so when I found out we were playing against them I was looking forward to it... but their behaviour during the game was very agro , and very unwarranted.... disgusting

Guess they can’t make everyone happy. It’s a shame they couldn’t keep you happy but i do know many teams who don’t have issues with them. Also my opinion is they have improved so much since we first played against them. But i do still notice little things they can improve on, but they are trying so i do congratulate them on that. Mate I’ve noticed players on my team and other teams that we have played against get frustrated and etc but I guess that’s not newsworthy.

[Unregistered]

no idea about? A few years ago I used to be a 'leader' to a group of teenage kids from the same country. This was for about a year or so. So I actually have compassion for people from their country and like them a lot. I, myself come from another country, so as I said, I know what 'boundaries' people feel there are, and also know how to overcome them.... so when I found out we were playing against them I was looking forward to it... but their behaviour during the game was very agro , and very unwarranted.... disgusting

bahaha a leader ! you sound like Kernel Gaddafi !

[Jeanelle Hurst]

The Access Equity and Opportunity on Australian Basketball Courts lobby group is now collecting data on chronic sporting injuries…those caused by repetitive strain or cumulative trauma in junior basketball over the ten year period 2001 – 2011.

The data will be used to support the objective to lobby for regulated training and competition schedules within the development of a National School Basketball Progam and Competition schedule.

If you would like to participate in this fact finding exercise, contribute your thoughts or share your child’s experiences please contact:

Jeanellehurst@optusnet.com.au

and or participate in this discussion on Ben Does.


Please note the following example as a point of reference:

In 2007 a 14 year old girl playing basketball at school, club, representative and state level was diagnosed with stress fractures in her spine and groin.

The spe^^^^^^t stated that the stress fracture in her T12 was probably the result of hyper extension of the lumbar and thoracic spine and this kind of injury was not uncommon in females aged 13 – 17 yrs playing basketball at an elite level.

The Intrinsic risk factors were:
Height – tall
Muscle fatigue
Menstrual and hormonal irregularity

The Extrinsic risk factors were:
Excessive volume and intensity of training
Change of training regime “New Coach” phenomenon
Multiple coaches with conflicting competition and training agendas

The stress fractures in her groin were observed to be not statistically possible as these were most commonly found in adult male professional rugby players.

This girl’s injuries resulted in her being pulled from the U16 state team one month prior to Nationals and demanded a minimum 6 months rest and recovery.

The injuries were a result of school, club, representative and state coaches aggressively competing with each other for this child’s athletic ability with back to back and overlapping training and competition schedules.

Despite the fact that this girl had been identified as an emerging ‘elite’ athlete by the Queensland NITP program no effort was made by the BQ organization to investigate and document what was a classic example of an ‘overuse injury’.

The girl was replaced in the State Team by a fully functioning player and no effort was made to review, address and regulate the training and competition schedules imposed on other junior athletes.

Recently I located a reference to a 1997 AIS Sports Medicine Report that concluded

“There was a high incidence of knee and ankle injury in this group of young elite female basketball players, and stress fractures were not uncommon. The incidence of injury in female basketball players may be increasing. Further research in this area may help reduce the risk of stress fractures and serious ankle and knee injuries.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9397323

According to this document the AIS were made aware in 1997 of the increasing risk of stress fractures and other injuries in female basketball players and yet 10 years later this information had not percolated through the Basketball Australia system and had not been used to inform and protect junior athletes.

[Jeanelle Hurst]

The Access , Equity and Opportunity on Australian Basketball Courts lobby group is seeking to make contact with families whose annual income is less than $35,000.00 and who support children and youth in school, club and representative basketball.

Your experiences and observations are welcomed by the lobby group and with your permission would be documented and utilized to lobby for the development of a National School Basketball Program and competition schedule.

For further information please contact:

jeanellehurst@optusnet.com.au

[Unregistered]

The Access , Equity and Opportunity on Australian Basketball Courts lobby group is seeking to make contact with families whose annual income is less than $35,000.00 and who support children and youth in school, club and representative basketball.

Your experiences and observations are welcomed by the lobby group and with your permission would be documented and utilized to lobby for the development of a National School Basketball Program and competition schedule.

For further information please contact:

jeanellehurst@optusnet.com.au

Any interest in coaches who earn less than $35K and who support children and youth in school, club and representative basketball through organising, coaching and delivering programs?

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Please email me your details and I’ll send through a rough draft of questions for your perusal....

I understand your concerns about disparity…you receive goodwill for your volunteer work…whilst the upper echelon of management has had salary and travel budgets worth $800,000.00.

We have to pump money through this sport…but not solely via the artesian bore of junior basketball.

The ISL on the Gold Coast is a fantastic initiative…

private enterprise pumping money into basketball…

spectator base growing

veterans playing with youngsters….. youngsters learning from veterans…..

affordability the number one priority….

and rewards at the end…

this is community building.…..

these kind of enterprises…herald some hope for coaching reimbursement in the future..…

and so does the development of a National School Basketball Program and competition schedule…

help to develop this program…and work to ensure employment opportunities in the future….

being paid to coach the sport you love…..what could be better…

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Building Australia as a student athlete destination would serve the following…objectives…

Breathe life back into the international student market…

Pump money into the National School Basketball Program and Competition schedule….

Exponentially expand the number of players in the national school program bringing depth and strength to the competition….

Open pathways throughout asia and the middle east..


Notes:

Australian population: 22,750,936 (POPClock Projection 2/11/11)
American population: 312,540,641 (POPClock Projection 2/11/11)

Australian Universities : 39
Australian Tafe Colleges: 62 or thereabouts

American DIV1 Colleges…well over 250….....lost count…
American Div1 Colleges:............. too many to count
American Div3 Colleges:..................... way too many to count

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_institution


Too many people have said…

“We just don’t have the depth and strength to our competition schedules here in Australia”

We have a small fringe dwelling population and scientists forecast that if we populate..we perish…so how do we build depth and strength within our competition base……



Gold Coast have just returned from a sporting / cultural exchange…
..... aussie kids playing basketball against Indonesian school teams ......aussie kids ......building pathways.....building communities…
......promoting....basketball... tourism...australia....and goodwill…

this is just really exciting..smiles..

[Unregistered]

Building Australia as a student athlete destination would serve the following…objectives…

Breathe life back into the international student market…

Pump money into the National School Basketball Program and Competition schedule….

Exponentially expand the number of players in the national school program bringing depth and strength to the competition….

Open pathways throughout asia and the middle east..


Notes:

Australian population: 22,750,936 (POPClock Projection 2/11/11)
American population: 312,540,641 (POPClock Projection 2/11/11)

Australian Universities : 39
Australian Tafe Colleges: 62 or thereabouts

American DIV1 Colleges…well over 250….....lost count…
American Div1 Colleges:............. too many to count
American Div3 Colleges:..................... way too many to count

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_institution


Too many people have said…

“We just don’t have the depth and strength to our competition schedules here in Australia”

We have a small fringe dwelling population and scientists forecast that if we populate..we perish…so how do we build depth and strength within our competition base……



Gold Coast have just returned from a sporting / cultural exchange…
..... aussie kids playing basketball against Indonesian school teams ......aussie kids ......building pathways.....building communities…
......promoting....basketball... tourism...australia....and goodwill…

this is just really exciting..smiles..

Whose money will be pumping into the System and how will it be generated ?

[Jeanelle Hurst]

I think it must be time to dispense with anonymity…

I’ve been aware for some time that BQ holds it’s finger on the pulse of ben does........watching over the emotional well being of it’s constituents…..

Therefore.... as this discussion …is focused on building a fair and equitable outcome for all our children and youth.....it’s only fair that participants…identify themselves…and besides which..how are we going to move forward …if we’re running around in the dark….

cheers and smiles…

[Unregistered]

I think it must be time to dispense with anonymity…

I’ve been aware for some time that BQ holds it’s finger on the pulse of ben does........watching over the emotional well being of it’s constituents…..

Therefore.... as this discussion …is focused on building a fair and equitable outcome for all our children and youth.....it’s only fair that participants…identify themselves…and besides which..how are we going to move forward …if we’re running around in the dark….

cheers and smiles…

I think that how you will fund this new System is fairly fundamental and is not cloaked behind some conspiracy being run by BQ. An answer would be nice.

[Your going around circles]

Enough disgruntled lady. Enough.

If your daughter was doing to much then you as the parent need to simply say no. I did to my daughter. Removed the schools component. I preferred to have control of how she was treated and coached through a club where i paid fees. That way I could walk if not happy.

I am not made of money but like so many others we make sacrifice for what we want for ourselves and our children. It is not a governments role nor concern to keep making money available for everything we think we need. Just ask the Greeks (not racism just the facts) as they spiral into the mud and now take other hard working countries and people with them. Yes they retire at 55 while I will most likely work until 68 to ensure I have the things in life I want as I grow older.

BQ conspiracy theory is rubbish. Yes I am sure they look at what is being said but they can not massage nor manage anything. If they could would our sport be where it is. A free snipe there. hahaha

Not to sure where you got your $800,000 salary from for basketball management salaries but like you that figure is off with the fairies. Larry Sengstock would be highest paid person in basketball within Australi is my guess but he is on less then a GM gets at a reasonably sized National business or for that matter Leagues Club manager.

You quote stats from the past but given it has been out there for so long I really think those that are in the positions that matter make a valued call with what they do. Just like a coach makes a sub believing what he is doing has the teams best interests in mind. No one ever sets out to injure someone. That is just plain rubbish from a person who grabs at half a truth and makes a story from it because it suits your flawed logic.

Time to end this silly nonsense. Either get involved within a club and start making changes or attend one of the numerous government forums currently being conducted. That is where those that need to hear will be listening.

Don't have time or no one wants to vote for you? Maybe just maybe that is because they all think, like myself, that you are full of it....................... My last time reading your silly sily rubbish.

[Unregistered]

Thanks and well said ,this thread has become whack-a-doodle and nobody wants to read it anymore so they aren't

[Jeanelle Hurst]

Boy oh boy…what a bunch of grumble bums…

.smiles…

okay so here goes…

re..the conspiracy theory….i think…. that if I was concerned with a conspiracy agenda…the logic would follow that

I would be the one who was invisible…and you would be the ones who are visible…

re… the discussion… re…the funding strategies…I’ll know when you’re taking the content matter of this discussion seriously…..when you identify yourself…

now as to running around in circles

I’m not sure where you’re heading…..but……

….I’m heading in the direction of a……..

National School Basketball Program and Competition Schedule…

But first and this is a minor detour…am I a disgruntled parent ?…

No…. I’m a delighted parent and I wish I could share this with you.

My kid is now locked into a good junior college in the states…she’s working hard at her studies…and her bball…

my girl’s journey through club and school basketball was a pretty extreme kind of struggle….there was never enough money…never enough time…never enough resources to go around…and there were days.....when she did some pretty hard yards…

but still I consider her one of the lucky ones…because

despite…statistically …..not fitting the mould…she’s arrived at a good destination…

and she does have her Australian coaches to thank for that….her skill level…discipline and respect for the game and the coaching staff are highly valued in the states...

I’m not disgruntled… just quietly…determined..

I’ve been given the opportunity to experience and observe first hand …
the club and school basketball systems…and..…I’ve watched a lot of kids playing basketball.....

fantastic..basketball players..fantastic kids..…strong… skilled…..amazing work ethic…….who have been denied opportunities…because our pathway system is just too damn small…

and then of course ....there were the kids who just simply…couldn’t afford to get through the door…..

Anyway…enough of the past….to the folks who are leaving this discussion…all is good…smiles…thanks for hanging in until now…cheers