GETTING something done is an accomplishment but doing it right is an achievement.
Such is the case for the Albany Basketball Association which implemented a new strategy to handle team nominations for the impending 2008-2009 season.
The off-season preparation, strategic planning and hard work have now paid massive dividends with local basketball on the up-and-up.
Not only has it positioned the ABA nicely for the coming season and set a benchmark for an exciting new era for basketball in the region, but the association has been inundated with a record number of nominated teams and players.
However, the ABA has also been challenged by a variety of new players all vying for a spot on a team.
The difficulty facing the ABA is demand has far outstripped supply.
With most teams fielding a full roster, it has been difficult for the ABA to accommodate all individual requests.
Compounding the problem, the quota of available court space has been maximised at the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre.
If this growth and popularity of the sport continues to escalate, the ABA will face some major challenges in the very near future.
The domestic basketball season will tip off on Tuesday, October 14, with games being played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday mornings.
There has been a significant increase in the number of junior females opting to play basketball.
The mature generation opted to make the transition from being sidelines spectators, to participating in either the social or B-grade competitions.
Off-court creativity also has to be admired.
A casual glance at the list of team names for this season’s competition is an intriguing read.
Whilst some have opted for traditional names representing schools or clubs, others have let their creative juices flow over.
Church groups Calvary Cane Toads, Baptist Bullfrogs and Troode Street CFC Tadpoles will all be hoping for divine intervention when they make their debut in the men’s B grade.
While in the Women’s Social League, the Tetleys, Old Boilers and Could’vebeens won’t just be sitting down for a cup of tea.
It sounds like the 200 Killerwasps mean serious business, whilst the Raptors, Grizzlies, Gekkos, Lady Cougars, Tigers, Pandas, Mustangs and Hairy Gorillas all sound like creatures you would meet on a day trip to the zoo, rather than on the basketball court.
– Steve Marshall.