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Hello Hawthorn Magic players and parents,
It has been a moment since we last provided an update on what’s happening at Magic and Basketball Hawthorn. As many of you would be aware, Basketball Victoria has been working behind the scenes since the resignation of the Board and several staff.
There’s no sugarcoating it – things have been challenging with limited resources to maintain operational viability. Despite these obstacles, the Hawthorn Junior Magic program continues to maintain it’s presence in the basketball community as leaders, noting some impressive accomplishments this year:
Junior Magic Teams in Victorian Championship
Testament to the coaching and athletic performance of our players, 7 of the 31 teams have qualified for Victorian Championship (VC) division in 2022. Congratulations to the following teams:
– 12.1 Boys
– 12.1 Girls
– 14.1 Boys
– 16.1 Boys
– 16.1 Girls
– 18.1 Girls
– 20 Girls
Furthermore, Basketball Hawthorn’s referees branch has been able to exceed the requirement of panel referees to the VJBL for VC competition for 2022.
Junior Magic Players Selected to State Representation
In addition to the excellent performance of our teams, an astounding number of our athletes have been selected to Victorian state teams this year. Congratulations to the following athletes:
– Isabel Whitelaw (Under 18 Vic Country Women)
– Evie King (Under 18 Vic Metro Women – Emergency)
– Jesse McIntosh (Under 18 Vic Metro Men – Emergency)
– Isobelle Wightman (Under 16 Vic Metro Women)
– Harrison Beauchamp (Under 16 Vic Metro Men)
– Edward Brammall (Under 16 Vic Metro Men)
– Ryder Cheesman (Under 16 Vic Metro Men)
– Louis Emmett (Under 16 Vic Metro Men)
– Xavier Ah Tong (Under 16 Vic Metro Men – Emergency)
– Charlie Sammartino (Under 16 Vic Metro Men – Emergency)
Junior Magic Coaches Selected to State Representation
Our successes also extend to Junior Magic coaches selected to Victorian State teams. Congratulations to the following coaches:
– Tracey Wightman (Under 18 Vic Metro Women – Assistant Coach)
– Hamish Ryan (Under 16 Vic Metro Women – Assistant Coach)
Culture and Legacy
Our success can be largely attributed to the strong culture and sense of community that preservers within the Magic Basketball Club. The hard work and dedication by so many over the long haul instills the culture from where our success is born. The Hawthorn Magic Basketball Club is indebted to and pays its respects to some of our most loyal and committed coaches, with special thanks to:
– Ryan James
– Cameron James
– Mitchell Wildoer
– Adrian Lewis
– Sarah Perillo
– Patrick Minahan
– Josh Turton
– Mark Petherick
Administration and Stability
Off court, a remarkable load has been completed by the limited resources remaining and support provided by Basketball Victoria – try outs conducted, teams selected, registrations completed, uniforms ordered, first aid kits supplied, training schedules organized, team photos ready to go (this weekend!) and VJBL championship season underway.
Scrambling under such extreme circumstances, we are now in a place to stabilize and work together with Basketball Victoria to secure the future for our members. The recent addition of operational support from Sports Administrative Services (SAS) has alleviated some of the administrative burden, including the return of a familiar face to the operations team, former Operations Manager, Jason Weidemann.
Furthermore, you can expect to hear from us again soon regarding the implementation of a new committee for the Hawthorn Magic program. Details regarding what will this entail and how to get involved will be released within the next week.
2022 and Beyond
Following a difficult 2-3 years, the Basketball Hawthorn (BH) Board resigned on the 12th December 2021, requesting that Basketball Victoria take over operational and financial control of the association. In the 100 days since there has been significant work undertaken across BH including review of all finances and operations, management of significant debt levels, working with creditors to ensure venues remain accessible and the ongoing operations of BH are sustainable.
With the loss of the Junior Domestic program the operational activity of BH changed dramatically and a reset was required financially. For context, the Junior Domestic program contributed in excess of $1m of revenue per year. The Senior Domestic program and Junior Magic programs were identified as core business and decisions made to ensure they were financially viable and self-supporting while allowing BH to manage the debt repayments owing to creditors. Without the revenue of Junior Domestic to help subsidise the Junior Magic program, tough decisions were required and have been made.
Right now we feel we have stabilised the association to give us the best chance of a successful 2022 VJBL season and planning for 2023 and beyond is well underway. We expect to finalise this planning by June, at which time we will be able to communicate the information with all.
We thank the coaches, parents, players and staff you for your understanding and look forward to your ongoing support and a successful 2022 VJBL season for our Junior Magic teams.
