Dear Magic Families,
We are writing to provide some clarification specific to Magic in relation to the recent announcement that some Junior Clubs within the Basketball Hawthorn Domestic Competition intend to move to another association for the new summer season.
While this does not specifically relate to Hawthorn Magic, it is important that we provide context for you.
We remain disappointed and shocked by some of the Clubs’ actions to involve teams and families in their decision to leave Basketball Hawthorn rather than openly working through any issues and maintaining their commitment to the Financial Resilience Plan for our Association.
We want to reassure you that, for us at Basketball Hawthorn, and at Hawthorn Magic, it’s basketball as usual and we fully intend to stage our Junior Domestic Summer Season in 2021/22. It’s our mission to see as many of our players back on court as soon as possible.
Hawthorn Magic for Season 2022
Registrations for tryouts are now open, and will be scheduled as soon as Basketball Victoria gives us the green light. Our Head Coaches have begun to make contact with their respective Age Groups – so the pre-season is well underway.
While we definitely want to see our domestic competition thrive, Hawthorn Magic’s financial success is not dependent upon it.
While the events within the domestic competition are unrelated to Magic, Basketball Hawthorn is nevertheless committed to a strategy that delivers pathways for beginners right through to top-level high performance basketball at Senior Magic.
The reasons for the success of the Magic program are many, however one of its core strengths is the pool of local, talented young players who graduate from our domestic competition at junior level into the Magic program. The Basketball Hawthorn domestic competition is the pipeline into our Magic program and sets us up for continued success for the future.
It’s never been compulsory to play in the Basketball Hawthorn domestic competition and nothing has changed on that front – you do not have to play domestic at Hawthorn if you want to play for Magic.
But for those who do currently play or coach at domestic level at Basketball Hawthorn, we urge you to stay with us!
There’s no need to move. You can stay in your existing team, play at existing venues, in the existing competition.
There will no doubt be questions around what this will look like: Can teams wear existing uniforms? What Club will we join? Will we even need to be part of a Club? When will the season start? How much will it cost? and so on.
Basketball Hawthorn is working at speed to address all of these very relevant questions for the Junior Domestic Summer Season and will be in a position to provide answers very soon.
For now, make sure you register, look out for a welcome email from your Age Group Head Coach, and get set for another Magic year!
Jason Kelly
General Manager – Basketball Hawthorn
