2 SABRES 2015
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CONTENTS
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men’s
SEABL The 2015 season began with high hopes and expectations for the SEABL men. In the 2014 season, the team was decimated by early season injuries and was forced to make an import change midyear, yet was still able to fight back and scrape their way into the playoffs. In 2015 we returned both imports, Ray Goins and Junior Hairston, as well as veteran Nathan Crosswell, and ex Sabres juniors, James McKinnon, Stefan Uzelac, Alistair McDonald and Alex Lemons. We also improved our Australian content with the signings of Trent Zomer and veteran Mitch Chapman from Frankston and fully believed we would be able to go deep into the playoffs. Kye Patrick also returned but he retired early in the year due to his work commitments as a Fireman. Another Sabres junior, Matt Burke, came in as his replacement. The season started positively winning both games on the annual Tasmania trip and although we were 3 and 3 after the first 6 games, we were relatively well placed as 4 of those had been road games. After 3 tight loses in our next 4 games (could have and should have won all 4 after leading late in those games) we had our most crucial part of the season with 4 games in 8 days and all against top 4 sides. With Ray Goins also out for the first 2 games, it was make or break for us and the guys really responded. In our best part of the season we had wins against Nunawading, Dandenong (both away) and NW Tassie at home in the space of 6 days and we were playing tremendous team basketball. We were sitting tied for 2nd place at the half way point of the season and in a great position to push for a home final. Unfortunately, from that point on the wheels fell off and we won 1 of our next 11 games to well and truly miss the playoffs. I would love to be able to put my finger on the reason why but it’s not that simple. At the end of the day, we were not good enough, consistent enough or tough enough to compete at this level at that was disappointing. On a positive note, we again continued to develop the pathway into the senior programs with the SEABL Men and Youth League Mens teams training together every Tuesday night. This relationship has been beneficial to both programs and will continue to benefit the club in years to come. A special thanks to my assistants Nathan CooperBrown and Joel Anderson and to team manager Tony Barca for their help and support throughout the season. Thanks also to Sandringham Sports Physio for their help keeping the players healthy and on court. In many people’s eyes this year would be considered a failure so the pressure will be on coaches and players to perform next season. We look forward to the challenge. Stephen Hoare Head Coach
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women’s SEABL
The great late John Wooden (one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time) said “ Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do”. This was a quote I read half way through the season and it reaffirmed to me that we couldn’t worry about being undermanned, less talented or small in size, because those were not things we could control, but instead we could focus on being professional, working hard to challenge ourselves individually and as a team each week to reach our potential playing for this great club and if we were able to do that, then we would be successful. To compete in such a great league, you need a little bit of luck and unfortunately for us we had none. It was a relatively new list compared to last season, so we knew it was going to be a challenge to gel and get used to each other, but unfortunately at the start of the season we lost 2 key players, including opals Guard Tess Madgen to the WNBA, so were forced into making significant roster changes. As we struggled with gelling early in the season, we had Alice Kunek coming in and out of the side due to opals commitments and injury. We had to make the tough call half way through to release Alice from her contract to enable her to focus on getting healthy and preparing for the Oceania series and for us to be able to get some cohesion with our group. It was during the same time that we lost our starting point guard Shannon Perrett to a season ending ACL injury. A week later I made the tough decision to make further changes to our roster which impacted us greatly with talent on the court but it was to meet a greater purpose. Although undersized, lacking the talent and SEABL experience that others teams possess, the team accepted the challenge and started
to play an exciting brand of team basketball. We managed to keep ourselves fresh mentally by changing our style of play, with both our defensive and offensive structures. We pushed several finals bound teams with our small ball and relentless defense and gained a lot of respect in the league. We were unlucky not to beat top of the conference Kilsyth after being 20 points down in the 3rd quarter to only lose by 7, we fought hard against Bendigo who added in Opals Elyse Pennaluna to only fall away in the last quater, we lost by 2 points to Frankston who two weeks earlier had beaten us by 28 points and we were able to beat Albury twice and even though they were also on the bottom of the ladder they had 4 tall players to our 1. There’s no doubt we would have liked to have won more games this year, especially when we lost 7 games by under 7 points, however building a culture for the future of this club and the SEABL women’s team was far more important. One of our major focuses this season was to be involved in the junior program to help create the link between the two programs and to show our junior players that there is an exciting pathway at Sandringham. The players were present at a lot of Sunday morning trainings and Friday nights at the King Club, as well as being involved at extra mid-week trainings. We hosted the under 14-1 girls for a week, where they got to learn what its like to be a SEABL player and we also spent the week with the under 12-1 girls and they spent one of our games with us. It was pleasing as a coach to see the positive impact our players had off the court this season specifically with our junior program. We look forward to continuing our involvement with the junior teams in 2016.
Along the way we had some significant individual success. Brittany Smart led the league in scoring with 23.9 points and 9 rebounds per game. She is a leading chance for the Most Valuable Player Award and was awarded for her outstanding year with a contract with the WNBL team, Melbourne Boomers. Four ex-junior sabres players played in the team and one current junior. Ella Batish debuted at the age of 16 and made both the Victorian State Team and the Australian under 17 team. Isabelle Shea made her SEABL debut late in the season and finished with 6 games. Eilidh Simpson returned from 4 years at St Francis College in Brooklyn and representing Great Britain to play 8 games and helped us earn our 3rd win with a 26 points performance against Albury. Michelle Joy became the lone forward for most of the season and averaged 20 points a game in the last 7 games. We saw significant improvement in Alana Gadsby’s game which saw her become one of the best defenders in the league and Deanna Jolliffe and Monique Lyth stepped up considerably and were two of the most improved players of the season. In 2015 we have set the culture for the future, not only for our players who currently represent the club in the SEABL women’s team but for the juniors aspiring to play SEABL in years to come. This is something I am very proud of and look forward to building upon in 2016. Thank you to Michelle O’Connor and Ryan Heggart for their support and to Pauline Bowley for being team manager. Also a big thank you to all the staff who help out on game day and to Bill Runchey and the board for their ongoing support. Paul Graham Hread Coach
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IMPORT Ray Goins Ray arrived back in Australia in early March ready for his second season as a Sandringham Sabre. Having played in Chile up until Christmas he returned in pretty good shape and began the season strongly. He has been a little inconsistent this season but at times has looked unstoppable on the block using his superior strength to dominate opponents. He has averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds (10th in the League) this season while shooting the ball at 50% from the field. His most dominate game was against Hobart when he had 30 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. Ray has once again been a great team mate and a great club person. He is well known and well liked around the club and has been a great ambassador for the club with both his school and juniors coaching. He has a few offers from overseas so we wish him the best for the next stage of his professional career.
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IMPORT Junior Hairston Junior also returned to the Sabres in early March for his full season as a Sandringham Sabre after arriving mid-season last year. Junior has also had an inconsistent season but when at his best, was one of the more dominant players in the league at both ends of the floor. His ability to both post up and shoot the 3 made him difficult to guard and when healthy, he was one of the league’s best rebounders and defenders. This season he has averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds (6th in the league) while also sitting 3rd in blocked shots. His best game came against the Canberra Gunners at home when he had 26 points, 15 rebounds and 6 steals in a great all round game. Unfortunately Junior fractured his ankle against Frankston and missed the last 5 games of the season. Like Ray, Junior has been a great ambassador for the Sabres and is well liked by his teammates and those around the club. Anybody who witnessed him coaching during the Sabres school holiday camps will know just how enthusiastic and energised he is when coaching kids.
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youth league I am very proud to have had the opportunity to Coach the Sabres VYCM. We finished the season with a 50% win/loss ratio, an improvement on our 8 – 14 2014 season. We finished in 4th spot but unfortunately our season ended with an overtime loss to Dandenong in the Quarter Finals. The group were great ambassadors for the Club and displayed maturity and professionalism beyond their years representing Sabres Basketball. The Major strength which showed through throughout the season was the teams “chemistry”. The group remained together throughout the year, were always positive and strived for improvement every time we played and trained. Success plays a great part in all Coaches thoughts, but in this League we must not lose sight of the big picture - that is to prepare players for the next step in their Basketball pathway and the opportunity to play at Championship level. Four players, Alex Lemons, Matt Burke, Jamie Cigognini and Luke Hughes all had opportunities to play in the Championship team throughout the season. I would like to recognise the huge help I have received throughout the year from our Assistant Coach Parveen Batish. His knowledge and input has been fantastic and was a great bonus for me as coach. Our Team Manager Leeane Crees gave up a huge chunk of her time to be at practices and games as well as preparing our post game food, this was greatly appreciated. Having such a great Manager is a real bonus for the team and I thank Leeane for her fantastic support I believe the future is bright for the Sabres. The tools are in place to continue the development pathway of the Champions of the future and I am excited by the young talent that is appearing through the Junior Programs. Mark Chivers
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youth league It is with great pride that I report on the Youth League Women’s team for 2015. As a new coach for 2015, I can say with confidence that I learnt much about, and from, the players throughout the year. Whilst the final record of 7 wins and 15 losses may not read as particularly impressive, it is in the fine detail that the achievements of this side should be read. That fine detail is that our best performances were against the finalists- losses by 14 to the premier Knox, 12 to the runner up Bulleen, 8 to Melbourne and 6 to Dandenong who lost the preliminary finals. Whilst we lost some games that I thought we should have won, we demonstrated that we are capable of competing against the very best teams in the competition, with a team that was as young as any going around. The team owes a fantastic debt to the leadership of its three most experienced players- Kate, Issy and Cassie, all just 20 years old. All three contributed to a team culture that was determined, resilient and unselfish. As an example of this leadership, we played the undefeated Dandenong team in round 5, and were down by 19 at half-time. The leaders pulled the team together and focussed on ‘chipping away’ to the point where
we were 3 down with a minute to go, eventually losing by 6. No win, but plenty of value. The middle group of players- Jess, Rachael, Kiara, Meg (rookie year), Ali (rookie year)- all had excellent periods during the season, and demonstrated improvement especially in the final few weeks of the season. After a horror run with injury including the loss of Kate, and the elevation of Issy to the equally injurydepleted SEABL side, the ‘acid’ was put on this middle-group to perform. We were left very short-handed in the final rounds of the season. Despite, or maybe because of this, we saw the leadership of Rachael, the determination of Meg and Jess, the athleticism of Ali, and the presence of Kiara. Our second last game against another finalist, Ballarat at Ballarat, resulted in a narrow two point loss with eight players, including four rookies. The youngest group of players, all still involved in Under 18s- Caitlin, Lucy (rookie), Courteney (rookie) and Molly (rookie)- demonstrated the bright future for this team. All four showed themselves to be capable of competing against players who were up to six years older. Both Lucy and Courteney had 20+ point games against finalists, Knox
and Ballarat respectively. Improvement will come from a greater understanding of the constant engagement necessary in senior basketball- good opponents punish junior concentration lapses. There are lots of people to thank. My assistant coaches, Ryan and Nat, shouldered enormous responsibilities on game day and at trainings. Each task was completed diligently and with great skill and wisdom. Thanks should also go to coach Paul and his SEABL team. Our team was often supported by the inclusion of younger SEABL players. We decided to give Kate Shea a break from team management, despite her kind offer to continue in the role, so team management duties were shared, without complaint, by all parents and players. It was especially supportive for the team to see a group of vocal parents and friends at all of our games. I know that Alan Fairhurst was particularly instrumental in the Ballarat game- his voice was noted by many players and coaches. But I also need to single out our main supporters, Will and Arran, who attended games religiously, and we thank them for their support. Mike Burke
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REPORTS U12B1 The aim for the year for the 12.1 Boys was to develop skills, instill an aggressive approach and hopefully win a little along the way! The year as a whole has been a reflection of a developing group. Our two tournaments, Southern Peninsula in November and the Eltham Dandenong Australia Day weekend, were synonymous with the year’s results. Our best basketball competed with the best teams however it could be combined with wavering performances. Both tournaments saw us finish just outside the finals. VC qualification was achieved relatively early. At the half way mark of the season we sat mid table and only just missed out on being in VC for the remainder of the year. Our best was good, however we lacked a little height and strength against some sides and this lead to some losses when playing less talented opposition. The second half of the season would be spent in VC reserve and we looked forward to being very competitive. Our VC reserve run started positively with three straight wins however we then hit a patch of outs. We look like developing most strongly in the latter part of the season and hope to do well in upcoming finals. Matt Nunn has worked hard on teaching systematic offensive and defensive strategies, whilst trying to make the boys uncompromising in sticking to team principles. Players will have their own development timelines and we trust that this year has set a good foundation for their Sabres career.
U12B2
When we started out on this long journey way back in October 2014, we all had
high hopes for a successful year of rep basketball for our boys. Unfortunately things haven’t gone quite as planned and we will miss finals this season. That’s the down side. On the up side we have seen significant gains in our team both as individuals and as a team over the duration and I’m sure that the lack of success will help all of us (coaches and parents as well) enjoy success all the more when it comes our way next. Our team has a mix of top and bottom age, new & returning players and we were up against it early on in grading playing some teams that were pushing for VC – quite a shock for some of the boys new to Sabres! We were learning very quickly on the job that only our best efforts would stand up to the pressure of trying to qualify for Metro 1 and eventually we fell short of this goal and wound up in Metro 2 for the season. Our season was determined in the first 9 games when we won only two games (by 1 pt) and lost the rest despite leading in the 4th qtr of all but one of them. From there Angus pushed on with educating the boys in the art of 5 out and strong defence and recently we are now seeing the fruits of that with some improved performances, particularly at the defensive end. Our highlight for the season was reaching the semi finals of the Nunawading tournament eventually falling to fatigue and a stronger Bulleen team. Individually there have been some fantastic performances but I guess the reality is it is hard for 10 & 11 yo boys to be at their best each week over such a long season, so as a team we have struggled to have enough contributors each week to push for finals. That said each boy should be proud of their efforts over the season as there is no doubt that they all finish the season markedly better players than they started. We have 7 boys eligible for u14’s next season and hopefully they can continue on with their Sabres journey, likewise the 3 bottom age boys.
Rep seasons can’t happen without lots of support so I want to thank all the parents for their help with travelling to games, tournaments, scoring, cheering and just being there for the team. I also want to thank Bill & Sinisa for their input into our boys development – they put a lot of hours in for the kids and it’s great to have such basketball knowledge to help guide our boys. Lastly a big thank you to Coach Angus Cotton - two years of Rep coaching young boys can really test a persons character but he has continued relentlessly (mostly with a smile on his face) in his goal of making these kids better basketballers, and sportsman in general. Well done Gus, enjoy the break, I’ve really enjoyed the two seasons as TM for your sides and our regular debriefings. On behalf of the boys and parents thanks for all your efforts this year. Hopefully we can finish with a couple more wins, have a break and then do it all again next year – I can’t wait!! Graeme Ralph – Team Manager
U12B3
What a season for the boys this year... I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but it turned out to be one of the best basketball experiences I’ve ever had. Firstly, a special thanks to my assistant James Pantelis for keeping me under control for the year and team manager Alison Randall for telling me where to go every week. Thanks to you both. This season, the boys started out on fire and didn’t stop for the whole year. With a team of mostly new players to the Sabres program, we went from Pool 5 ranked at 78 hoping for about East 2. But with the boys improvement each weak combined with theirs and the coach’s determination to catch the 12(2) s, we made it Metro 2 alongside them.
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REPORTS This shows what talent, grit, training and determination can do. The boys didn’t stop there! We had a fantastic showing at the Dandenong Eltham tournament by crushing teams and winning the championship going 7-0 for the weekend. The boys continued this great form for the regular season winning the most games in the boys program. But nothing was sweeter than beating the 12.2s twice in the regular season capping off what was a fantastic season for the boys. I have more grey hairs now along with the parents’ heart attacks, as many times the boys fell asleep in the third quarter, allowing our opponents to catch up, leaving a head to head battle for victory at the end. The boys’ hard work and dedication to learn, shows in how well they have combined together as a team, as well as their individual improvement. These boys have a bright future ahead of them at Sandringham. #KeepHooping J-Mac
U12B4
The under 12.4 boys have had a great 2015 season. This was the first season of representative basketball for almost all the children, so there was a lot of excitement coming into the season and playing the early tournaments. The team ended up in East 3, which was a great effort given most the boys were in the younger age band. The boys have no doubt learnt a lot over the season – they know how to be “monsters” on the boards, how not to pass “fairy floss” passes and how to play “meat and potato” basketball!! As a team they have been very competitive– always giving 100%, being team orientated, disciplined most of the
time and supportive of their teammates. Most importantly they all had a lot of fun. The team soon learnt that the results of the games were going to be really close with many one point games in the practice rounds and the early games. We had some stirring wins early in the season and unfortunately some very close losses (five losses by two baskets or less) as the season wore on. I think the boys can be very proud of their efforts, what they’ve learned, the spirit in which they’ve competed and generally how they have conducted themselves over the season. A very big thank you to all of the parents for travelling to the games and supporting the boys and especially for their willingness to help out. Thank you to our coach Mick and assistant coach Vin – both the boys and parents appreciate everything you have done for them! Lastly to Aidan, Alex, Brodie, Dan, Flynn, Heath, James, Josh, Riley and Ronan – well done! You have made your coaches and your families very proud. Good Luck for next season! Lurline Williamson Team Manager
U12G1
Jacqui and Ian had high hopes for the U12 Girls before the season even started. Bringing with them 4 killer players from the previous season’s 1’s—Summer, Maya, Lily and Sass, and promoting 3 other gun rep players—Katie, Jimmy and Katelyn. All they needed was another 3 to make up the team, which they found during tryouts—Jess, Nora and Ally: 3 gutsy new players making their debut to rep basketball. The ambitious coaches had an inkling this was going to be a fun season. They weren’t wrong. The team achieved some high goals, firstly making it into the Victorian Championship
League and going on to qualify in the top 3 in their pool, inciting an invitation to compete in the VJBL National Junior Classic tournament. As one of the more delicate teams that qualified, the Classic would be the girls’ biggest challenge of the season. Up against some taller, rougher players (and one rogue coach who was quickly snapped into line by a Sabres mum refusing to be intimidated), the girls painted on their tribal stripes and battled it out to achieve an impressive 4th place behind Knox, Bulleen and Dandenong. The team’s journey throughout the year was an adventure from the start. It involved bruises and tears, a turnedankle, a concussion and a broken wrist. It involved car pools in peak traffic, breakfasts at McDonalds, playing tag between games at the beach, passionate cheering from supporters during game-time, late nights, early mornings—and coffee for the parents…. plenty of coffee. The girls formed a close and touching bond, showing incredible support for one another. Each player brought different skills and talents to the team, making them a pleasure to watch. They have shared plenty of laughter and jokes, with enough memories to last them a lifetime. Bring on 2016!
U12G2
All the girls were pumped when they found out they would be part of the 122’s with an awesome coach, Zo Fagan. The team consisted of Alannah Jackson, Eboni Doulgeridis, Hannah Van Ede, Hannah Wickstrom, Sass Fagan, Scarlett Meadows, Sophie Whitney, Teagan Mouncer, Vanessa Marcon and Zoe Baulch. Out of 10 girls only 3 had played Representative basketball before. We had 6 top aged girls (all of our guards) and 4 bottom age girls (all of our talls). Coming to our first training we were
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REPORTS all excited and ready to start. When we got there, none of us knew each other’s names. We spent 5 minutes talking amongst ourselves before the training started. It was the first of many fun training! When we got to our first practise match as a full team we were all nervous. Zo told us to try our best and have fun. There were a few signs of relief! We had fun in all of our practise matches and came off with quite a few wins which I think we were all happy with. We ended up in Metro 2 which was a fantastic achievement. At the start of the season we came off with a smashing win against Knox. This was the start of the sabres 12-2 girls traveling well and never losing an away game. We had a great start to the season winning our first 6 games. We took part in 2 tournaments. Australia Day weekend and Southern Peninsula tournaments. We didn’t make finals in either of the tournaments, but had a great time and come out with a few wins. We have had quite a lot of injuries throughout the season with Vanessa and Eboni with tonsils, Hannah with a Bali virus and Scarlett with her leg. We have had some rough games against Western Port and Knox. Throughout our games most of us got a knock but kept going. We are a short team and some of the teams we faced were 3 heads taller than most of us. This worried us a little. We ended up finding ways to use their height to our advantage, because they couldn’t run and we have some fast guards that were able to beat them to the ring. We had a few upsets with the referee’s calls but that’s part of playing sport, accepting it and moving on even though some of the decisions were hard to swallow. Although we won all the away games we played we never won a home game on court 4. Andrew our team manager refers to it as the ‘grave yard’. We won 2 games on court 3 and lost 1 and won 1 on court 2.
All the girls would like to thank Zo for being the best coach ever. Zo made a massive commitment having 2 other children other than Sass with 1 other playing sabres. She had influenced our season so much and none of us could have come this far without her. She is the nicest, funniest and loving coach anyone could ask for. She has yelled at us throughout the game in frustration telling us to “toughen up” and “cop it on the chin”, and that we have. If we were confused with any of the ‘plays’ she wouldn’t yell at us she would sit down and explain it until we could fully understand how it worked. She had made as all better players and I think we have all improved massively. Hannah Wickstrom with her awesome rebounding and shooting, Scarlett penetrating to the key, Vanesa, Eboni and Teagan with their posting up, Hannah Van Ede with always succeeding with her ‘Euro Step’, Zoe and Sass with always hitting the target and reading the play when passing the ball in, Sophie with her boxing out and rebounding (even though she is the smallest in the team) and Alannah at setting up the offence. We would also want to thank Andrew Whitney the team manager for sending out all the emails each week and making sure everyone is on time and at the right stadium. Andrew also reminded all the parents when it was their turn to score. Andrew has made a massive commitment, having a job that requires him to travel away from home from time to time and 2 daughters playing sabres. We would also like to that all the parents for being so supportive and getting us to trainings and games on time. We have developed many more friendships during the season and will miss each other a lot next season. We have all had a great season and are looking forward to tryouts for the 2015 – 2016 season. Go Sabres! ~Alannah
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Our season is almost over with our final game to be played at Nunawading this Friday. The girls look to finish the season in either 4th or 5th spot on the ladder unless there is some drastic results across the competition. Since last October, Andrew Shepherd (who would appear to have the patiences of a saint) has guided 10 girls aged between 8 and 11 to become a cohesive, skilled and competitive team. Each week Andrew has created a training environment that has taught our girls to be strategic, be teachable and work as a team (a sometimes surprising idea in team sports) to create more opportunities to win games. With endless rounds of cross over games, grading games we finally landed in the East 3 division with a nicely matched group of teams. We won as many as we lost and drew a couple too. They implemented all Andrew’s drills and listened when he talked quietly to each girl as they come off for a sub. It is fair to say the girls have done nothing but smile and laugh throughout each game whether we were winning or losing. Sitting on the sideline watching our daughters step into their first season of Representative basketball gave me heart for what is to come and what a good team culture can produce. Andrew was serious about the game and their training but didn’t undermine the fact that 10 young girls sitting on the sidelines are going to spend half the time listening to him and the other half making each other laugh at 10 year old jokes. That’s just the way life is when you are 10. Our biggest area of
u12 team
REPORTS growth is shooting goals so more than half the team made the commitment at various points in the season to attend shooting school at Sabres with excellent results. Despite their joyful approach to playing these girls are a determined, competitive bunch who will be a force to be reckoned with in whatever team they play in next season. As a parent I have so enjoyed travelling all over Melbourne with my daughter and hanging out with a great group of parents while our kids play and get to experience competitive sport. They experienced great sportsmanship and not so great sportsmanship, wins, losses..the decisions of umpires that they didn’t always agree with, all of which offer the opportunity to help the girls understand the connection between sport and life and relationships. We feel blessed to have Andrew as our first coach, thank you for his amazing patience, his ability through his firm kindness to gain the unwavering respect of the girls and the parents. I would also like to thank Jackie and Ian Leckie for their support too of the whole U12 girls teams and note the huge amount of time so many people donate to allow our kids these amazing opportunities. Imogen Miller (On behalf of the U12.4 girls and their parents.) Coach : Andrew Shepherd
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BIG VREVIEW Sponsorship 2015 has been a year to consolidate the significant changes in sponsorship for Sabres Basketball that occurred in 2014. We were able to continue our relationship with some long term partners as well as resign a number of newer sponsors that will hopefully become long term partners. Jefferson Ford and Hyundai in Mentone entered their 2nd year as naming rights sponsor of our SEABL teams and the Sabres are very pleased to be associated with such a large and influential local business and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship. A big thank you also goes to our other major partners Nunn Media, Mentone Grammar and Sandringham Sports Physio for their continued support of Sabres Basketball. Subway Mentone and 3 of the local area Bendigo Bank branches continued their support of our hugely successful School Holiday Camps. The Bendigo Bank logo is now proudly displayed alongside the Sabres logo on each of the basketballs that the kids receive at the completion of the camp and thanks to Subway Mentone, all kids have the opportunity to order a fresh subway sandwich to be delivered to me at lunchtime on any day of the camp. Melbourne Orthodontic Group (MOG) have continued their sponsors of our popular Schools Program in which members of our Senior SEABL teams conduct free basketball skills sessions for the students at local schools. We look forward to continuing to grow this partnership. Kingston trophies have come on board as a sponsor and provider of our Grand Final Trophies and Sabres player awards.
The Sabres Community Rewards Program is now into its 3rd year with our sponsors having an increased exposure to our members. This year we have: Goodlife Gym Sandringham Telstra Store Southland Bicycle Central Mordialloc TGI Fridays in Southland Chelsea Cruise and Travel Bay Rd Tyre & Brake Service Bayside Business Accountants Each of these sponsors has provided an offer that Sabres members are eligible for so please see the Partners Tab on our website (www.sabres.com.au) or visit http://.sabres.presidentialcard. com.au to see all the benefits your membership entails. We have come a long way through the support of our sponsors in a short period of time but the continued success relies on our members supporting the businesses that support us.
Canteen 2015 saw the Sabres Canteen continue into its second year of operation. With the support of Schweppes Australia, Pauls Ice Cream and Accredited Distributors, we are able to provide our members with a wide range of beverages, ice creams, chocolates and confectionary without leaving the stadium.
The Locker Room The retail shop has seen another transformation will the recent renovation of the entire retail area. We have opened up the area between the Locker Room and canteen and opened up the lay out of the Locker Room itself. It is now much easier for staff to move between the 2 main areas and it is now more a more customer friendly environment within the Locker Room itself. Our relationship with PEAK sport, the fastest growing basketball company in the world, has continued and their signature shoes continue to sell quite well. There is also now a range of casual shoes that cater for both males and females and not only do the shoes look good, they are extremely comfortable as well. We have also now recently introduced a range of 2XU compression gear which is sold at very competitive prices. We believe this will be a good seller for us but the challenge is to get the message out to our members. There is now a wider range of Spalding basketballs available and our range of socks, mouth guards and basketball accessories has increased. If you are looking for anything basketball related, check out the Locker Room first. You will be pleasantly surprised.
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REPORTS U14B1 The 14.1 boys squad came together in mid November 2014 and immediately set to work on achieving their goals for the upcoming season; 1. Qualify for VC 2. Qualify for National classic 3. Qualify for the Australian Junior Club Championships in October 2015 4. Play VC finals in September 2015 Our pre season form was solid with the team making the Southern Peninsular tournament Grand Final, losing to Bulleen. We qualified for VC in 3 grading games in Nov / Dec 2014 and this afforded the team time to work on their offence and defence systems well into February 2015. With 2 weeks to go in the home and away season, the team have achieved 3 out of 4 of their goals, which is a fantastic effort. Our win loss record at mid season point meant we didn’t qualify for the National Club Championships. A series of injuries, illnesses combined with school camps meant there wasn’t a full squad available until after the Easter break. In the meantime, the team was performing well and despite dropping an early game to Diamond Valley they rallied to win the next 4 in a row, setting them up to qualify for the National Classic in June. The Classic was a fantastic experience for the boys, where they played against the best teams from South Australia, News South Wales, and ACT. The team were competitive and managed a couple of hard fought wins and a couple of narrow losses, finishing the tournament with a double overtime 1 point win against McKinnon. Each of the boys have continued to evolve as players and young men and have been a delight to coach. They have
taken instruction well and their instinctive desire to win ensures that everything is given on the court. No more so than against Eltham, coming from 16 points down in the first quarter to win by 8 points. This was when we were hit with injury and illness going into the game and losing 2 players during the play with injuries. Further evidence of this was with a win on the road to the Bendigo Braves who finished 4th at the National classic demonstrates to the boys that if you show up to play with effort that anything is achievable. The team finish the regular season with two home games and will qualify in either 5th or 6th position for the final 8 in VC division. If the boys hit their straps they can shape the finals series and go deep in to the finals action. As a coach, I am proud of their effort and results for the season and wish all the boys the very best with their endeavours in the future. A special thank you to our efficient team manager Mel O’Brien, all our parents who have ferried the boys around and Coaches Markovic and Runchey for their input throughout the season. Coach - Steve Fagan
U14B2 A new season, a new team and a new coach. All was looking promising for 2015. The boys were melding well together at training sessions and only narrowly missed out on reaching Metro One grading level. After a great hit out in the ElthamDandenong Tournament and making it all the way to the finals, we were ready for the season proper! And after the first ten games we had a 50/50 win-loss ratio but unfortunately things deteriorated from there with a string of losses starting in round 11. The boys were generally getting badly
beaten in the 1st quarter of these games, by margins that effectively ended any chance of winning. More significantly, the impact on their morale by these bruising first quarter encounters meant our boys were becoming increasingly frustrated. But under the urging and guidance of Coach Joel Anderson, they never stopped battling. Joel continually and consistently spoke of the need for the boys to have the right mind-set and attitude during the game. He often pointed out that the boys were as skillful as the opposition, but if their heads weren’t in the game, they were always going to find it difficult to compete. After this reminder that the boys would re-group, focus on the basics and the set plays with a new determination and the improvement in their performance for the rest of the game was quite noticeable. Unfortunately, as at the time of writing this article, the win loss ratio meant there was to be no finals involvement this year, but the development of the boys under adverse circumstances on the court will stand them in good stead in future seasons. As both the Team Manager and parent, I was proud of their efforts and their positive response to their Coach. Geoffrey Clark
U14B3 It has been a season of development for the boys, with 4 new players into the Sabres mix and a combination of existing under 14 players and players moving up from under 12’s. We set ourselves a goal of making it into the Metro division at the start of the season and before Christmas break, the boys had worked hard to win their way up the Grading chain. After successful
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REPORTS tournament at Southern Peninsula, the boys confidence grew, but the Australia Day tournament came around and burst the winning bubble, but it was a great opportunity to get the boys mind back on the final grading phase. Through hard work, determination and great team spirit, the boys reset themselves and finished the grading season in Metro 4 – a great achievement for a newly formed team. After grading the season was off and running. The season has been a case of ‘what ifs’. The boys have shown that they have what it takes to mix it with the best of the group, but periods where we have lapsed in concentration hurt us. We have managed to push most of the tops teams during the year, losing a couple of nail bitters and while disappointing shows just how well this team has come together and has bonded as a group. Key highlights for the season have been the learnings and improvement that each of the boys have shown throughout the season. The players can now run the clubs offensive structure, have continued to improve their ball handling skills and have not once given in, coming from behind in several games to win, but most importantly they have shown how to play as a team. A special thank you to all of the parents (and brothers and sisters and extended family) who have supported their sons and the team throughout the season. The time during the tournaments was great to get to know everyone and build some great relationships. Special thanks to Bec Hardeman for being the greatest team manager and keeping everyone in line and to Mick Miller for helping keep the stats for the season. Finally – I would like to wish all of the boys the best for the next season as they play to the best of their ability and be the best that they can be. Paul Young
U14B4 The numbers say it all. 10 and 6 – ten wins and six losses. 3 and 5 – three wins to five losses for the first half of the season. 7 and 1! Seven wins and only one loss in the second half of the season…but these aren’t really the numbers that count for this team. They are… 9 but 1 9 but 1. Nine players but one unit. Nine players but one team. Nine boys, but one unified friendship. The under 14.4 boys are a joy to watch! Anyone who has witnessed a game played by these boys always comments on the expressions on their faces, the joy they get from playing with each other, the team that is a team and loving it. They might not be playing in VC, or being invited to national championships – yet. Watch out, these boys are developing, learning, listening, growing, and understanding their own potential. They are becoming the best players that they can be, challenging themselves and each other, week in and week out. There is no player on this team that hasn’t developed out of sight over the course of the season and now been rewarded by participating in the finals. Wal Williamson, a coach and mentor at just the right time for the development of these boys as players and individuals. Wal has been amazing, generating development, fostering passion and encouraging the boys to also be themselves - all the while becoming a team. 9 but 1 and loving it!!! Glen and Roxy Kruger Co-Team Managers
U14G1
One of the team manager’s privileges is to write a few words for the yearbook. Being a first time team manager I
often take advice from Anne-Marie, a seasoned campaigner. A-M’s advice on this one is to find some good lines from previous year books, so if any of this sounds familiar it’s probably because you read it last year!! (Sorry, did I give your secret away A-M?!) It seems such a long time ago since trials. Coach Sandra settled on a team of nine: Alyssa and Lulu, two new Sabres players; Kiana and Loz from the Leckie factory (U12Gs); Madi, Lil and Alia from Dan and Lisa’s team; and Flic and Dukes for a second year in the 1s. We also welcomed Jacqui as Sandra’s able training assistant, and were lucky enough to have Alanah, DJ and Shannon from the Women’s SEABL team to assist on some of the game days. I must also mention Hugo the stats man! The season’s goals were to compete against the best opposition we could and for all the girls to enjoy and improve their basketball. I don’t think there was one easy game all year, and win or lose the girls were always very competitive. The team didn’t have any recognised talls so the game plan was aggressive 1:1 defence and fast breaks. The girls’ defence got better and better as the season progressed, they learned how to break a full court press and the fast breaks were awesome. There were a few rivalries over the season. We played Uma’s Dandenong team 4 times, losing the 1st and then winning the next 3 including one with a 3 pointer in the last 10 seconds after trailing all game! We played Alyssa and Lulu’s old McKinnon team in grading and lost narrowly. The girls wanted to have another go at them but we didn’t meet again so that will have to wait for another season. We also played Mornington 4 times for 2D 1W 1L and that feels like unfinished business too. There have been lots of great memories over the season and here are some highlights from the girls:
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REPORTS • The Canberra road trip: going to the AIS, go-karting, waiting up for Jacqui and games against the Canberra girls. It was amazing! • Kiana taking a big charge against Geelong • Jumping off the Frankston pier during a break between games at the Southern Penn tournament (don’t tell the coach!) • Lulu making the Vic basketball talent id camp (and her awesome go carting skills!) • Travelling to Bendigo for a Friday night game, winning by 20 points and staying over • The rebounding “talls”: Alyssa, Lil, Alia and Loz, boxing out much taller opponents • Daisy’s 3 pointer with 10 seconds to go to beat Dandenong, sweet! • Making new friends and playing with a great bunch of girls • Flic winning the Girls Got Game nomination at Werribee • Alia tripping over her feet and falling flat on her face right in front of the bench • Madi’s outside shooting against McKinnon, a day when she just didn’t miss • A week training with the SEABL Women’s team and joining them on game day • Sinisa’s Elite training and Bill’s shooting school, even though it’s early We were lucky to have a great group of parents again this year, always happy to score, video games, share lifts and support Sandra and the girls through the inevitable highs and lows of a long season. You all made my job very easy so thankyou to the parents! The girls trained extremely hard all year. Sandra worked them hard at every team session (even the easy ones!), Sinisa
worked them even harder at the Elite sessions and then there was shooting school, guard school and time in the backyard on top of that. It is rumoured that Lucy even took a basketball on holiday to Thailand! Many of the girls in the team had not played at this level before but their hard work has definitely paid off. They have all improved massively since those trials back in October, they are all now playing good basketball and we had some fun along the way. Mission accomplished coach! Congratulations on a great year to Sandra and the U14.1 girls!
U14G2
The year started as usual with tryouts in September 2014 and after an extensive and thorough process the squad for the under14.2 girls team was determined - team comprising Lola Allen, Hailey Duncan, Julia Fullard, Chloe Keating, Mary Maher, Charlotte Ryan, Abbey Snell, Kayla Welsh, Jemma Whitson and Eliza Ewart. The squad contained a nice blend of different skill sets, however, would take moulding into a cohesive outfit as no more than 2 players collectively had any significant court time experience with each other. Also, the squad was not physically big or tall. Like all squads they would need someone to motivate, guide, educate, encourage, discipline and gel this group together into a team. The team would need a leader. This leader and coach would be Cassie Hill. Cassie got down to business and immediately stamped her mark on the girls. Trainings and games would be all business (though having fun as well when appropriate), defence a priority, rebounding a not-negotiable and always passing the ball to honour a teammate in a better position – an expectation. These formed the basis for the team’s
rules. The team was expected to always play hard but fair. There have been so many memorable moments over the year and here a just a few – the girls bonding at the beach in Frankston with a pizza dinner during the pre-season tournament; a massive win away against Nunawading that showed our team’s incremental improvement and started us on a winning streak; and a very tough away win against Dandenong, when everything seemed to go against us (including the ref’s calls) in a very physical game that showed our girls ability to withstand physical contact and team camaraderie. As I write this report the team still remains in contention for the finals (currently fifth). The girls remain strongly focussed on not only making the finals but winning the championship - a realistic objective seeing they have defeated nearly every team above them on the ladder. Whatever the outcome is from the upcoming weeks, the girls have had a great year. Overcoming injuries, illnesses and general fatigue over what has been a very long year has taught the girls resolve and determination, but more importantly, the consistent battle against bigger and taller opponents has been character-building. On behalf of the team I would like to thank SBA (Bill, Sinisa & the whole gang) for the professionalism in which the whole program has been run, all of the parents for their commitment & efforts and the respect that they afforded others and themselves. Cassie - for her tireless efforts in shaping the girls’ basketball skills on an individual and collective basis and in the calm, mature, caring, disciplined and instructive manner that this has been done. Last but not least I would like to thank the girls you are the team, and you are the reason we as parents, coaches, etc. are here. Your unwavering
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REPORTS representation of the club was done with pride, but more importantly you represented yourselves at all times, individually and collectively, with respect and dignity. Go Sabres!!!!!
U14G3
Reflecting back on the season, it’s been a really positive learning experience for all. There was a mix of girls in the team; experienced top age players, new Sabres players with great potential and younger bottom age talent. The coach, Lisa Nicholson (Keelin’s mum), brought a great depth of basketball knowledge and skill which has been reflected in each girl’s game and the team as a whole. The girls played in both the Dandenong/ Eltham and Frankston tournaments and although they put in an amazing effort, they didn’t make finals. This was a great time for both the girls and Lisa to bond as a team. The season began and after some difficult practice matches, the team landed themselves in the top Regional Division! Lisa, with the guidelines set out by Sabres, introduced both ‘Motion Offense’ and ‘Pack Defence’. This was challenging for the girls, however at the same time, exposed them to different aspects of the game. Throughout the season they all worked very hard to implement the game plan and it was wonderful to see them working as a team. It was a tough season for the girls who came up against some hard and rough teams. To their credit however, they never gave up and fought to the end in each match - sometimes leaving their run too late. Some of the girls were also lucky enough to participate in the U14 Canberra Road Trip. This was a five-day camp where our girls trained and played against Canberra’s top side. They had
a wonderful time learning and bonding with the other U14 girls and boys from various teams and levels. Keelin, Constance and Emily worked really hard to improve their game and also made wonderful friendships along the way. Special thanks to the group of parents who ferried their daughters around, scored and cheered from the sidelines. Finally, as a team we would like to thank Lisa for her hard work and commitment - the girls have had a very social and enjoyable season (and will miss the chocolate free point shots!). Thank you so much Lisa and well done girls!
U14G4
It has been a most rewarding experience to watch the girls as individuals develop their fundamentals, and work hard together as a team. The 14.4 girls comprised of Zoe Whitney and Maya de Boers (top age Sabres), Eleni Kourtis, Angelica Tsaousis, Kiera Crupi and Sienna Romancz, (bottom age Sabres) and four new comers to Sabres; Molly Menihane Pegg, Sienna Lee, Sienna Kazoglou and Charlotte Nesvadba. The season started with tryouts, practice matches and grading games. In November, we played in The Southern Peninsula Tournament. This was a great springboard for team bonding. My team was way ahead of schedule, the girls were inseparable. Parents and families also got to know each other better over the weekend. Following grading the girls were placed in East 3 which challenged them. My goal for the season was to help instil the Sabres’ values of Motivated, Supportive, Competitive, Respectful, Unselfish and Disciplined, and to develop the girls’ basketball skills. As the season progressed, I watched the girls’ confidence and fundamentals improve. Each week they played their hearts out. They took pride in their efforts and conducted themselves in
a manner they should be proud of, showing sportsmanship and respect to their opponents. I hope the girls can look back on this year as having a significant impact on their basketball development and with fond memories of the friendships they have formed. Thanks to the parents and families for their commitment to their daughter’s basketball. Their continued support has ensured this year at Sabres has been an enjoyable one for all. Thank you to Christine Tsaousis and Teresa Menihane Pegg for their tremendous support in the role of Team Manager and to all the parents who have helped with scoring throughout the season. Finally, thanks to the U14 coaching panel: Coach Lisa Nicholson, Sandra Hilford and Cassie Hill. I would also like to thank Barry Andrew Jnr., Bill Runchey, Sinisa Markovic, Sam Castles, Luke Hughes, Alex Skoro, and Jackie and Ian Leckie who have all generously given their time to help develop the 14.4 girls. Coach Donna Kernick
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REPORTS U16B1
After a lengthy selection and grading phase where the team started the 2014/15 season ranked 24th, the U16:1 Boys made the Victorian Junior Championship League, ranked top 20. This was a credit to our coaches Nathan and Grant and the boys who all contributed to get there. In between grading, the team entered the Southern Peninsula Tournament, making the grand final finishing runner up and beating some very good VC teams along the way. This tournament was a good way for the boys to get to know each other and start that important bond that good teams have. The regular season started and the team was in the harder of the two VC pools and struggled to find consistency. This coupled with players missing training and games (through injury) did not help their cause. At the half way mark of the season, the boys were relegated to VC reserve, starting this phase of the season in 6th place. At the time of writing this, the boys had won five out of six games and were in third spot with three games remaining and primed for an assault on the VC Reserve Grand Final. Whilst part of the season has been up and down, red hot one game and warm the next, one constant has been the focus and determination of our fantastic coaches who have developed each and every one of our boys into better basketball players! Garry Hicks
U16B4
The season started for the U16.4 Boys with the appointment of 2 up and coming young coaches, Braden “Krzyzewski” Leckie (Coach K) and Jamie “Popovich” Cigognini (Pop). The actual resemblance with their much older namesakes is eerie …
deserved finals action. As with the regular season and given the relaxed nature of the coaches they’ll keep things uncomplicated for the players so they can perform at their best. I can see the image on Coach K’s whiteboard now …
Braden and Krzyzewski
Marc Jamie and Popovich The team got their first taste of real competitive action at the Southern Peninsula Tournament where “Coach K” decided to hand the reigns over to “Pop” for the weekend. The boys played “Spursesque” basketball for the tournament making it all the way to the grand final suffering a narrow 20-17 defeat. It was an amazing effort given the team manager got the venue for the final incorrect and players and parents needed to make a mad dash for the actual venue with less than 20 minutes before tip off … The boys have bonded well throughout the season and played some highly entertaining basketball. They have managed to end up on the positive side of the ledger more often than not and are headed for some much
U16G2
COACH: Arran Batish ASS. COACH: Kate Hore When the 16.2 girls’ team was put together, on paper, it looked a strong one. From our talls – Izzy Cook, Emily Harkin and Ella Williams, to our guards – Amelia Brown, Steph Kelly, Taylah Nguyen, Ella Cigognini, Lucy Bowman, Abby Riggs and Florina Lihari – we had a great mix of speed, strength and skill. To top it off, we landed coach Arran and assistant Kate and we all looked forward to a successful season. The team took some time to come together and didn’t grade well early, coming up against some tough teams, which eventually saw them in Metro 2 for the season. We felt this was a good fit but then disaster struck. Our injury
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REPORTS list for the year would rival Carlton’s with Flo having to endure two operations during the season, Izzy having recurrent shoulder issues including dislocations, Abby having to sit out most of the season with an ongoing knee problem and other team members suffering various other issues. Some weeks we were down to 5 or 6 players (from memory we have had only two players who have played every game) but to their credit, the girls worked hard each week and so far have managed to pull off a couple of wins. Arran and Kate had a job each week just getting the girls up to play and the fit girls were trained hard each week, learning new skills and improving their game. Luckily Arran has a great sense of humour because he needed it with players going down like flies each week. Overall, I believe the girls who have been able to train have improved their game and those who have had to endure sitting on the sidelines for long periods have shown wonderful support to the team each week. On behalf of the players and parents, I would like to thank Arran for his endless patience, good humour, fantastic coaching and dedication to our team. Our thanks must also go to Kate who has been a mentor to all of the girls, providing much needed advice and support at training and games. Kelly Cigognini Team Manager
U16G3
Soon after the team of 9 was established, one player dropped out and then we went to a team of 8. At times the girls played with 6 or 7 but to their credit they never gave up. The girls are an excellent group as they have the ability to deal with any situation put to them. The team for 2015 are Chloe Carter, Jemima Padley, Dom Taylor, Sienna
Gittus, Holly Davies, Sienna Courtney, Nicola Davies and Jacinta Cotton. Most of the girls played together last season, with Dom and Jacinta being new to the team and you girls have being a great asset to the team. The girls have played very well as a team, working hard to get each other open and create good shots for one another. Dom and Chloe have a great ability to defend and jump for the rebounds. Jemima has an excellent ability to get to the basket, particularly in transition. Holly loves to shoot the 3 pointers. Sienna Courtney has a great leap on her and is able to steal the ball. Sienna Gittus has gone from strength to strength with her goal shooting. Jacinta creates opportunities under pressure. Nicola loves to steal the ball. They have been a pleasure to watch and work with, and have been a relatively even group from the start, with each player filling their role as instructed. The girls have worked hard over the course of the year and have all developed their basketball in many ways. This season we played in the Australia Day tournament and we played very well as we got to the Semi Finals. The girls also got to the Semi Finals at the Southern Peninsula Tournament. Thanks to Sally for the use of your beach box, it was a great way to relax between games. The girls have played in East 2 this season and we have had 1 draw, 5 losses and 11 wins. We have the great pleasure of playing in Finals and when we play our best we can beat any team. Our start to the season was slow but we have bee powering home with 4 wins, a loss to the top team and a win over the 2nd team. The girls are very excited to be playing Finals as it has been tough playing at 9:40pm on a Friday night against some very big girls and teams who have had 10 players. Thanks to Isabelle Shea for coaching
and to Sinisa, Arran, Scott and Angus for training the girls. Thank you to the parents for driving their girls around, cheering and scoring each week. Coach Isabelle Shea Team Manager Leanne Carter
U16G4
The 16/4 girls have been a pleasure to coach this season. We had a balance of new and existing players to the Sabres program, with the majority of our team bottom age. I was impressed with how quickly the girls gelled together during grading. And throughout the season, week in and week out the girls have faced and overcome the challenge of competing against top age girls and teams that play zone defence. They’ve not only improved as a team, but individually as well. We’re currently sitting fifth with finals just around the corner, so the upcoming weeks will be an exciting challenge as we play all the teams above us on the ladder. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed coaching the girls this season, and am looking forward to hopefully playing finals in the coming weeks.
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REPORTS U18B1
The 2014/15 U18 first team has seen the boys go through some significant adversity; a player leaving the team weeks before round one, heartbreaking injuries, and tough losses. But to their credit they have held their heads high, continued to improve, and have brought the kind of effort that has allowed them to be successful this season. Being able to not only make VC but to be in the mix for the play-offs is a true credit to this group of special players. I’d like to thank the players for their commitment this season and hope they continue on the path to achieving their dreams both on and off the floor. Thanks to Assistant Coach Evan Vallance, a joy to work with and a true asset to the team, all the parents for their devotion to the team and their sons, and special thanks to Karen Stewart, without her tireless team manager efforts we couldn’t have achieved what we did.” Nathan CooperBrown - Coach Our boys have thrived under the guidance of Nathan throughout the season. His wealth of knowledge has seen the boys improve their game each week, from the very beginning, they have worked hard to become the successful team they are today. We are truly grateful to have a Coach and Assistant Coach who work so well together and have the respect of both the boys and the parents, and we thank them very much! At the beginning of the season, our boys had a bonding session with a different kind of competition, Go-Karting! There were also a few get-togethers during the season in the “Man-Cave” at the Heath’s residence where the boys chilled out playing pool, watched videos of their games, and ate pizza of course, while the parents had some catch up time too! It is a great team atmosphere and a pleasure to be part of. Thanks also
to a great group of parents again this season. The boys have actually said that there is great ‘team chemistry’ and they are all mates and having fun playing in this team, and it shows! Another season coming to a close again, and our boys who are better for it! Good Luck to them all for next season, and to Nathan and Evan a huge thank you and we wish you success again next season. Karen Stewart - Team Manager.
U18B2
Injury prone! Our under 18.2 team is a mix of top and bottom age players, most of which never played together in the past. Nigel Carpay is the coach. It took a while to gel together as a cohesive team, resulting in qualifying in South East 1 pool. This was mainly due to soo many injuries throughout the grading phase. Things changed rapidly once the players go to know each other, enabling our coach Nigel to harness the individual talents of the group and present as a competitive team. We currently sit in third place and guaranteed to play in our pool’s finals. We could probably be in a better position but we were plagued by multiple injuries throughout the entire season, very rarely playing with a full team. To the boys credit they have shown great determination and strength to soldier on through the tough times and still make finals. They really are a great group of boys and Nigel has really brought out the best in them all. His hard work, dedication and encouragement has got them through to the finals. Thanks to all the parents for their support, for being so willing to help out and contribute. To the players who are a great group
of talented players and characters, it has been pleasure to see you all grow throughout the year. Good luck. Leanne Britbart.
U18B3
The SU18-3 boys were graded into Regional SE2. During the grading phase we played some Metro 2 teams and they proved too strong. We had difficulty breaking a press and our defence was weak. We tried to flush these issues out in the Southern Peninsula and Eltham Dandenong tournaments but we continued to have difficulty with consistency during the grading phase. We had a rough beginning to the regular season with a record of 4 wins and 8 losses, seemingly putting finals as a distant goal. This slow start wasn’t helped by losing two of our players Ash Henson and Jeff Dalman for an extended amount of time. Incredibly to the boys’ credit they never gave up and have managed to turn it around winning games with 6 or 7 players, even 5 on one occasion and have now secured a finals berth. Thanks to our team manager, Scott Henson, who kept us well organised and cheered the loudest. Thanks also to Andre Solomons for taking a few trainings and providing courtside coaching assistance. Thank you to all the parents for their support towards me and their boys throughout the season, but lastly thank you to the boys for making this season a fun and enjoyable one to coach. I wish you all the best with your future endeavours. Player Profiles Ashley “Go Left’ Henson Contrary to popular opinion, Ash did go right a couple of times during the season. Big fella doing some hard work under the ring
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REPORTS Daniel ‘Pass it to me’ Helou Daniel’s creative moves to the basket were akin to a night at the ballet. How did he do that? Excellent scoring options Geordi ‘The Flash’ McInnes With blistering pace down the court, Geordi used his superpower to score a million points in one game Jeff ‘The Grand Master’ Dalman Always three moves ahead of the other team and only two moves ahead of our team, Jeff provided many options. Had a timely return from injury Liam ‘The Enforcer’ Devine Has a great future in hardware because he owns the paint. Flourished later in the season Max ‘The General’ Coughlin ‘Don’t shoot it until you see the whites of their eyes’ – General Coughlin. Set the flow of our game Max ‘The Fonz’ Xanthopolos Often slow to time outs due to signing autographs for the fans. Max’s energy and talk later in the season was a key development Rhys ‘Clutch’ Jordan Split a few games open with his excellent foul shooting. Looking to resolve World Peace with his next buzzer shot. Tom ‘Mr Perfect’ Turner Made one mistake this season when he signed the teamsheet in the wrong spot. All the rest was perfect Ash ‘Coach’ Solomons Negotiated an extra time out with referees in one game to get one of his hairs back into place. Cool as a cucumber. Ash Solomons and Scott Henson
U18B4
It is hard to believe that 11 months ago our boys were trying out for a spot in the under 18s rep teams. After rigorous trials the squads were chosen. Micheal mcinnes was appointed coach of the 18/4 team. This very young side that
was made up of all bottom age boys , went into grading games not sure what was ahead of them. The grading games were quite varied, playing sides from all divisions. After grading was over we were placed in regional 5 for the season. As the season progressed we started to bond as a team, , their improvement was outstanding, and they started to play great basketball. As i am writing this we are 2nd on the ladder with 1 game to play. To make finals was our goal, which we achieved. Now we need to go 1 better. Well done to mike and the team. Annette Coote (team manager)
U18G1
The U18.1 Girls, Jo Wood (Coach) and Jacqui Leckie (Assistant Coach) embarked upon the 2014/15 season enthusiastic and excited with the following objectives: Goal 1: Qualify for Victorian Championships Goal 2: Receive an invitation to the National Junior Classic Goal 3: Defeat a top 4 side Goal 4: Play Victorian Championship Finals With 6 top age players (who would be playing in their last truly junior year of the VJBL competition), Jo was keen to give them the full experience so we entered in the Southern Peninsula Tournament, Eltham/Dandenong Tournament and the Adelaide Easter Tournament. The Southern Peninsula Tournament provided an early opportunity for the team to work on offensive and defensive structures before the initial grading rounds commenced. We quickly achieved Goal 1 by qualifying for VC with 3 straight wins. A mini celebration was enjoyed by all! We spent the remainder 2014 and the beginning of 2015 playing more practice
games than actual games. With the pressure of making VC relieved, the team was able to prepare for the season ahead. Jo issued running/ training programs for the January break and the team gained valuable match practice during the Eltham/Dandenong Tournament over the Australia Day weekend. At Easter, the team trekked over to Adelaide to play in the annual Easter Classic. However, with many girls battling a range of injuries, we were undermanned and required help from some of the U16s (we would like to thank Ella Cigognini, Jamie-Lee Munn and Lucy Cochrane). Whilst we didn’t achieve much success on the basketball court, we proved the age old saying you are never too old for an Easter Egg Hunt, battling it out to find the most chocolates (well done Morgan!). Goal 2 was then realised by cementing our place in VC Phase 2, which would see us play out the remainder of the season as 1 of the top 10 Under 18 Girls teams and also earnt ourselves an invitation to participate in the National Junior Classic where we finished 11th. With the help of Jacqui and Ian Leckie, the girls established a big sister program with the U12.1 Girls where each U18 player was paired with a ‘little sister’ to mentor and be a role model for the younger Sabres players. A wonderful initiative where the girls also supported each other at games. As I write this summary we still have Goals 3 and 4 to tick off. We have an opportunity to defeat a top 4 team with our next opponent being Bulleen who are currently 2nd on the ladder. With a win against either Bulleen or our final game Werribee will see us secure a place in the finals. Regardless of results, our coaches Jo and Jacqui have continued to support and encourage us throughout the season. There have been team
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u18 team
REPORTS challenges with injuries and formals but the resilience shown by Jo to delve into her repertoire of tricks and provide other tools for motivation has been commendable - goal setting session, video review nights, video highlight package, team lunches (strictly without parents) bowling night, themed training nights etc. As a team we’ve experienced some highs, mixed in with some disappointing losses, but the team has had a memorable experience for which we thank our coaches.
U18G2
At the time of writing this report the 18 2 girls sit in first position with a 13/3 record and 1 draw. The girls are two games and percentage clear of second position with one game remaining before the finals. At the beginning of the grading the phase the team was contending for a spot in VC. A series of losses saw the team drop down the rankings resulting in the team beginning the regular season in Metro two. The team started the season with some close victories but really started to put a gap in the opposition by going on a 7 game winning streak from rounds 9 through to 15. In that time the team has held top position on the ladder. One the strengths of the team is the way they all work hard for one another. All of the girls have been part of the Sabres program for a number of years so the friendships they have formed over that time translate in the way they care for each other on the court. We now enter the business end of season. Special thanks to Michael Burke for his coaching and all of the parents for their support of the every player within the team this year. Best of luck in the finals girls.
Go Sabres Travis Thompson
U18G3
The U18.3 Girls started the year strongly. They were runners-up in the Dandenong Tournament in a very tight and exciting grand final which went right down to the final buzzer. They followed this up with an impressive run qualifying for VJL3. The first half of the regular season saw the team put in a solid performance, and after 10 rounds we were securely in the top 5 with more wins than losses; the highlight of the season being in Round 7 with a stirring and inspirational one point win over the undefeated Ringwood. Beyond Round 10 things began to turn, not sure what it was but something must have happened over the Queen’s Birthday Weekend – maybe mid-year exam pressure or the cold weather but a number of successive losses in the latter half of the season meant that the team ended up missing out on the finals. However, to give the girls due credit, they remained very competitive, kept on training hard, never gave up, and most importantly kept on smiling. Best wishes for those looking to qualify again for Sabres next year. For those girls for which this is their final year of junior rep basketball we hope that they have taken with them fond memories of their time with Sabres and will maintain a life-long love of the game. A big thank you to our two dedicated coaches, and to all the parents for supporting the girls throughout the season. Dean Elliott, U18.3 Team Manager
U18G4
Well, what a fantastic season by the girls and super coach Sean, they all did a terrific job. It started off slowly as Sean and team started to get to know each other on and off court. As not
all have played together before. Pre grading phase one was a little tough as we had half side out due to school commitments. Dandenong Eltham Tournament was a great start back as all the team was available for the weekend. What a great start to the year as we won our five games and made it through to the semifinal but unfortunately not with the win. But good preparation for teams next grading phase. Grading phase two had us just missing out on making Metro Four, it was quite disappointing. But hey this is what basketball is all about, you win some and you lose some, but you always come back fighting even harder and yes they did. Start of the season, the first four rounds were quite a battle again, no need to mention first game. But second game a new team immerged and we lost to top team by 1 point. Third game last before school and Easter break we had a couple of our forward players not available and they were reasonably tall side, start was not great with SCORE BEING 18 – 6 being down by 12 points at the first quarter break. Sean nearly breaking his coaches board on his knee, but the girls went back out fighting and even when our speedy guard Liv hit the floor with her head and we had to call an ambulance, the rest of the team held on to take it home by 2 points, a great finish. So we all finished the night off with well-deserved Chocolate Easter Eggs. Liv was cleared to go home later that night. After the Easter break the next seven rounds seen us with five wins and two losses and they were all only within a couple of point here and there. This is totally due to Sean’s continuous dedication, persistence and training preparation which then got the girls working very hard at our training sessions. Girls worked their way up to
u18 team
REPORTS secure fourth position on the ladder, before the Labour Day Weekend. Great Effort. Nunawading Spectres Tournament was a great warm up to the second half of the season. The girls won two out of five rounds, which set them up ready for their home run, having not dropped a game since, and securing our spot up the Ladder to fourth and still fighting their way closer to the top of the ladder and ready for finals battles. At the time of writing this article, we are still sitting fourth on the ladder with two games to go. We are still in with a possibility to move to third and give us the double chance. I believe the girls can go all the way and hopefully take it out. Fingers crossed. The biggest thank you I would have to say is to our absolutely dedicated, well prepared and organized coach. And not to forget our awesome parents who not only helped out me out with scoring duty and lift sharing, but with two in particular. Christine for helping Sean on game nights with the girls, and Karen with taking stats for the team. It was my pleasure to be Team Manager for the season, with this beautiful bunch of girls and parents. I like to wish girls from top age that are leaving Sabres all the very best. Good luck in 2016 for the girls staying on for another season. Rickey Bryant Team Manager “The coach of the team would really like to thank a very supportive and positive bunch of parents, who came and supported there team every week, always positive, and always willing to help me make the girls go the extra yard. Three parents made my season really easy, to Rickey, Christine and Karen thanks so much, for organising the team, helping with the girls, and providing me with stats. Lots of talent in this team, and I’m
expecting a long finals campaign from the girls, BE BRAVE!” Sean Lynch Coach
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