To Parents, Players & Supporters of the Darebin Giants:

I would like to keep you all up to date with news surrounding changes that have been made to the committee structure and subsequently the management of the program moving forward.

A Special General Meeting of the Championship & Big V Sub-Committees was held on Thursday 26^th June, 2008. Please note that this does not affect the Darebin Basketball Association Committee.

As a result of the meeting, resignations were tabled by the following committee members: James Osenaris (Chairman/Treasurer), Mark Sabbadini (Vice-Chairman), Colin Meredith (General Committee), Robert Allen (General Committee). 

Nominations were taken from the floor, as there were no written nominations prior to the meeting, and these vacant positions have been filled by the following people:

Michael Goulimis (Chairman), Dim Trpcevski (Vice-Chairman), Faye Gibson (Treasurer), Graham Johnston (General Committee), Anne Johnston (General Committee).

A decision was made by the resigning members that after 5 years service to the Championship & Big V Committees, it was time to move on and focus on their careers and other aspects of their life.  Time and availability for these members was also an issue due to the increased workload and pathway that their careers have taken.

The decision to hold a special general meeting was made, rather than wait until the AGM, because I felt that the new committee needed to begin their planning and strategy for 2009 and that they needed to be the drivers of the decisions that will shape the club beyond this season.

Myself, Colin Meredith and Grahame Nash will be assisting in operational issues for the remainder of this season in both championship and Big V, but we are beginning a handover process immediately in order for the new committee to learn the ropes and take over ASAP.

The changes see the end of an era at the club, with these 3 people and myself, holding the chair and vice chair for these committees over the past 5 years.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of Grahame Nash who also resigned from the Championship Sub-Committee in April, his tireless work as Coaching Director for the girls program has set-up the club for a bright future, and also his vision and execution of the Slam Jam program has given the club a better recruiting environment for the future.

I think it is important to acknowledge the achievements and milestones set by the committees over the past 5 years, which include: 

• The reduction and payment of debts accrued to Basketball Victoria and the YMCA, in 2003.  Major fundraising efforts were undertaken by the 2003-2004 committees and as a result, the debts were cleared and the club has been able to operate viably since and furthermore having money in the bank to look at growth and program investment opportunities.

• Membership Growth of 15% from seasons 2004-2007, with 26 teams being the highlight in 2006, which was a 20% increase from the previous season.

• Implementation of the Slam Jam Program in 2006, which saw the re-introduction of junior domestic basketball at Darebin.  This program peaked at over 250 children and provided our junior program with a much needed feeder program.  I would like to acknowledge the work of Grahame Nash, Jenni Blasco, Colin Meredith and Carrie Barrett who have been the major drivers of this program.

• Implementation of Big V Basketball in 2007.  This was a significant milestone achieved by the club and was a key goal that we set back in 2003.  The 2006-2007 committee worked tirelessly to make the Big V venture financially viable and also successful, with our Men’s team becoming the 2^nd ever Big V Franchise to win a championship in their inaugural season.  The most exciting result from this was the high number of Darebin junior players that are playing with the Big V teams and this shows the excellent development that our junior program provides players at Darebin.

• Development and execution of a media plan, with the creation of a website, bulletin and various relationships formed with media outlets such as Leader Newspapers and the Melbourne Times.  We also were able to create a better relationship with the VJBL and NWC and provide them with opportunities to write about our programs and inform Victoria about our progress and development over the years.

• Finally, 2007 saw a year of league level events run at Darebin, which was the result of hard work and lobbying done by the committees over the previous seasons.  Darebin held the following league level events in 2007: Metropolitan finals series matches, VJBL Annual General Meeting, NCAS Level 2 Coaches Course, NCAS Level 1 Coaches Course.

In summary, over the years the committee have worked tirelessly to ensure the growth and development of this program.

I would like to thank the hard work, dedication, passion and spirit showed by Mark Sabbadini, Robert Allen, Colin Meredith and Grahame Nash over the past 5 years and also thank them personally for the things that we have achieved together in my time at the club.

I would also like to thank those current committee members which I have worked with over the past 5 years in assisting with the growth and development of the club.

I also acknowledge the support of our sponsors over the past 5 years, especially Mark Galea (Technika) and Peter Fiddes (AND1) who have provided the championship program with financial support over the years and without their assistance the programs would not have been able to operate.

Finally I would like to wish Michael Goulimis and his new committee all the best for the future and we will be watching their progress with eager eyes.

It has been a pleasure to be involved with such a fantastic club and it was an honour to have held the Chair over the past 12 months and the Club Manager role in the 4 years previous.  The growth and development we have been able to achieve over the years has been fantastic and I am truly proud of the efforts made by the past committees.

The club has a bright future, and it is time for change and a fresh approach moving forward.  I am confident that the new committee will be able to uphold the reputation and development of the club in the future.

I will formally be handing over to Michael at Presentation Night and I look forward to catching up with you once more then.

Yours Sincerely,

James Osenaris
Outgoing Chairman
Darebin Championship Basketball