GUB’s Communmity Spotlight Series aims to shine a light on our community clubs that make up the majority of our weekly competitions.
We’ll be checking in with all club presidents to find out not only about them, but also some club history and what’s happening behind the scenes.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how long you’ve been affiliated with the club?
I have been a coach with South Geelong Kings Basketball Club since my two sons were playing under 10’s and 12’s in 2003.
I was on the committee and then elected as club president in 2010 and have remained in that position ever since.
What area of Geelong does club the represent?
Our club tends to be popular in the southern suburbs, near the river and south, including South Geelong, Newtown, Highton, Belmont, Grovedale and surrounds.
How long has your club been operational for and what are some of the historical milestones for the club?
The ‘Kings’ have been around basketball circles in the Geelong area for decades in some form or another, mostly remembered wearing plain black singlets with white numbers and playing for independent adult teams back in the day.
In more recent years a number of ‘Kings’ junior teams started to develop out of schools in the area and it is from these junior teams whose parents and coaches eventually came together to establish us as a club.
In approximately 2003 the first known junior & senior ‘Kings’ club teams started to appear at the then named ‘Life Be In It Centre’ wearing purple/black/white uniforms and our club was officially born as an organised group, the South Geelong Kings.
Our club became legally Incorporated as an Association called the South Geelong Kings Basketball Club Inc., with its own By-Laws, Statement of Purpose and Rules in 2010.
The South Geelong Kings Basketball Club was initially duly recognised as an inaugural voting member of the Corio Bay Basketball Association and then joined as a member of the Geelong Amateur Basketball Association with representation on the general committee of these Associations and teams playing in both Associations.
In 2019, a joining of these Associations to form the Geelong United Basketball Association brings our club into a new and exciting era of amateur basketball in the Greater Geelong region as an inaugural member of the new GUB Association.
What does the future hold for your club?
The club will continually look to explore community partnerships by offering our support in coaching or officiating, and providing incentives for development opportunities where possible.
