Basketball South Australia is thrilled to announce the continuation of its successful Female Participation Strategy beyond 2024. This initiative has been instrumental in fostering inclusivity and growth, with significant milestones achieved since its inception.
The extended strategy reaffirms Basketball SA’s commitment to empowering female players, coaches, referees, and administrators while enhancing service delivery to ensure sustained success.
While these milestones are cause for celebration, Basketball SA is focused on building upon this foundation to ensure even greater impact in the future.
Basketball SA Chief Executive Officer, Tim Brenton, expressed his enthusiasm for the strategy’s continuation, stating “The Female Participation Strategy has experienced significant outcomes and milestones and we’re just getting started. Our community’s passion and commitment have brought us to this point, and we are excited to build on these achievements to create even more opportunities for females in our sport.”
Basketball South Australia thanks everyone who has contributed to the success of this strategy so far and looks forward to continuing this important journey. Together, we will ensure basketball remains a leader in fostering participation, inclusivity, and growth.
Basketball South Australia is thrilled to announce the appointment of Vanessa Devlin as our new Technical Officials and Referees Manager.
Vanessa brings a wealth of experience to this role, having been a dedicated referee since 1999. She holds both 5×5 and 3×3 FIBA international basketball licences and has proudly represented Australia on the global stage, officiating in numerous prestigious tournaments, including:
Vanessa recently retired as a referee in the WNBL after reaching the incredible milestone of 100 games, but her passion for the sport continues.
Throughout her outstanding career, Vanessa has been recognised for her contributions to basketball, including being named the South Australian Official of the Year twice in 2019 and 2022.
In addition to her refereeing accomplishments, Vanessa has played a pivotal role in advancing opportunities for women in basketball. Through Basketball SA’s Female Participation Strategy Program, Vanessa provided contemporary education and support for female referees both on and off the basketball court.
Vanessa’s commitment to basketball and her leadership extends beyond the court. Although recently selected to officiate at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Vanessa made the inspiring decision to focus on her greatest achievement — the birth of her son.
Tim Brenton, CEO of Basketball South Australia, expressed his excitement about Vanessa’s appointment: “Vanessa’s unparalleled experience, leadership, and passion for referee development will be instrumental in shaping the future of officiating in South Australia. We are thrilled to have someone of her calibre and dedication join our team.”
Vanessa Devlin, new Technical Officials and Referee Manager: “This is a wonderful opportunity, and I’m excited to bring my knowledge and experience to help support the development of all officials across South Australia”.
Basketball South Australia warmly welcomes Vanessa Devlin to this role and looks forward to her contributions to ensuring excellence and growth for technical officials and referees across the state.
Due to the upgrades to South Road as part of the Torrens to Darlington works, Basketball SA has had to find a new home!
As of December you can find us at:
Postal address:
PO BOX 2080
HILTON PLAZA SA 5033
Street Address:
Building 3, Level 1
32-56 SIR DONALD BRADMAN DRIVE,
MILE END, SA 5031
During our relocation all Basketball SA operations will continue as normal. However, if you are planning a visit to the office please ensure to check in with your respective team member on the best time and place.
Help Us Shape the Future of Basketball in South Australia!
As part of Basketball SA’s commitment to shaping a thriving and inclusive basketball community, we are seeking input from our valued members for the development of the 2025-2029 Strategic Plan. Your feedback is crucial in helping us understand the needs, priorities, and aspirations of our community, ensuring that our strategy aligns with the experiences and expectations of players, coaches, officials, and supporters. By participating in this survey, you contribute directly to the future direction of basketball in South Australia, guiding initiatives that promote growth, development, and sustainability for the sport we all love.
On Saturday 12th of October, we came together to celebrate the success of our Referees and Technical Officials in 2024. Basketball South Australia would like to formally congratulate the officials who received awards. The Officials Awards Night highlights some of the standout individuals who have dedicated their time to our sport. Referees and Technical Officials within basketball in South Australia dedicate countless hours to ensuring games can be conducted, and we wouldn’t have the opportunities available without them.
The awards for the evening acknowledge statisticians, score table officials, referees, and referee coaches. Highlighting the significant achievements of our rising stars, most dedicated and officials of the year. 👏
It was great to hear from a variety of officials with different levels of experience, sharing their unique pathways and goals.
Please join us in acknowledging and celebrating the individuals who received the 2024 Officials Awards.
| ACBA Referee of the Year | Josh Branson |
| FUTURE STARS Referee of the Year | Emily Underwood |
| SDJBL Referee of the Year | Abby Bishop |
| STURT DOMESTIC Referee of the Year | Joe Arkwright |
| WESTSIDE DOMESTIC Referee of the Year | Mia Attridge |
| MSBL Mini Referee of the Year | Paige Hartley |
| MSBL Senior Referee of the Year | Paul Welbourn |
| Rising Star Statistician | Tracey-Lee Konidaris |
| Rising Star Score Table | Alex Maddern |
| Rising Star, Junior District | Lara Spokes |
| Rising Star SA Country | Meg O’Leary-Fletcher |
| Rising Star, NBL1 | Chelsea Nicholls |
| Rookie of the Year, Junior District | Jack Pietsch |
| Rookie of the Year, NBL1 | Tynan Kelly |
| Referee of the Year, Junior District | Jordan Girardi |
| Referee of the Year, Senior District | Jonathan Raw |
| Statistician of the Year | Tracy Rosser |
| Score Table Official of the Year | Richard James |
| Referee Coach of the Year NBL1 | Jen Dorrell |
| SA Country Referee of the Year | Izeyah Raymond |
| Score Table Most Dedicated | Frank Kleinig |
| Statistician Most Dedicated | Sandor Busai |
| Golden Whistle Award, NBL1 | James Griguol |
🏀 The wait is over! 🗓️ Basketball South Australia is excited to share the upcoming competition calendars for the next 12 months! Fixtures will be released in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. As we gear up for an exciting season, let’s show our appreciation for the referees and officials who help make every game possible. Together, we can create a positive and respectful environment on and off the court 🏆
Please note that these calendars are subject to change due to venue availability, referee availability or unforeseen circumstances
Don’t forget to print off your calendars and pencil keys dates into your calendar, so you’re ready for the action!
Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, our Officials Awards Night, originally scheduled for this Saturday, has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 12.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused. The rescheduled night will still be a fantastic celebration of our officials’ hard work and dedication.
Please save the new date in your calendars.
Date: October 12
Venue: The Lights Community and Sports Centre – Function Room
Time: 6:00 pm arrival
TICKETS: http://bit.ly/2024officialsdinner
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
FAQ
All parties that purchased tickets have been contacted. Tickets will be honoured for the new date. If you can not attend the new date, please contact Basketball SA at contact@basketballsa.com.au and we will organise a full refund.
No. All awards will still be presented at the event. The awards will be added to the Basketball SA Officials Camp and we can’t wait to honour the outstanding achievements of our officials throughout 2024, as well as preparing them for the upcoming 2025 season.
