Can Mat Campbell get Wollongong Hawks basketball into new NBL?

With the proposed new NBL competition raising the financial barriers to entry it looked like there would be no NSW based team in the so called “New NBL” competition (as previously reported in this column).

However, a last ditch effort led by Hawks 2008-09 captain, Mat Campbell, has resulted in pledges of  78 foundation memberships ($5000 each) and 1156 season memberships ($250) prior to the NBL’s expression of interest deadline last Friday February 27. This resulted in an Expression of Interest for a new community based Hawks team being submitted before the deadline. Feedback from the “New NBL” is expected in a couple of weeks. Major sponsor ahm has also pledged support.

At least the Hawks are in a better position than the other previous Sydney based teams. Sydney Spirit (formerly West Sydney Razorbacks) lost its key financial backer halfway through the season and lost much of its West Sydney fan base due to loss of identity with its previous regional base. Its last home game could only attract less than 1300 fans compared to Hawks over 5000 spectators at its last match. The Sydney Kings collapsed before the 2008-09 season and although there are efforts to revive it one former owner was very pessimistic.

To keep up to date with what’s happening in the Hawks campaign and what other clubs are doing go to www.savethehawks.com

Bulli Surf Life Saving Club punches above weight 

BULLI SLSC has continued to build an impressive record in the surf sports arena of major championships. Over the weekend 45 athletes competing in boat, surf/craft & beach events in small surf with very warm weather conditions.
 
In the Masters Championships 5 GOLD 1 SILVER & 2 BRONZE medals were won with Keith Miller, Ian Timbrell, Michael Locke & Penny Locke winning their respective age events in ski & ironperson. In the Open Championships 5 GOLD 3 SILVER & 7 BRONZE medals were won. The U17 surf/craft guys leading the way with wins in the U17 Taplin Relay, U17 Ski Relay & placing 2nd in the U17 Board Relay & 3rd in the U17 Surf Teams.
 
Ryan O'Grady continued on from the Illawarra Branch Championships and won a staggering 7 medals (4 in teams above & placing 2nd in the U17 Surf, 3rd in the U17 Ironman & 3rd in the U17 Rescue Tube). Ben Griffiths successfully defended his U17 Ski title with a dominant display and was also a member of the U17 teams that won medals. Cara Langendam picked up a double with wins in the Open Ladies Sprint & Flags.
 
The U19 surf/craft guys picked up 2 bronze medals in the U19 Surf Teams & U19 Rescue Tube Rescue events. The U19 Male Boat crew raced outstandingly over the weekend and were the crew to beat. Unfortunately a wave popped up & 4 other crews chased them hard over the line......with the crew given 2nd placing.
 
In all the club was in a total of 42 finals.....a great result considering BULLI is not classified as a large surf club in numbers re active members. (Report supplied by Keith Caldwell)

Driscoll’s eight wickets, Palmer’s ton in Illawarra junior cricket

Dapto’s T Driscoll led the way in his 16B side’s outright victory over Warilla last weekend. He took 5/16 in Warilla’s first innings of 17. He was well supported by M Bonnie with 4/1 as they claimed all 9 wickets to fall in their opponent’s ten man team. In Warilla’s second innings of 9/83 (all out) Driscoll took 3/10 together and was well supported by J Sigmond with 3/16. Dapto had scored 141 in their first innings and therefore easily took the match outright.

Port Kembla 14B’s R Palmer scored an impressive 101 not out in his side’s 6 for 223 against Dapto Blue who could only manage 118. In going for bonus points Dapto scored 6/90 in their second innings (Palmer did not bat).

Also in 14B Keira Red’s A Adams took 6/17 in West Blue’s second innings of 33. Wests had scored 51 (N Blewitt 3/2) in its first innings and so lost the match outright following Keira Red’s first innings of 9/131.

In what one spectator described as “the most exciting match I have seen for years” Thirroul Blue lost outright to Helensburgh after leading on the first innings. Thirroul scored 8/103 declared (L Balbirnie 29) then dismissed Helensburgh for 87 (H Walker 27) with L Balbirnie taking 5 wickets for 11 runs. In the chase for bonus points Thirroul Blue declared its second innings at 5/39 (H Walker 3/5). Helensburgh went in and scored 5 for 62 off 10 overs to win the match with J Falkiner scoring 17 off 6 deliveries at the end.

For more Illawarra Junior Cricket results go to http://www.cricketnsw.com.au/ijca/
For South Coast junior cricket results and performances go to http://scjca.nsw.cricket.com.au/

Illawarra basketballers in Australian Under 19 World Champs Squads

Basketball Australia has announced the players selected into the Australian Gems and Emus squads to prepare for the 2009 FIBA Under 19 World Championships. The teams include Illawarra’s Cassandra Mangos and Brad Simpson.
 
The Women’s tournament will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 23 July – 2nd August 2009 and in preparation the squad will attend a training camp from 5th – 8th March.
 
The U19 Men’s World Championships which will be held 2 - 12 July, 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand and 19 athletes have been selected into the Emus Squad to attend a training camp at the AIS from Monday 9 March to Thursday 12 March, 2009. This will be the second camp in 2009 as the Emus squad prepares and develops for the World Championships.
 
The squad will also have camps in April and May before heading to France in June for some very important game practice leading up to the World Championships.
 
“The camp is about building momentum not only with individual player development but most importantly with team concepts required for us to compete at a high standard during the World Championships.” said Damian Cotter (Emus Assistant Coach).
 
Fellow Assistant Coach Tim Mallon and Manager Bob McGugan make up the team headed by AIS Men’s coach Marty Clarke as Head Coach.
 
The Gems will be led by Australian Institute of Sport Women’s coach Dean Kinsman with two WNBL coaches in the Assistant Coach positions; Dandenong Rangers head coach Dale Waters and Canberra Capitals assistant coach Sandy Tomley.
 
A number of players in the both squads already have played at an international level, gaining experience at the 2008 FIBA Oceania Championship and at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in January, where both teams won Gold Medals. The squads have a strong tradition of success to follow, in the 2007 World Championships the Emus and Gems both finished fifth.

The 2009 Australian Gems Squad is:

Rebecca Allen, Elizabeth Cambage, Rebecca Cole, Stephanie Cumming, Bree Farley, Kate Gaze (Sutherland), Kerry Harrington, Jillian Haughton, Kelsey Ireland, Rachel Jarry, Michele Joy (Sutherland), Ashleigh Karaitiana (Sydney City), Alice Kunek, Tess Madgen, Cassandra Mangos (Illawarra), Georgia Minear, Rosie Moult, Kate Oliver (Hills District), Hannah Richards, Caitlin Rowe, Nicole Seekamp, Gretel Tippett
 
2009 Australian Emus Squad is :
Bryce Arnott, Cameron Bairstow, Ryan Broekhoff, Jason Cadee (Bankstown), Matthew Dellavedova, Cody Ellis, Ryan Godfrey, Hugh Greenwood, Shane Harris-Tunks (Liverpool / Bankstown), Jeromie Hill, Matthew Hodgson, Brock Motum, Igor Nujic, Jorden Page, Christian Salecich, Daniel Sepokas (Bankstown), Brad Simpson (Illawarra), Jan Warbout, Mitchell Young  

Wollongong’s great start in Premier Youth League Soccer

Wollongong almost picked up the maximum points in the first round of the Premier Youth League last weekend. All sides won against Bankstown City at Jensen Park with the exception of the under 13’s. They managed a hard fought 1 all draw. Results for the round were: 
Under 13: Wollongong drew 1 all
Under 14: Wollongong won 2 nil
Under 15: Wollongong won 2 – 1
Under 16: Wollongong won 5 – 1
Under 18: Wollongong won 3 - 2

Next weekend Wollongong plays Bonnyrigg White Eagles at home at Elizabeth Park Bellambi with the 13s beginning at 9 am.

More results and the draw can be found at  http://www.soccernsw.com.au/index.php?id=78

Illawarra’s Joshua Hill in Australian team for World Baseball classic

Australian Baseball has listed the final selections for the team to represent Australia at the 2009 (2nd) World Baseball Classic. Former Berkeley Eagles junior and Dapto Panthers player Joshua Hill, who now resides in the USA, has been named in the team. Joshua, who is now 25 years old, was a student at Lake Illawarra High.

Joshua is a power pitcher who throws a 150+kph fastball and is generally used as a closing pitcher. He was scouted by the Minnesota Twins organisation in 2002 and has been playing in the US Minor Leagues regularly appearing at AA (double A) League level. He has played most recently in the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation.

Other NSW players in the squad include Brad Thomas from Blacktown area. Trent Oeltjen was originally from Baulkham Hills Club then moved to Ryde Eastwood. Craig Anderson is from Newcastle and played in the NSW Major League with Canterbury Bankstown. Richard Thompson and Andrew Graham are both from the Ryde Eastwood Club. Chris Snelling is originally from Ourimbah, Central Coast and went straight to the Seattle Mariners out of under 18's with NSW Country.
 
Another squad member is Colorado Rockies player Adam Bright who is the son of former Australian and Victoria off spinner Ray Bright.

 The top 16 qualifying nations have been drawn into four pools, each pool playing in a different nation - Japan (pool A), Mexico (B), Canada (C) and Puerto Rico (D). Following elimination games the round 2 fixtures will be played in San Diego, California and Miami, Florida before the semi finals and finals are played in Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California.

The Australians commence their campaign in Mexico on March 8 against the host nation. The other teams in their Pool (B) - Cuba and South Africa, will also play in a round robin series of games at this venue.
 
For more information on Australia, its full squad and draw go to http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/index.jsp?team=aus

About the World Baseball Classic: The World Baseball Classic is the premier international baseball tournament, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, and features the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories.  In March 2006, 486 players (235 of them from MLB organizations) representing 16 teams from across the globe competed in the inaugural event.  More than 740,000 fans from 48 states and 15 countries attended games (16 of which sold out) and millions more watched on TV as Team Japan was crowned the first-ever World Baseball Classic Champion. 

The inaugural tournament was broadcast by 48 media outlets in 10 languages to 205 countries and territories around the world.  Media members representing 25 different nations attended the 39 games in seven host venues across three countries/territories.  The upcoming World Baseball Classic will be played from March 5 - 23 and will again feature 16 of the greatest baseball-playing nations in the world.  The tournament will be held every four years thereafter, with plans in place to expand the participant field beginning in 2013. Many of the World Classic games are expected to be televised on payTV.

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