A message from our Chair ahead of the upcoming season
On behalf of the Board and management of the Deakin Melbourne Boomers welcome to Season 2020 which starts with our opening game this Thursday.
Many of you are familiar with the work of the Deakin Melbourne Boomers WNBL Club.
Our Club purpose is simple – we are dedicated to the empowerment and promotion of women’s sports. We want to be the best basketball club in the WNBL.
Our players are wonderful athletes and role models.
Ezi Magbegor has recently won a WNBA Championship in her rookie year at the age of 21.
Cayla George, Tess Madgen and Maddie Garrick looking to join Ezi at the Tokyo Olympics.
Ashleigh Karaitiana is returning to the court after birth of her first child.
Toni Farnworth and Izzy Wright (nee Chilcott) show their strength by having professional careers on and off the court.
It is because of them and all our league’s players that the saying “you can’t be, what you don’t see” has become a call to arms for the Boomers and women’s sport. In a world where sport can often only be viewed through a screen, it has become “you can’t be, what you don’t WATCH”.
It is also a season where the WNBL uses their voice to ensure this season is unique and even bigger than basketball. The collective effort between BA and the Opals to create the RISE UP campaign, assists in creating an environment in which these conversations can take place – it is, afterall, an acronym for Respect, Injustice, Standards, Equality, Unity, Peace.
Our fans in Melbourne cannot watch live but this is still an exciting time for our club. The Boomers play the first game of the WNBL 2020 Season on this Thursday November 12th in Townsville. We play 14 games in 32 days and we aim for a finals campaign in the week that follows. Hopefully, the team will be home by Christmas and if our hard work has paid off, with a Championship trophy in tow.
We are so excited that ALL games can be still be watched and enjoyed.
ALL 14 BOOMERS GAMES; ALL 60 WNBL GAMES:
- 60 GAMES ON KAYO (via APP on mobile device or TV)
- 16 GAMES PLUS FINALS ON FOX
- 9 GAMES PLUS FINALS ON ABC TV NATIONALLY
There has never been a more important time to put female sport in front of young girls – to show them what they can be.
This purpose underpinned the work done in the past six months during this most extraordinary and challenging of years. We are proud to have worked with Basketball Australia, the Players Association, our fellow Clubs, the Queensland State government, and broadcasters to make the season happen in Far North Queensland and we visible across the country.
Equally our ability as a Club to be a leading part of the season is due to the commitment, support and loyalty of our Members, Partners, staff, coaching and support staff and especially, our team of players.
I would like to especially acknowledge the ongoing support of Deakin University, Knox City Council and the Victorian State Government as our Major Partners who have stood next to the Boomers this year and supported us.
As a Club we will compete in Queensland proudly representing Melbourne and Victoria. As we enter the on-court battles we want to particularly acknowledge the Victorian Basketball Community. It’s been an incredibly tough year for Clubs and Associations and all basketballers, and it is not over just yet.
So, we want you to know you are at the forefront of our thoughts. We will make you proud as we represent you as Melbourne’s WNBL team with our goal of winning our second WNBL championship.
Make sure you are watching – Go Boomers!
Tony Hallam – Chair