Today we take a look at the South Geelong Kings Basketball Club and their president Bob Pupavac. If you have been around Basketball in Geelong for any amount of time you would have seen Bob out coaching teams, scoring games and training players of all age groups to help promote the growth and development of all in the Basketball community.
What year was your club established?
Established in 2003, incorporated in 2010.
Is there a back story to why the club was established?
The South Geelong Kings Basketball Club is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing a structured vehicle for all members of our community by offering an opportunity to participate in our chosen sport of basketball. The stated purposes of our club are:
I.To foster the development of basketball (in particular junior domestic basketball).
II.To create an environment in which children and adults can enjoy and have fun in participation of the sport of basketball.
III.To provide where practicable training and coaching opportunities to teach basketball skills, rules and strategies to our players.
IV.To promote and teach competitiveness with an emphasis on good sportsmanship.
V.To develop community involvement and appreciation for the importance of constructive and meaningful activities (particularly young people).
Our mission is to develop a basketball club for every member of our community that provides an opportunity for participation in a friendly, positive and competitive environment, irrespective of their level of expertise, experience or potential.
To offer support and structure for the improvement and development of junior and senior players to achieve higher goals; from junior school competitions, through the domestic club competition, to the elite players competing at State or National level competitions and beyond.
To understand and cater to the different needs that players of all levels will have by conducting ourselves in an open manner, encouraging involvement and feedback from the South Geelong Kings Basketball Community.
Where did your club name come from?
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. Of course everyone involved with the club has given their valuable time volunteering and continue to do so. Our past and future committee members should all be proud of their achievements because without them we wouldn’t be here today.
The South Geelong Kings Basketball Club was initially duly recognised as an inaugural voting member 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 merger 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.
How long have you been your Club’s President?
Since 2009,
What drove you to be a Club President?
Give something back to basketball community that gave our family so much over the years.
What do you love about Basketball?
Love the game and the people, watching kids grow and develop under the four pillars I set myself as a coach, helping with their self confidence and attitude to life, effort and desire to compete, improve their skill and potential and become leaders.
