WELCOME TO THE CAMBERWELL DISTRICT BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION (CDBA) NEWS PAGE. On this page: Getting To Know You | 2023 NEW BV Fee structure | 2022 CDBA Annual Awards | 2022 President’s Christmas Function
GETTING TO KNOW YOU – CELEBRATING OUR COACHES AND ASSISTANCE COACHES
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2023 Basketball Victoria Fee Structure for Players and Referees – released 12 December 2022.
Please click HERE to read
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2022 Annual CDBA Awards
Each year the Camberwell District Basketball Association (CDBA) presents awards to recognise some special contributions and achievements by players, coaches, referees, and volunteers. The Committee is pleased to announce the following Association awards for 2022.
Life Membership + Basketball Victoria 15 years dedicated services – Cara Jeffers
Cara commenced coaching with the Camberwell Dragons in 2013 and has coached in the Under 14 girls program since that time, primarily the GU14.1 team which has qualified for VC for the past 2 seasons.
Cara has also coached the Youth League Women’s team since 2016, only stepping down from that role just prior to the 2022 season. Her teams made the preliminary finals in both 2017 and 2019, and she was awarded Coach of the Year in the Youth League Women’s competition in 2017. Cara has continued her coaching pathway, having been appointed as an assistant coach with NBL1 Women’s team, the Kilsyth Cobras for the past 2 seasons.
Cara has always prioritised creating a pathway for the club’s junior players and has placed a big emphasis on making sure her Youth League teams were involving themselves in the junior program (for example having them attend training sessions and games). Cara has been integral to the success of our junior girls’ program and has been involved in developing many of our current players.
Outside of coaching, Cara has also taken on administrative roles within the Dragons program, including acting as girls program coordinator for a number of years.
In 2022, Cara was awarded the Basketball Victoria Service Award (Bronze – 15+ years) for her services to basketball.
This reflected her contribution to basketball not only at Camberwell but also her long years of dedicated service to the Koonung Comets Basketball Club, as a player, coach, and administrator.
In 2021, Cara was announced as the 2021 Whitehorse Sports Award – Coach of the Year for her many years of coaching at Koonung Comets Basketball Club.
Camberwell Dragons – VJBL (2013 to date)
Camberwell Dragons – Youth League Women (2016-2021)
Basketball Victoria – Bronze Service Award (2022)
Big V League (Youth League Women) – Coach of the Year (2017)
Whitehorse LGA – Whitehorse Sports Awards, Coach of the Year (2021)
Please join us in congratulating Cara Jeffers on her Life Membership.
Ben Jago Endeavour Award – awarded to Ines Mamo and Savi Kannangara
Ben Jago was a former player with the Dragons who tragically passed away in 2013. In honour of his memory, the ‘Ben Jago Award’ is presented each year to a player from each of our girls and boys VJBL programs who represent similar values to those shown by Ben. We choose somebody who works hard, goes above and beyond with extra training, displays great teamwork, is a kind teammate and shows great respect for all coaches.
Ines Mamo is the worthy recipient of the Ben Jago Award for the 2021/2022 season. Ines was a dedicated and competitive member of the U14.3 girls’ team. She was a diligent worker both at training and on game day and regularly assumed the opportunity to do extra work outside of her ‘normal’ commitments to improve her skills. Congratulations Ines.
Savi Kannangara has played with the Dragons since joining in bottom-age U14s after his brother had played for a season. Savi has displayed consistent desire for improvement to his game on both ends of the floor. It would not be unusual to see Savi staying back after Sunday morning training and getting additional shots up for half an hour. Savi is also a fantastic team mate to have, always being supportive and taking whatever role necessary for the betterment of team success. We are incredibly proud of Savi and his development as a player and person and feel as though he displays the characteristics that are worthy of winning the Ben Jago award.
Coach of the Year – awarded to Matthew Power (Girls) and Jaden Lai (Boys)
MATT POWER is the winner of the 2021/2022 Girls Coach of the Year. Matt has come through the Dragons system as a player in our junior program, current player in our Youth League team and has coached in the girls program for the last few years. Aside from his dedication as the U14.3 girls coach for the 2021/22 season, Matt also dedicated a huge amount of time to assist with the Association’s junior development programs and holiday camps.
JADEN LAI is our 2021/2022 Boys Coach of the Year. In his first season as the Head Coach of our U12 program, Jaden displayed a strong desire to improve the program. Jaden has focused on the necessary skills development to benefit all of his players for long-term success. Whilst overseeing the age group, he managed to achieve great things for the U12/1 boys which included competing in the National Junior Classic. We are proud of Jaden’s development as a coach within our Camberwell Dragons system. His continued desire to improve his coaching is also a quality that holds him in good stead for the future.
Julian Fields Award – awarded to Ray Foster
The Julian Fields Award recognises someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the Association’s Senior Representative program.
RAY FOSTER has been involved in the Dragons Senior Men’s program as Assistant Coach since 2014 when Kevin Anstey was at the helm. Ray has shown a tremendous commitment towards the team under coaches Kevin Anstey, Arnold Giffening, Julian Fields, and Mark Jeffers. He was always willing to help in whatever way necessary at trainings and games and would remind the team that “if you’re not talking, then you’re not playing defence.” Ray was always a player favourite and provided Gatorades for them after every game. Well done on an outstanding contribution to the Big V program over 8 years Ray!
Dale & Doug Helms Award – awarded to Prue Ainsworth
The Dale & Doug Helms Award recognises someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the Junior Program at the Dragons.
PRUE AINSWORTH has certainly shown commitment and passion as a coach, dedicating so much of her time in the development of our juniors. She has a unique ability to connect with every young athlete she meets. Prue extends her abilities beyond her trainings and game days being involved in development clinics and taking the time to identify what is required in every player she encounters. Words like passion, one of a kind, commitment, enthusiastic, nurturing have been used to describe Prue by parents and players alike. We could not agree more.
Gary Stephens Award – awarded to Melanie Kohlman
The Gary Stephens Award recognises someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the Camberwell Dragons as whole.
MEL KOHLMAN certainly exemplifies the word contribution. Her work in coordination and organisation of uniforms and merchandise, having taken on the role from Linda Mackenzie, has indeed been outstanding. She has dealt with issues around the supplying of uniforms to the teams but has done so with a no fuss attitude. Collaborating with our supplier, team managers, coaches, players, and parents puts her on the front line, and she is always prepared to lend a hand in other areas at the same time. Congratulations Mel on your outstanding contributions.
GO DRAGONS!
Matt Bubb,
President | Camberwell District Basketball Association
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President’s Christmas Function, Sunday 4 December 2022, The Terminus Hotel, North Fitzroy (CDBA Partner).
The unique family culture of the Dragons and the CDBA stems from the hard work and commitment of the many volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to our basketball programs, whether on court or off court. Most of those volunteers toil away, out of sight for most of us. Matt Bubb, CDBA President, had the opportunity to host the annual President’s Christmas Function as a small thank you to our staff and many of our amazing volunteers.
