Following the December meeting of the Basketball Geelong Commission, we are pleased to announce that the annual award presented to the Basketball Geelong “Volunteer of the Year” will from 2013 be renamed the “Clarrie Kerger Volunteer of the Year” award.

The change came after a recommendation from existing Basketball Geelong Life Members to recognise Clarrie Kerger for the enormous amount of time and effort he has poured into volunteering from the grassroots level of basketball right through to state level.

“The volunteer of the year award has traditionally been given out to someone who goes above and beyond in their volunteer duties. Clarrie has done so for basketball in the Geelong region for over fifty years – an outstanding achievement from an exemplary member of our community,” said Basketball Geelong CEO, Andrew Scotford. “It is fitting that this award should be named in his honour.”

Clarrie began playing basketball in 1956 for the Cresco Fertilizers. When the team disbanded, he was captain and coach of the St John’s Ambulance team, before forming the Chilwell Dodgers Basketball teams, which later became affiliated with the Try Boys Basketball Club in 1969.

Clarrie was elected to the Try Boys Committee and has held every office bearer position within the committee over the years, including President of the club for fifteen years (1980-1995). As a coach, player and referee Clarrie was a respected member of the basketball community.

In 1966 Clarrie joined the Executive Committee of Basketball Geelong (then known as the Geelong Amateur Basketball Association, or GABA), acting as secretary until 1975, and then taking on the portfolio of Historical Records. He was on the executive committee at the time when the Geelong Supercats were formed for entry into the NBL. In 1985 he joined the Basketball Victoria Regional Tribunal and convened tribunals in Geelong and Bellarine until he retired in 2007.

As well as this, Clarrie volunteered his services to the Victorian Country Basketball Council between 1970-2000. He was recognised by Basketball Victoria for 25 years contribution to Basketball.

Clarrie holds Life Membership within both the Try Boys Basketball Club and Basketball Geelong Incorporated.

The annual award, won in 2012 by cheerleading coach Kirralee Badham, will be presented at the 2013 Basketball Geelong Awards night in late September.