Townsville Basketball stalwarts, Norma Connolly & Eric Iwanicki have been awarded Life Membership at TBI at the recent AGM.

Norma Connolly is already a legend in basketball around Australia having received the Basketball Australia Merit Award in 2003, induction into the Basketball Australi Hall of Fame in 2007 and has the U16 Australian Junior Championship trophy for girls named in her honour.

Connolly was an active coach with the Town High School Tropics program from 1994-2000, Head Coach of the Townsville Sunbirds from 1995-2000, including the 1998 CBA National Coach of the year in 1998, was an Assistant Coach of the Townsville Fire in their inaugural season and has coached many local Townsville representative teams from 1995 to the present.

Norma has also Managed the Townsville Flames QBL team since 2004 and the Australian Gems from 1991 to 2001.  She is also already a Life Member of Mackay Basketball and Basketball Queensland.

Eric Iwanicki has been a supporter of basketball since his son, Dale (who is the Head Coach of the Gladstone Power in the QBL), started playing in the late 80's.

Eric joined the Cannons Basketball committee and became President in 1997.  He then joined the TBI Board holding positions as Chairman of the Senior Committee and QBL Committee.  He has also been Manager for the Townsville Heat U23 team and QBL teams for long periods.

Over and above these responsibilities, Eric has been a constant source of support in rectifying maintenance issues and building improvements to the basketball complex over the past 20yrs.

Congratualtions to both!