This is to advise of my intention to resign as the president of the association at the end of the State Basketball League season i.e. 22 August 2011.

I am providing early advice so the club has over three months to find a replacement.

My timing is quite specific as the incoming president would not be appointed until early December if I simply chose to wait and not renominate at the next AGM. The difficulty that would cause is that many key decisions in relation to player, programs and planning generally for 2012 are made during that time prior to the AGM.

I want to emphasise that my decision has nothing to do with any person, any specific issue or any specific matter. It is just that after five years I am simply finding it difficult to perform this role to what I consider is the required standard.

I have found it hard to balance the ever-increasing work demands with my volunteer work. My mother has had a serious illness during the last couple of months that has made me realise the need to review my commitments and priorities.

The date the resignation takes effect also coincides with the commencement of a private study course I am undertaking.

Further, I want the ‘flexibility’ to be able to travel more in 2012, particularly with both Margaret and I having long-service leave available.

I want to emphasise that I remain fully committed to the club. Subject to Board agreement, it is my plan to continue to help with all of the ‘other’ work to that of president that I have been doing, which includes:

• Preparing the weekly SBL game wraps for the web and local newspaper.
• Preparing the weekly WABL game wrap for the web.
• Grant applications and acquittal reports.
• Working with the Development Officer on the Indigenous Program and the Aus-sport After-School Clinics.
• Working with the Development Officer in organising metropolitan and country clinics.
• Assisting with the SBL and Domestic programs as the Director may require.
• Helping with letters of appeal, and other issues, to the SBL Commission and BWA as may be required.
• Assisting in representing players before tribunal and commission hearings.

After discussion with other Board Members it is also my intention, if agreed by the Board as a whole and members at the Annual General Meeting, to stay on the Board in a general capacity through the remainder of 2011 and into 2012.

I was thinking over what I feel are the key achievements that have occurred during my time as president, with the assistance of the other very capable people within the club that have worked around me. I would list those achievements as including the following (not necessarily in order of importance).

• Establishing the indigenous development program.
• Putting in place a development officer.
• The expansion of the Loftus Domestic competition.
• The commencement of the Belmont Oasis Domestic competition.
• Putting in place country basketball clinics.
• Starting up metropolitan basketball clinics again.
• Putting in place the Aus-sport After-school clinics.
• Setting the club up as a Local Drug Action Group member body.
• Finding sponsors.
• Identifying various sources of grants and the success of our club in being successful in obtaining those grants (particularly the indigenous development program grant).
• The building up of the SBL teams from a low base, to the point in 2010 where both teams made semi-finals.
• Seeing a crowd of 650 at the 2010 SBL home-game semi-final.
• Developing the concept of the WABL coaching clinic in Kulin.
• Putting in place our regular SBL country home game each year and particularly the two SBL home games in Albany.
• Seeing a crowd of around 500 that attended the 2009 Albany SBL home game.

I know there are also potentially exciting times ahead for the club, for reasons that will become more obvious in the months ahead.

I wish the incoming president all of the best during this time and will offer that person my full support.

Gary Prior