Team Hawks have so many great fans that come along to our games and support us throughout the season. We’ve got a group of very keen Hawkies who have been coming to our games (both home and on the road) for well over ten years now. This week we want to throw the spotlight on them and pay tribute to such committed and longstanding fans.

How long have you been coming to the games and supporting the Hawks?

Ann: My brother Robert and I went to the 1994 Grand Final with a friend that supported Swan City Mustangs, when the Hawks won their first Championship.

Robert: Since the 1994 Grand Final against the Swan City Mustangs.

Vicky: I started following them in 1993 via the newspaper, then started coming to games in 1994.

Tanya: I came to some games in 1995 and 1996 but didn’t start attending regularly until 2001.

Why did you start supporting them?

Ann: Had started going to Wildcats games in '92 and thought that we could catch some more basketball in their off season so thought we would check out some SBL games.  I found out that a friend of mine was a bench player for Perry Lakes and so I thought I would check it out. And also Pete Hansen from the Wildcats also played for the Hawks.

Robert: A friend of a friend of my sister (Patricia ANN) was a ‘benchie’ so we came to watch.

Vicky: Because of Peter Hanson. I liked watching him play for the Wildcats and was disappointed when he was dropped.  I decided to start following the Hawks when he started playing.  A bonus to being a Hawks supporter was the fact that John Gardiner was the head coach.

Tanya: I started supporting the Hawks because of the people and players associated with the club, it was a friendly welcoming environment plus Vicky, Ann and Robert already supported the Hawks.

Favourite things about going to the games and supporting the teams?

Ann: We’ve enjoyed watching the players develop from year to year and we’ve seen a lot of great basketball. We’ve always been made to feel part of the Club and have made some great friends. We had our own seats behind the bench at Perry Lakes and most other supporters were too scared to sit there! We like to sit behind the bench and hear what the coaches have to say. We’ve now found our new spot at WABC and most games we talk to Hawks people like Jenny Purser and Margaret & Sharon on the scorebench. We have done quite a few road trips to watch the Hawks to places like Bunbury, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie which were great fun.

Robert: The people, watching the teams develop and of course winning Finals - GO HAWKS!

Vicky: Watching players develop and becoming Wildcats or Waves players. It‘s like a family at the Hawks and despite the fact I don’t have a family member play for them, I’ve always been made to feel part of the Hawks family.

Tanya: I love the family feel of the Hawks and the friendships I‘ve made and people I’ve met. I enjoyed sitting behind the bench at the old stadium and listening to time outs, to hear the plays that where going to be set and watching out for these, not to mention the ‘Johnisms’. I think we really do and have had some great players play at the Hawks and I have enjoyed watching some of our players go from Rookies to playing NBL (even if some of them play for the wrong teams). Not to mention watching some great games of basketball.

Thanks for being such great fans Ann, Robert, Vicky, Robert and Tanya!