As part of preparing for the World Deaf Basketball Championships the Australian Deaf Men’s Basketball Team (aka Goannas) have committed themselves in regular intensive training sessions and are competing against top elite level teams as part of their build up to the main event. Last weekend the team completed their third weekend training camp within a 6 week period which saw the squad build up from the previous camps and focus even more on the short but long road ahead.

The Goannas took on the Sherbrooke Suns State Championship Mens team in a friendly match that was held in Monbulk up in the hilly woodlands past Dandenong in Melbourne. The Sherbrooke Suns finished third in last years Big V State Championship and gave the Goannas an intense game workout where their developments and areas to improve on were exposed in front of a enthusiastic crowd. Coach Brent Reid was philosophical with the result, stating that “the (Suns) pressure that we endured today will make them better in their next game”.

Led by Brent, the squad are advancing together with the departure date looming closer than ever and now must train individually and with their representative teams in their respective states. Their next challenge lays ahead on the 18th and 19th of April, where they will play a double header against the 2005 Deaflympic Basketball Team as part of the 10 year celebrations on the 18th and then against the Kilsyth Cobras Big V Championship Youth League side on the 19th. This will again be a massive test that will no doubt test and challenge the squad in their preparations for the World Championships.

A massive thanks is extended to the Sherbrooke Basketball Association for the time and effort they took to help organise and make this match happen. It should be noted that 3 members of the Goannas have links to the Sherbrooke Basketball Association, who are Coach Brent Reid who used to coach their Championship Men's Team, Morgan Williams and Samuel Cartledge who currently play in their Championship Youth League squads.

This match was also a chance for emerging young talent to see their national team play, such as Nash Chandler, a young 7 year old who already has future ambitions to play for Australia in the Deaflympic Games. Nash had the opportunity to meet the team and coach and as well as offered to showcase his already advanced skills set at the end of the game shooting around with the team.

The World Deaf Basketball Championships are being held in Taoyuan, Taiwan from 4 – 12 July 2015. This will not be the only challenge the Goannas have as they will have to also contend with participating against their Asian teams at the Asia Pacific Games for the Deaf being held three months later in October.

We are still seeking for new deaf and hard of hearing basketballers who aspire to compete at national and international competitions such as the Asia Pacific Games for the Deaf, World Championships and Deaflympic Games. if you have the skills required to be a competitive basketballer, please contact Bryn Davies for further information president@deaf.basketball.net.au

The Goannas team are actively seeking sponsorships and donations and any contribution large or small would be greatly appreciated. If you know of anyone who would be interested and happy to contribute, please contact Deaf Basketball Australia’s sponsorship officer Steve Williams via email or phone at steve.williams@welcon.com.au or on ph: 0419 660 412.

Keep in touch with the Australian Deaf Basketball Team on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/australiangoannas.

More information about future games will be released closer to the date.

(Reproduced with permission of Deaf Sports Australia)

Photo credit: Patrick Lane, Goannas #14