To start DBA's preparations for a massive 2015 that takes in the World Deaf Basketball Championships in July 2015 and the Asia Pacific Games for the Deaf in October 2015, the first try out camp was held over the weekend of 28-29th June in Melbourne.

This camp ended a busy period for the board of DBA, who sent out Expressions of Interest to their network for players interested to try out for the national teams program, as well as advertising and interviewing for head and assistant coaches as well as team managers for both mens and womens national teams. 

The try out camp saw a healthy number of interested players expressing their interest, with 16 men and 15 women expressing their interest - numbers that will ensure that there is competition for spots in the Goannas and Geckos teams to attend the international tournaments in 2015. It was held at two locations over the weekend - Monash University Clayton campus and Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, home of the 2005 Deaflympics basketball tournament.

Over 8 hours of training, the players were put through their paces where the selection panel could assess their skills and behaviours, as well as being physcially examined by DBA Myotherapist, Bridget Gamble. Our newly appointed coaches were impressed with the skills and attitudes of the majority of the players, and holds the national teams program in good stead for the coming year when there will selection dilemmas confronting the selection panels. 

As a result of this try out camp, DBA and the coaches have made some key decisions:

• there will be another try out camp, in mid-late August in Melbourne
• DBA will send final registration forms to International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) for the mens national team to attend the World Deaf Basketball Championships in July 2015. The womens national team will not be going to this tournament as the Geckos program is not ready for a high level of international exposure such as the Worlds, having only been re-established after no international presence since the 2009 Deaflympics
• However DBA will send mens and womens teams to the Asia Pacific Games for the Deaf as this is necessary to qualify for the 2017 Deaflympics and a great introduction to international level for the womens program who will be ready by Ocotober 2015 to compete on the international stage

DBA are currently awaiting advice from ICSD whether the mens national team, the Goannas are registered to compete at the Worlds, and this should be forthcoming very shortly - exciting times!

DBA would like to express its gratitude to the following people and organisations for ensuring the camp was a success:

• Marc Curtis for his interpreting
• Adam Tinkler for his interpreting
• Nicole Mcrae for her interpreting
• Debra Crick for her catering
• MSAC for the court hire on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning
• Monash Univeristy for the court hire on Saturday morning
• Village Green hotel for the meet and greet between DBA Board and coaching staff on Friday night, as well as hosting the players for dinner on Saturday night

Click here to see photos from the camp. Photo credits to Janelle Whalan and Irena Farinacci. 

Please stay tuned for further updates and confirmation of the next try out camp on our website.