They work the sidelines on a Friday night and put in the hours to develop our junior Camberwell Dragons teams, but what inspires our coaches to do what they do?

We’ve put that question to them and the responses are rolling in. In this, the fourth instalment of our Why I Coach series, we caught up with Duncan Palmer, head coach of Camberwell Dragons 14.4 Girls. This is his story:

“I coach for several reasons. I love watching players improve. Seeing them apply skills from training in a game and the smiles on their faces when it works is probably the number one reason I coach.

“I also like seeing players grow both as basketballers and as people. Seeing players who I have coached continue in Big V, coaching, committee and as parents at Dragons is awesome, but even meeting them in the community or on social media and seeing where their life takes them is a great experience.

“I love being part of the community that is Camberwell Dragons; from parents, to committee, fellow coaches, and referees, it is fantastic to be part of an amazing club.

“Last but not at all least, I am lucky enough for the past few seasons to have coached my daughter. She and a few of her teammates probably need a break from me now, but I count myself fortunate to have had that experience.”

• Duncan Palmer is head coach of Camberwell Dragons 14.4 Girls.

Interested in starting your coaching journey at Camberwell Dragons or with one of the many domestic clubs in the local area? Contact [email protected] for more information.

#dragonscoaches
#camberwellcoaches
#coachinglife
#coachesmakeadifference

Camberwell In Business is delighted to welcome Belgravia Group and its associated brands GymbaROO and BK’s Gymnastics.

ABOUT BELGRAVIA GROUP
Belgravia Group is a family owned, family run, multi-generational business founded by Geoff Lord and servicing Australia and New Zealand across a broad sweep of business including sport, leisure, health and fitness, apparel, tourism, finance, and technology.

BK’s Gymnastics and GymbaROO are two of Belgravia’s brands providing great physical literacy programs that sets babies and children up to be physically activity (and great basketball players!) throughout their life.

ABOUT GYMBAROO
GymbaROO has been providing quality neuro-developmental programs for babies and children from birth to five years and their parents for over forty years. Now a Franchise operation, GymbaROO centres can be found throughout Australia and in an increasing number of countries overseas.  GymbaROO – Kew operates from the West Hawthorn Uniting Church hall, 10 Power Street, Hawthorn VIC 3107.

ABOUT BK’S GYMNASTICS
BK’s Gymnastics provide gymnastics programs for kinder, primary, and high school-aged kids. Our programming is designed to create a fun, interactive learning pathway to help your child progress from a beginner, who’s figuring out how everything works, to an intermediate or advanced participant. All while developing essential physical and behavioural skills, and a life-long passion for leading a healthy, happy life that encompasses sport and recreation.  BK’s Gymnastics – Hawthorn operates from Bialik College Gringlas Sports Centre, 409 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East, VIC 3123

For more information about Belgravia Group, GymbaRoo and BK’s Gymnastics, please click HERE.

ABOUT CAMBERWELL IN BUSINESS
Camberwell In Business is a community where businesses can network, collaborate and thrive. To learn more about how we’re working to connect the Camberwell Basketball business community, click HERE.

To become a Camberwell In Business member and/or to find out more about what we have to offer, contact Andrew Johnstone at [email protected]

Be Collaborative. Be Curious. Be Camberwell.

Our always popular Dragons Development Squad program is back for Term 3, and online registration is open now.

To register and/or to find out everything you need to know about what we’re offering in Term 3, including venues, costs and Sunday and midweek options for boys and girls, click HERE or visit the Development Pathways page of the Camberwell Basketball website HERE.

Please note Dragons Development Squad is for players born 2014-16 and is not for beginners.

For more information, contact [email protected]

#CDBAdevelopment
#CDBAopportunities
#developingDragons
#CDBArising
#dragonsrising

Missed last week’s episode of the Dragons Den?

The bad news is you missed a good one. The good news is it’s never too late to catch up on all things Camberwell Basketball.

To view our June 14, 2024 edition, click HERE or on the link in our Instagram Bio.

To have future editions of the Den delivered directly to your inbox, email [email protected] with your name and email address and tell us you want the Den. We’ll take care of the rest.

#dragonsden
#wearecamberwell
#allinwithdragons
#dragonsareallin

Camberwell Dragons are celebrating at the end of a history-making long weekend for the program after our 12.1 Girls and 16.1 Boys broke through to win bronze medals at the National Junior Classic on Monday.

Our girls became the first-ever Dragons team to win a medal at the Classic when they held off Melbourne Tigers in the playoff for third and fourth at Dandenong – Grace Tallis (12 points) and Gracie Otter (nine) combining for 21 points in a 40-33 win.

It was the fifth win in six outings at the 16-team invitational event for the girls, who pulled away with a 9-4 final quarter.

The good times continued for the Dragons at the same venue less than two hours later, when the 16.1 Boys rallied late to edge Gippsland United in their bronze medal game.

After trailing by seven points after three quarters, Camberwell, making its first-ever appearance in the Under 16 Boys competition at the Classic, outscored Gippsland 22-13 the rest of the way to secure a 57-55 win. Max Pavey had 22 points, Will Tyrrell added 10 and Hunter Dent finished with eight points, including the go-ahead basket late, for the Dragons, who finished with a 4-2 record at the tournament.

And our 14.1 Boys closed their Classic campaign with four straight wins to finish ninth in the Under 14s competition – the Dragons signing off with an 83-71 win against Bulleen in the 9-10 playoff at the State Basketball Centre.

Jake Zeunert had a game-high 27 points in that one and Bailey Russell added 22 for Camberwell, which finished strongly after dropping their first two games at the tournament.

With three of our teams finishing among the top 10 in their respective age groups at an event many consider to be the most prestigious junior event on the Australian basketball calendar, Camberwell Dragons and the basketball community in Melbourne’s inner-east has a lot to celebrate this week.

We’ll have more photos and reports from the Classic to share as the week unfolds.

UPDATED SUNDAY, JUNE 9: Our 12.1 Girls are through to the quarter-finals at the National Junior Classic this morning after sweeping their three Pool games at the State Basketball Centre yesterday.

After opening their campaign with double-digit wins against Norwood and Hills, the Dragons made it three in a row with 55-36 win against Melbourne Tigers late yesterday. They’ll play Sandringham at Dandenong at 11.10am today for a place in the semi-finals. For those making the trip out there to support them, you’ll find them on Court 10.

Also at the Classic today, our 16.1 Boys (1-1) will be shooting for a place in the quarter-finals when they wrap up Pool play against Gippsland at Dandenong this morning (8.30am, Court 6) and our 14.1 Boys (0-2) go head to head with Nunawading in the final Pool game for both teams at the State Basketball Centre (9.50am, Court 10).

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for regular updates from the Classic throughout the day.

#NJC2024
#wearecamberwell
#classiccamberwell

Updated 6.45am Saturday, June 8.

Tip-off for our three teams in action at the National Junior Classic is just hours away!

Our 12.1 Girls are up first with an 8.30am match-up against Adelaide team Norwood at the State Basketball Centre. It’s one of three games on a busy day for this exciting young Dragons group, which will go head to head with Sydney team Hills at 1.50pm before wrapping up their Saturday against Melbourne Tigers (7.10pm).

Our 14.1 Boys will also start their campaign at the State Basketball Centre. They’ll open against South Adelaide at 12.30pm before shifting their focus to a 5.50pm date with Hills.

And our 16.1 Boys will open against Norwood at Dandenong at 11.15am before clashing with Norths Bears at 4.30pm.

The action continues for all three teams across the weekend, with national champions to be crowned in all age groups – Under 12, 14, 16 and 18 – on Monday.

Good luck to our teams at the Classic and to all Dragons teams competing at the Nunawading Spectres Tournament over the King’s Birthday Weekend.

With more than 250 Dragons players in action over the next three days, it’s a big weekend for our club. Make it a great one, Camberwell, and remember to send your photos, news and team reports this weekend to [email protected] We’ll have regular updates on our social media platforms (Instagram and Facebook).

Follow the National Junior Classic HERE.

Follow the Nunawading Spectres Tournament HERE.

#classiccamberwell
#NJC2024
#wearecamberwell

We see them working the sidelines on a Friday night and putting in the hours to develop our junior Dragons, but what inspires our coaches to do what they do?

We’ve put that question to them and the responses are rolling in. In this, the third instalment of our Why I Coach series, we caught up with Conor Mathews, Head Coach of the Dragons 14.1 Boys (top row, third from left). This is his story:

“I coach for a few reasons.

I coach for my younger self – what would I have benefited from when I was 12? 16? 21? If I can share even just a little of my knowledge to people who are walking the same path as a player as I once did, great.

“I coach for the “chess match”. I love the mental battle of strategies and schemes against opposition teams.

“I coach to help players use basketball as a teaching tool for school, work, relationships, etc.

“I coach to win.”

• Conor Mathews is head coach of Camberwell Dragons 14.1 Boys and assistant coach of our Big V Youth League Men’s team. He’ll lead our 14.1 Boys at the National Junior Classic in Melbourne this weekend.

Camberwell Basketball is pleased to announce the details for the fifth instalment in its Outside the Lines program.

Camberwell Basketball Communications Manager Andrew Johnstone will be joined by Camberwell Dragons Boys Director of Coaching Steve Lunardon at the CDBA office, Kew, on Thursday, June 20 (6.30pm-8pm) for this special OTL session on all things Coaching.

This session will explore Steve’s own basketball journey, which included stops in the National Basketball League as a player under coaching legends Brian Goorjian Lindsay Gaze and Barry Barnes, senior administrative roles at Association level and his current coaching work, including his duties as DOC of the Under 12, 14 and 16 Boys programs at the Dragons.

We’ll talk about the influences on his career, the attributes and traits of a successful coach, his own coaching philosophies, what he gets out of coaching (why he does it), his role at Camberwell, tips on working with athletes, share thoughts on how to break into the industry, coaching opportunities in basketball, and discuss hurdles a young coach may have to clear on their own coaching journey.

This session will be of interest to anyone currently working as a coach, thinking about making the leap into coaching, considering a career as a professional coach, and/or wanting to learn more about the realities of being a coach at all levels.

It will not be about Xs and Os, but rather a free-flowing conversation about all things Coaching. Participants will be invited – and encouraged – to ask questions throughout.

This session is free for CDBA members aged 15 and over – including players, coaches, referees, administrators and their families – and members of affiliated clubs and associations.

Places are limited, so please email Andrew Johnstone at [email protected] by Thursday, June 13 to secure your position.

MORE ON CAMBERWELL BASKETBALL’S OUTSIDE THE LINES PROGRAM

Visit https://camberwellbasketball.com/program/outside-the-lines/

We see them working the sidelines on Friday nights and developing our junior Dragons, but what inspires our coaches to do what they do?

We put that question to them and the responses are rolling in. In this, the second instalment of our Why I Coach series, we caught up with Ryleh Killian, Head Coach of the Dragons 12.2 Girls. This is her story:

“I started coaching over 10 years ago and found it so rewarding watching kids go from not being able to touch the ring when shooting to scoring their first ever goal.

“Now I coach because I love watching the girls develop not just as players but more importantly as people, which in coaching is something I hope to make a positive impact on.

“I also love coaching because of the connection I have developed with all the girls I’ve ever coached and that regardless if they are double bottom-age 12s or now u16s, they are always happy to come and have a chat and share updates about their life.”

• Ryleh Killian coaches our 12.2 Girls and plays for the Dragons Youth League Women’s team.

The third instalment of our Why I Coach series is not far away.

#dragonscoaches, #camberwellcoaches, #coachinglife, #coachesmakeadifference