State award for tireless volunteer

Gunnedah’s Jody King has won the Basketball NSW Administrator of the Year Award.

The Gunnedah Basketball Association secretary was recognised for her tireless work, especially in the last 12 months, to ensure the association was compliant with all legal and administrative regulations.

Jody was commended for the time and effort invested to ensure the association can offer competitions and programs, not only in Gunnedah, but throughout the region.

The volunteer has worked with country basketball boards and representative carnivals, managed girls’ and boys’ teams at home and across the state, coached high school basketball teams and was instrumental in coordination of the newly established, Northern Inland Basketball League, which featured round games played in Gunnedah.

“I want to give back to the sport that has given me so much growing up,” Jody told the Gunnedah Times.

“From the moment I stepped on that court, I’ve had my basketball family.”

Jody’s involvement with basketball in Gunnedah started as a 10-year-old playing mini ball. She continued in the junior grades and was a regular in the representative ranks until under 18s. But for almost a deade, the association waned and was not even registered with Basketball NSW.

The award-winning administrator has dedicated much effort into the reviving the sport in Gunnedah.

With junior competitions now restarted in Gunnedah, the association hoped to also re-establish representative teams in 2025.

“Our goal next year is to build the resources for that,” Jody said.

“We are getting Gunnedah back on the [basketball] map.

“That is what’s important to me.”

To achieve its aims, the association is calling for more volunteers to help grow the game in Gunnedah.

Gunnedah basketball board member Robert Louis said Jody’s involvement has been a key factor behind the game’s resurgence in town.

“I’m proud to see the work Jody has done,” he said.

“She is passionate about it, especially for the kids.

“Jody has won that award not just for Gunnedah but the region.”

Mr Louis now lives on the Central Coast but was born in Gunnedah where much of his early life revolved around basketball.

“Mum and dad were both involved for years,” he said.

“I was brought up on the basketball court – pushed around in a pram.”

When Jody called seeking guidance to revitalise the game in Gunnedah – Robert needn’t think twice and gave his full support.

Given his long connections to basketball in town, Mr Louis was proud to assist in whatever capacity he could.

He hoped Jody’s award would now draw more attention to the association’s push for overdue upgrades at Gunnedah Basketball Stadium which is almost 30 years old.