As you know the Maryborough Basketball Association has been considering a proposal by Basketball Queensland for us to affiliate with them. This matter has been the subject of a previous open letter from the President to all members and much courtside and committee discussion. The matter was formally tabled for general member discussion at the Annual General Meeting on 1 October.
The Management Committee of the Maryborough Basketball Association recently voted on the matter using the following motion:
Maryborough Basketball Association should become an Associate member of Basketball Queensland in accordance with the offer provided by them, with affiliation to commence at a mutually agreed date prior to the start of the 2011 Winter Competition. Such Affiliation is to continue so long as the Management Committee considers it to be of value to the Association.
The motion was defeated with FOUR votes FOR the motion and FIVE votes against. Accordingly, the Maryborough Basketball Association will not be affiliating with Basketball Queensland at this time.
The committee was split evenly on the matter and I, as President, exercised the casting vote.
Throughout our consideration of this matter I have been openly in favour of the motion as I believe that affiliation provides many benefits to our Association for relatively little cost.
However during our collective discussions on this matter, I became increasingly concerned that the matter could divide the Committee and had the potential to divide the Association. The Committee’s vote reinforced my concerns.
As President I believe that going forward on this matter without widespread support would not be in the best long term interests of the Association. Accordingly my casting vote was AGAINST the motion thus ensuring the motion was defeated.
Several Committee members voted against the motion on the basis that they were unsure that there was an appropriate level of commitment by players, coaches and families to participate in the higher level of competition that Affiliation would offer us. It was this concern rather than a belief that affiliation itself was not worthwhile that prompted them to vote against the motion.
In my closing statement to the Committee on this matter, I acknowledged the divided views held and urged those who wished to pursue affiliation to clearly demonstrate that the general membership was in strong support of affiliation. If such evidence is available the Committee may again consider the matter of affiliation with Basketball Queensland.
Rai Whitten
President
MABA