HISTORY ARTICLES
– MEMORY LANE

Alan Castle – Life Member Testimonial, 1995

by Hoops | Nov 23, 2013

Details of Alan Castle Former President and Life Member of the WBA.

Background and playing career.

1949-54 Pt Pirie B/ball Association. -Team, Boilermakers.

1955-58 Broken Hill B/ball Association. -Team, Napredaks.

1959-70 Pt Augusta B/ball Association. -Team, Wilsden.

Vice President for 9 years, to Wally Hancock.

Whist in Pt Augusta I had a 30 minute basketball radio segment Friday evenings on 5AU.

1970 Whyalla Basketball Association. -Team Giants.

Umpired coached and played at the McBride Courts and at the new Jubilee park Stadium.

Over the years my 3 children have come through junior and senior basketball at Whyalla.

President of Association 1971-76 and then 1981-85.

Managed time out canteen from 1981 to 85.

1986 Awarded Life Membership in 1986

Member of the WBA tribunal, have held this position since 1990-1998.

1996 Currently Have 3 grand children playing at junior level. Currently serving another term as President thanks to family involvement.

Regards,
Alan Castle

Received in July 1996

INTERVIEWS
& VIDEOS

John Spooner

Our latest 3 part Video instalment is with ex WBA President John Spooner.

It was filmed last year but has taken interviewer Trevor Castle some time to edit due to the amount of content John provided.

Tia Bails, 2019

From Steelers to Rockets.

This Months video interview instalemnet by Trevor Castle features another one of Whyalla’s young female high flyers.

Ray Girvan, 2019

Ray Girvin is a true basketball tragic.

He fell in love with the game when he played his first game for a team called Nomads back in 1971.

U16 Nationals – Jorja Eldridge Interview, 2017

Get to know one of Whyalla’s young stars!

In January Jorja played in the Under 16 Girls Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup in Albury then chosen in the ACJBC (Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup) team.

Keith Lenon – Past President Interview, 2017

Keith Lenon was a basketball pioneer in Whyalla.

When basketball began in Whyalla it was at the old Aerodrome (just behind where the wetlands are now) in 1955 and there were just 5 teams.

Allan Castle – Past President Interview, 2017

WBA Life Member Allan Castle moved from Pt. Augusta to Whyalla in 1969 and immediately became involved in the management committee of the Whyalla Basketball Association.

Army Challenge Video, 2016

Highlight footage taken by the Army at the first of our Army Vs Civilian Challenges during their July 2106 Exercise Hamel operations.

It was Grand final type atmosphere but better due to the amazing response from the local community to this charity event.

President Jeff Spry, 2016

Jeff Spry was elected to the position of WBA President at the AGM last year.

I caught up with Jeff in the middle of this term to get to know him a little and to talk about what he sees as the biggest challenges facing Whyalla Basketball at the moment.

Darren Quinn, 2015

Following his recent retirement from playing basketball at the end of Sumer Season 2014/2015, Darren Quinn, Whyalla’s most decorated player, agreed to sit down and tell his story.

Grant Application – Larry Bird in Whyalla, 2015

The WBA are currently in the process of applying for some grant money to start a lighting upgrade.

We applied to Holden for a grant via their Home ground advantage support scheme.

OUR PAST CLUBS

1955 – GIANTS

GIANTS– Starting in 1955 making them won of the founding clubs of International rules Basketball in Whyalla.

1955 – JAFFA’S

JAFFAS – Starting in 1955 Jaffas were won of the founding clubs of International rules Basketball in Whyalla.

1955 – MORMONS / LATTER DAY SAINTS (L.D.S)

LATTER DAY SAINTS (L.D.S)–In 1955 the Mormons basketball club became one of the WBA’s founding clubs.

1955 – POSTALS

POSTALS – Are one of the founding clubs of the WBA. They started as a group of workers from the South Australian Postal Institute.

1955 – TIGERS

TIGERS–In 1955 the Tigers beat the 30 -9 in the 1st season of International rules Basketball ever Played in Whyalla.

PAST CLUBSThe Knights Basketball Club came into being at the start of the 1957/8 season with the formation of an U16 boys team to enter the new competition created by the association. The team was made up by a number of school friends and who played colts football for...