Dennis O'Brien
After playing in junior competitions between 1959 and 1965, Dennis played for and coached a number of teams in the Eastern suburbs, until in 1968 he took up a position at Vermont Youth Club coaching open age men and women. Along with the late Jack Nicey, Dennis was a pioneer of Vermont.

By the time he was 26, Dennis was coaching three women’s teams, two men’s teams and two under 16 girls’ teams. He was also making an impact organisationally, setting up a men’s and women’s competition at Canterbury and Croydon, which were transferred to the Nunawading Centre when it opened in 1970. At this young age, Dennis earned Life Membership of the Melbourne East Association.

In the seventies, Dennis was Secretary of Melbourne East and Administrative Director of Nunawading Stadium from 1974. In 1985 this became a full-time Stadium Manager’s position. Under his direction, the facilities at Nunawading were expanded, the programme was widened and the organization spread its roots into the surrounding community, especially through clinics for schools.

Dennis was also active in the wider community, becoming a leader in the Whitehorse Council Sports Advisory Board. In 1993 his leadership was acknowledged by the Victorian Basketball Association by awarding him the honour of Administrator of the Year.

Nunawading was a trend-setting suburban venue and Dennis did not hide the way it was done but was prepared to share with others the triumphs and tribulations of running a basketball venue. Out of early informal meetings with a handful of others came Basketball Managers Victoria, a widely respected organization which now has over thirty attending meetings and has run conventions in partnership with Basketball Australia.

Dennis has also been a member of Basketball Victoria Board in two separate periods. His knowledge of venue finance and development, best practice in management and his wisdom in balancing priorities are valued by the Board. He helped initiate the wider award system at the annual Association dinner.

For his contribution to Vermont, Melbourne East, the surrounding community and entire Victorian basketball community, Dennis surely deserves Life Membership. But we must not conclude without referring to what mere facts do not express. Dennis is a generous person, a statesman of basketball, a person who has persevered through crises and hard times and who is always prepared to extend a willing, friendly, helpful hand to all those working for the cause of the community.

Rosemary Day
Rosemary was introduced to basketball via her daughter Jenny, who at the age of 15 years started to play in the Melbourne East Basketball Association with the Wattle Park Club at Croydon High School back in 1968.

A couple of months after the 1970 opening of the Nunawading Basketball Centre I happened to spot Rosemary sitting in her car at the front of the centre knitting while waiting for her daughter to finish training. My role at the time was secretary of the Melbourne East Basketball Association, and I approached and asked Rosemary if she would like to help out with the running of the Association’s junior girls domestic competition. This was the start of 36 years of voluntary work for basketball.

Rosemary started at Nunawading in 1970 with the junior girls competitions and the Spectres representative teams. She progressed to become the delegate for Nunawading Spectres juniors, and then the Nunawading Spectres Women’s team at the WNBL and Basketball Victoria where she held many positions on the Victorian Womens Championship Committee.

Some of her achievements that come to mind are;
1981: Life Member MEBA.
1985: World Womens Championship in Brazil as manager of the Nunawading Spectres.
1989 – 92: Secretary of the MEBA.
1970 to current: Committee of the MEBA.
1983 – 99: Chairperson Victorian Womens Championship, Shareholder in Basketball Stadiums Victoria.
2002: Basketball Victoria 35 Years + Service Award

At the present time, Rosemary is President of the Melbourne East Basketball Association’s Senior Domestic Committee as well as the grade secretary of the competitions run by her organization. Her area of responsibility covers 360 teams, which makes her senior competitions the largest in Victoria and probably in Australia. She is at the stadium most evenings (at least 4 nights every week) when her competitions are being played, and has done so for the past 30 years.

At the age of 60 plus when most people are considering retirement she thrives on the hard work required of grading the competitions, recording player eligibility, washing alternate singlets and all the other dirty jobs that others won’t do.

She contributes to all other elements of the Association, and in particular has a lively interest in the Senior Representative Program including SEABL and Youth League teams.