Basketball Victoria’s Technical Officials Commission (TOC) is pleased to welcome new chairperson, Helen Pawsey to this integral leadership position. An extension of Basketball Victoria’s board, the TOC held their annual meeting at the end of 2023 in which saw Helen voted in to take the helm.
She is no stranger to the TOC or the previous iteration, the VBRA as she has been a referee since 1969/1970 and a member of the TOC/ VBRA since 1998. For Helen, officiating basketball in Victoria has changed significantly over her time working in the sport. Helen shared that when she first started officiating basketball in regional Victoria, the games were played out of the sheep pavilion in Horsham or held at outdoor courts during the evening with car headlights used to light up the courts. Wonderful memories, demonstrating just how much the game has grown.
Helen takes over as Chair from BV Life Member Rod Bush, who had held the position for 10 years. She is grateful for Rod’s support, guidance, and words of wisdom over their 35-year working relationship and cannot wait to take on this new challenge.
Rod Bush
Basketball Victoria thanks Rod for his invaluable service over many decades. Rod reflected on his time as chairperson and noted one of his proudest achievements has been the merging of the VBRA into the TOC. He believed that making the change would solidify our officials and the various associated officiating programs as part of the fabric within the Victorian basketball community, and it has certainly been critical in the development and growth of this pathway for Victorian basketball. Rod says, “It was a tense time to try and create something that would suit everyone involved, but it was a great result”.
Basketball Victoria Chief Executive Officer, Nick Honey, said, “Rod has always been a passionate supporter and promoter of Victorian technical officials. I will always be grateful for his enduring support in reforming and managing the TOC and I will miss his pragmatic and considered approach. I will also miss his dry sense of humour and his good company.”
We wish Rod well in his retirement from the TOC.
