New lifeline for GABA Executive

Sep 23, 2008 Sports

– as plans for last quarter released

Trevor Rose

By Edison Jefford

The recently elected Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Executive seem to be ‘on the ball’ as it relates to the playing of the sport with the releasing of an agenda for the last quarter of this year.

Among the activities outlined in the one–page document that Kaieteur Sport exclusively acquired, is a ‘Basketball Retreat’ for all clubs in the City next weekend, a third division League and an open knockout competition.

“Our goal is to regain the support of patrons of the sport,” incumbent GABA President, Trevor Rose stated when contacted yesterday, adding that was the reason behind setting all the upcoming events for Burnham court.

Rose said that because Burnham court is an outdoor facility, patrons will not have to pay to attend the competition. He said that making entrance to the events free was a deliberate tactic toward resurrecting interest in the sport.

“We want to rebuild Burnham court to play outdoor then we will focus on other facilities such as courts in the different neighborhoods,” Rose noted. He is of the opinion that the plan will boost community interest in the sport.

The ‘GABA Basketball Retreat and Fun Day’ is slated for October 5 and will feature a five–a–side knockout competition with the winner taking home $50,000 while second and third places get $30,000 and $20,000 respectively.

According to the document, each club is allowed to enter a maximum of four teams in the five–a–side tournament. The basketball season in Georgetown will open the following weekend with the third division League and open competitions.

“There will be a march–pass where all clubs will be represented in their respective club uniforms and the days of play [in the latter two contests] will be Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays” the document outlined.

In addition, the GABA also informed that the usually hyped, calendar Beepat’s All–star Weekend, will be hosted on either the last weekend of October or the first weekend in November according to Beepat’s Scorpions.

There is also the making of a Division 1 Invitational Classic to close out the year but the details of that event are to be released at a later date. The document indicated that these events are part of the new vision of the Executive.

A meeting with all GABA–affiliated clubs is set for October 24 at an undisclosed venue where aggressive plans to tackle potential sponsors for activities among other concerns in Georgetown will be addressed in detail.

Rose took over the leadership of the GABA from Chris Bowman following an Annual General Meeting and Elections on September 7 where the entire Bowman administration was swapped for a new Executive.

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