Kyneton Basketball Association stalwart Alan Simmins has been acknowledged for his long involvement with the sport in Basketball Victoria’s 2020 awards.
Nominated by the Kyneton Basketball Association, Alan was given a Diamond Service Award by the state body.
While most would feel 50 years was a long road to walk with a sport, Alan said he didn’t realise how lengthy his involvement was until the award set it all out before him.
“Getting the award was a nice feeling,” Alan said.
“You don’t realise how long you’ve been involved until you look at the whole picture.”
Basketball was something Alan discovered way before his 50-year involvement with Kyneton.
“I went to Langley Primary – there was not much of it there,” Alan said.
He admitted that at high school, where he discovered the game, there was not much of it played there, either.
But play it he did.
“I started playing it and got hooked on it,” he said.
“I was an average type of player but I just enjoyed the game.
Now he reckons basketball is a bit like a drug to him. “I’m addicted,” he said.
Alan, who has lived in the district all his life, has had numerous roles with KBA.
“I’ve dabbled in a lot across a lot of areas,” he said.
He’s been president of the KBA for 15 years, a committee member for many of the years across his half century of involvement, a coach, referee and a referee mentor and teacher over time.
The KBA recognised Alan as being a hard-working person who would do anything to keep the association running along, helping where he could and notably always being the last person at night at the stadium to turn off the lights. In 1994 Alan was made a KBA Life Member and an Honorary Life Member as part of the association’s 50-year celebrations in 2014.
Now that sport is on hold Alan said he’s “not doing much” but when the basketball court lights need switching on again, that is sure to change.
