A Message From Mat Campbell

Dear Hawk Nation,
 
With the upcoming NBL23 season just three weeks’ away, I wanted to provide a quick update on all things Illawarra Hawks.
 
It’s strange to think it has been nearly four months since Brian Goorjian stepped down as head coach of the Hawks and assumed the position of Senior Basketball Advisor. The GOAT has kept a close eye on proceedings since handing over the reins and is impressed with how things are shaping up.  Jacob Jackomas, Goorj’s long-time assistant has begun his first tenure as a Head Coach, daily bringing his contagious energy to the Snakepit and he’s managed to piece together a significantly new look roster which has begun to gel strongly over the past 6 weeks of pre-season.

While it was disappointing to say goodbye to several departing players in the off season, we are thrilled to see many of them taking their professional careers to the next level and our club has played a major part in their success. This doesn’t go unnoticed, with a handful of new recruits drawn to the Hawks by Coach Jakomas for season 22/23 to chase those same opportunities and be part of the longest standing foundation club in the National Basketball League.

Justin Robinson, George King and Mangok ‘Mango’ Mathiang possess NBA experience with a hunger to prove they can lead their team to championship glory. Wani Swaka Lo Buluk knows just how that feels, joining the Hawks off the back of an NBL Championship just last season. What an exciting complement to our returning playing group! Sam Froling and Alex Mudronja recently joining Swaka Lo Buluk representing the Australian Boomers, while Akoldah Gak raised eyebrows at the NBA summer league. And who could forget fan favourite and our sharp shooting guard Tyler Harvey who returns to the place he now calls home ‘The Illawarra’ for a third season.

Importantly, the playing squad are a great group of guys who will acquit themselves well for the NBL23 season, whilst having a positive impact on the community. With COVID restrictions now lifting Tim Coenraad has continued to take the lead on our work in the community, visiting 4,000 students in the Illawarra over the off-season, and our playing squad have already joined him in delivering programs to thousands more as the season rolls on. Tim represents our past, present and future. The Illawarra Hawks are committed to this community into perpetuity. 

Off the court, I am happy to share that our membership numbers are tracking ahead of the same point in the previous two seasons, and we are looking to pack out our home court for the Season Tip off against the Sydney Kings on October 1. But not only do we want to ‘Protect The Pit’ in Game One, our mission is to create an atmosphere which all visiting teams fear every home game. To do this we aim to increase our regular attendance levels and expand on our membership numbers. The support and commitment from our Hawks Ownership group is by far the greatest I have seen in my tenure at this great club and this level of commitment deserves local support.

We’re incredibly excited with the club’s progress off-court, which also includes plans for a significant investment by our ownership group into a new training, administration, and community participation facility, which we will look to announce shortly.  This investment will be a game changer for the Illawarra Hawks and community and will entrench us in the Illawarra for decades to come.

If you are yet to secure your seat for this season, memberships are available here. 

On the sponsorship front the majority of our corporate partners have committed to ‘Fly With Us’ for NBL23, however our agreement with our most recent principal partner has come to an end and we remain in the market for a major partner. Given the recent performance of the team which includes back-to-back NBL Finals appearances and the growth of basketball in Australia, this presents a unique opportunity to align with the NBL’s most historic franchise, at a time when the league is becoming the dominant professional summer sport in the country. A brief overview of the benefits a partnership with the Hawks can provide can be seen here. If your business is interested in being involved at any level or you are aware of one that is, please contact the club here. 

Whilst we’re on the business front, the Hawks In Business program, which kicked off last year will be back for NBL23 and is forecasted to continue to grow. The program provides genuine business networking opportunities, whilst providing key insights to the Hawks basketball program and leadership. Hawks In Business is due to tip off on September 29 at our Season Launch and enquiries can be made here.

In my 26th season being involved with the Illawarra Hawks, it’s my belief the club is in its strongest position ever both on and off the court and it’s our incredible members and fans which hold the key to this rise continuing.

We Are Illawarra - Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you at the WIN Entertainment Centre for Season Tip off on Saturday 1 October.
 
Cheers,
Mat Campbell
GM Basketball