Bianca Vernon to SEABL
The Southern Peninsula Basketball Association would like to congratulate Bianca Vernon on her appointment to the South East Australian Basketball League’s (SEABL) Referee Panel. The SEABL is the premiere Winter Basketball competition in Australia with teams from Victoria, South Australia, Sydney, Canberra and Tasmania.
Bianca is again demonstrating that there are numerous pathways to the elite levels of our game. You don’t have to be a leading athlete or coach, you can also be an official – Referee, Statistician or Score Bench Official.
Having refereed at the Southern Peninsula Basketball since the age of 17, Bianca made quick strides in her development as told by SPBA Referee Advisor, Murray Sydenham “…she listened, applied and grew so much…everything we said she used, and she went from B grade to A grade in a flash.”
Similarly to players and coaches that have achieved through the Basketball Victoria Country Pathway, Bianca started at domestic level before stepping forwards to Basketball Victoria Country Championships. From this point Bianca was then selected to officiate at the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup which then lead to being selected for National Junior Classic’s and Australian Junior Championships;
- 2013 National Junior Classic Referee – U12 Boys Gold Medal Game Referee
- 2014 u16 Australian Junior Championships
- 2015 u16 Australian Junior Championships – Women’s Bronze Medal Game Referee
- 2015 National Junior Classic Referee – U18 Women’s Gold Medal Game Referee
- 2016 u18 Australian Junior Championships – Men’s Gold Medal Game Referee
- 2016 National Junior Classic Referee – U18 Men’s Gold Medal Game Referee
- 2017 u20 Australian Junior Championships
It was early in 2017 when Bianca was asked about her goals relating to her Refereeing, her response “My goal is to be selected to the SEABL panel in the next two years. Then to work towards progressing to the WNBL panel.”
She has clearly achieved her short-term goal of being selected to the SEABL panel, here is to Bianca’s continued development to achieving her next goal of being selected to the WNBL Referee Panel.
You can start officiating at any age from 14 years old, we are keen to take on and educate adults on how to officiate. Shifts are flexible, once graded you tell us the days and times you want to ref.
For more information on officiating at SPBA, please contact bwhite@sharksbasketball.com.au.