THE Perth Redbacks have been a major part of my life for more than 18 years now. When people ask me what the club means to me I find it difficult to put it into words.

Representing this club for as long as I have up to this point is really the result of the people at the Redbacks showing great faith in me and making me feel at home.

Basketball wasn’t my first choice of sport. I actually raced BMX for all of my primary school years. I was a notoriously poor loser and would often be found sobbing and saying things weren’t fair after a loss. This was pre Jack Wagner's arrival and was classic only child stuff really. When I failed to make the finals at the state champs the year after winning the state title I decided to chuck in the towel and focus my attention on basketball. My parents really let me make this decision for myself. I think they were probably sick of driving me all over the state to race bikes. Too bad basketball would be no different.

My earliest memories representing the club were playing Under 12 carnival basketball and often losing by huge margins, even up to 100 points in a 40-minute running clock game. You might think this isn’t the best start, but I really like to look back on those experiences as some of the most valuable I had. For me these were the start of becoming a real competitor. Our team had to learn how to swallow some massive losses and remain upbeat. I also remember vividly having a lot of the SBL players watching our games and being really supportive. It was a huge buzz and I knew instantly that I would love to be in their shoes representing the club at the highest level.

Throughout my junior years I feel lucky to have had some great coaches, all from different eras and with different outlooks on how the game should be played. One of those coaches Dave Harris would eventually coach me as an SBL player for many years. One of those coaches even helped a few of our junior team get an opportunity to attend Trinity College for Years 10, 11 and 12. I really don’t know where I would have ended up if not for that chance, and for that I am ever grateful to not only that coach but also the basketball club. All of these coaches were long standing members of the Perth Redbacks and clearly helped to instil the values of commitment and loyalty in their teams.

I actually suited up for my first SBL game for Nik Lackovic in 2004 as a 16-year-old. We were playing a solid Willetton team and starting point guard Wade Horwood was due home on a flight around tip-off time. I suited up and with Wade not arriving in time to play I managed to get my first taste of SBL basketball in the first quarter. I will never forget throwing my first assist to Jamie Baker that night on a beautiful backdoor cut. Jamie was a guy I really looked up to and to be able to connect with him on the court straight away was surreal. I was very young and well underdone to have set foot on the floor that night, but the faith shown by the coaching staff to throw me out there helped me realise I might be able to play at that level.

There is a lot to be said for just turning up. In 2010 the Wildcats were searching for locals to have at training as they had a very new group and low numbers. At the time I was studying and had all the time in the world so I decided to attend training until my welcome had worn out. When Rob Beveridge called me I was pretty chuffed that I was even having a conversation with him on the phone. When he asked me to be a development player on that call I couldn’t believe it. To this day when I see the young guys skip a try out or not turn up to something because it isn’t compulsory I tell them that story. That year I was lucky enough to be a part of a championship winning team. The lessons and habits I learnt to form during this time on and off the court have been invaluable.

My chance to head over to Sydney the following season isn’t as simple as just getting signed either. Around 2010 the Redbacks secured the services of former Boston Celtic Conner Henry to coach our elite juniors and support our WABL coaches following his time as Perth Wildcats head coach. During his time with club I developed a great relationship with Conner and assisted him coaching wherever I could. The following year Conner became assistant coach at the reborn Sydney Kings franchise.

Conner called me soon after and said they were looking to sign an Australian point guard and it was between Luke Cooper and myself. They eventually went with Luke and I stayed on with the Wildcats as a DP. When Luke went down with a season ending injury a few games in I would get my chance. Conner called me on the Friday night Luke was injured, I was on a plane the next night and signed a game by game contract that week. All of a sudden I was going to be playing 25-30 minutes a game after having only playing development player minutes. I had a solid first game for the Kings despite getting knocked out in the final minutes of the game. Unfortunately, I can’t really remember the game very well but my new teammates and coaches all told me I did well, and the club offered me a contract for the rest of the year the following week.

When I had that chance to join the Wildcats as a Development Player in 2010 the Redbacks ensured that I had the chance to continue training and working on my game in the off-season by finding me work coaching. They did the same when I went to Sydney and made sure I was taken care of when I came home. Gestures such as this make you feel so valued and a part of the club community. I honestly couldn’t wait to get home from Sydney and play with the club again. We played Gold Coast in our final regular season game of the year and I flew home the next day to play Stirling in an SBL game that night. The reasons above are just a taste of what this club has done for me. Knowing all this and being able to reflect on it is what makes it easy to continue representing the Redbacks.

Up to this point, 2016 has been more enjoyable than any other year I can remember. After a devastating exit in the semi finals in 2014 and a non-event 2015 the group is hungry to turn things around. It is no secret that we had a number of departures from last year’s group. However, the recruitment of Lewis Thomas, Jordan DeMuynck and Reed McConnell as well as the return of Michael Vigor has been refreshing for the group. They all bring very unique skill sets and personalities and up to this point have complimented each other very well.

Those departures also opened up opportunities for many of the club's future stars. Tyler Viskovich found himself starting and playing huge minutes on some of the league's best bigs. Jack Wagner has had to step up and play some big minutes even scoring a team high and steering us to victory in a game. Soon he might be able to be J.Wagner on live stats instead of j.Wagner. (Sorry mate, couldn’t help myself). We will also enjoy the return of current Australian U/17 player Kyle Bowen who has already proven at practice and on the court he is more than ready to play at this level and beyond.

We have a great balance of playmakers and receivers at the offensive end, and a host of exceptional defenders and rebounders, but most importantly we have developed a real chemistry on and off the court. For these reasons we have high expectations and are striving to make a deep finals run.

Winning a championship for this club is something I think about regularly. Being able to play and captain for the Redbacks is a great honour but what really drives me now is the chance to win a championship and join the ranks of the great players in the club before me who have done the same.

Photo by Grant Lauterbach