For his contribution to Bendigo, Country Victorian and Australian basketball over 60 years, BV Life Member and Jack Terrill Medal (2011) winner - Ashley Donaldson (OAM) has been honoured with an Order of Australia Medal by the Governor General.
Since he started treading the boards with some team-mates from the Golden Square Football Club in 1960, Bendigo-based Donaldson has become one of basketball’s greatest contributors. Whether it be with Bendigo or Eaglehawk associations, Victorian squads or at a Basketball Victoria Jamboree, he has shown remarkable commitment to the game.
Donaldson’s feats were recognised as part of Australia Day honours for outstanding service to basketball across Victoria, in particular Bendigo.
Starting as the secretary of the Eaglehawk Basketball Association in Bendigo in 1964, his consistent work in governance and development of our sport led him to leave a legacy of some of the most significant programs and events in the history of basketball in regional Victoria.
In particular, he was instrumental in the development of many programs that continue to exist today, including the Basketball Victoria Skills Days and Regional Academy that now makes up a large part of the State Development Program. Donaldson also operated the Basketball Victoria Jamboree for 20 years from 1995 to 2015 and developed the program to give each child in attendance a fun basketball experience. It is very much Donaldson’s philosophy that development of young athletes should be an enjoyable environment.
He has also overseen the development of many Victorian and Australian representatives from country Victoria, including Australian Opals, Kristy Harrower, Gabriel Richards, Hanna Zavec and Deanne Butler, as well as Australian Boomers and NBA/NBL Stars such as Matthew Dellavedova and Mitch Creek.
A big campaigner for Regional Victorian Sport Tourism, Donaldson would work with local municipalities to deliver positive economic impact through basketball events to areas such as Echuca, Traralgon, Churchill, Warrnambool, Maryborough, Shepparton and Castlemaine.
In 2011, Donaldson received the prestigious Basketball Victoria Jack Terrill Medal, an award given to a person who has achieved outstanding service to basketball in Regional Victoria, noted at the time - "In recognition of your outstanding service to the development of Basketball in Regional Victoria, this recognition of service reflects and acknowledges a high level of achievement from your personal effort and initiative in a field of endeavour thot has contributed to the performance of players, technical officials, coaches, administrators and to the development and status of basketball in Regional Victoria."
Donaldson also assisted in the development of inclusive programs across Regional Victoria and was a pioneer in female participation and to be given more opportunities within the pathway. He continued to strive and develop innovative methods for increasing and valuing diversity and inclusion and to promote an environment free from bias and discrimination.
A great promoter of the game in the media across regional Victoria, it is acknowledged that Ashley Donaldson (OAM) has reached a pinnacle in basketball and through his administration, governance and basketball development has thoroughly deserved this honour.
Everyone in the Basketball Victoria community would like to congratulate Ashley.