Before sporting champions reach a demi-god like status and worldwide acclaim, they begin at a local grassroots club somewhere, and that\u2019s what Graeme Willingham\u2019s novel Not Bad Thanks captures.<\/p>\n
Willingham explores the Australian sports culture and gives an incredible insight into the club camaraderie experienced at Not Bad Thanks (NBT), an Aussie Melbourne basketball club he launched in 1980.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe characters are 100 per cent real, so is the club name and events. The conversations and narrative also took place but are \u2018fictional\u2019 as far as I wasn\u2019t there with a tape recorder,\u201d Mr Willingham said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s real is the demonstration of mateship, the fact you\u2019re playing a game \u2013 that\u2019s the common thread \u2013 and socialising after. Our socialisation\u00a0program was fairly extensive, lots of dinners, going out after games and supporting each other; you talk about the game for a minute and then you share your lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
NBT has been playing for 38 years (77 seasons) in the Victorian Business Houses Basketball Association and was formed after a group of Melburnians (including Willingham) returned from working in London during the 70s.<\/p>\n
Lindsay Gaze (Australian basketball champion) launched the book on November 14 at The NBT Clubrooms (aka The Emerald Hotel in South Melbourne) where capped players sang The NBT Anthem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an essential addition to the library of Australian sports culture because, among other things, I believe it\u2019s the first book to delve into grassroots basketball,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s worth reading for anyone who has an interest in sport, especially the thousands who play for fun, yet compete for their version of glory. I expect readers, like me, will feel I would like to play in this team.\u201d<\/p>\n
NBT has also received rave reviews from ABC Radio\u2019s Rafael Epstein who said: \u201cLove the book, not only because it\u2019s well written, but also because it\u2019s about things we don\u2019t normally read about\u2026 all of us just actually having fun in a local sporting club\u201d.<\/p>\n
SEN 1116\u2019s Gerard Whately said, \u201cIt will speak to people; I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll get letters for years from those who have played in teams like this, with their own rituals. It\u2019s fantastic. Graeme\u2019s done a great job with this\u201d.<\/p>\n
Willingham said NBA great Magic Johnson, The Harlem Globetrotters, notorious British Great Train Robber, the late Ronnie Biggs, and triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva all have unlikely roles to play in story.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe book tells how the club grappled with tragedy, authority, an\u00a0outing, generational challenges, equal opportunity, skill shortage, globalisation, an aging workforce, dysfunctional patrons, brushes with fame, media scrutiny\u2026 and, premiership droughts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPremierships were won, though, but in weird circumstances. More so, the book is about commitment, combat, conflict, challenges, fun and camaraderie, the cornerstones of sporting club life.\u201d Not Bad Thanks is available in local bookstores and via notbadthanks.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Before sporting champions reach a demi-god like status and worldwide acclaim, they begin at a local grassroots club somewhere, and that\u2019s what Graeme Willingham\u2019s novel Not Bad Thanks captures. Willingham explores the Australian sports culture and gives an incredible insight into the club camaraderie experienced at Not Bad Thanks (NBT), an Aussie Melbourne basketball club […]<\/p>\n