Long serving Ipswich Basketball Club volunteer Terry Rigby has announced that he is stepping away from the club after more than twelve years of service to the programme.
Terry goes out on a high having managed the Senior Women during their WNBL Championship winning season, as well as being on the bench for the u18 Women’s National Cup Final triumph, capping off an amazing final season with the club.
Terry joined Ipswich as an enthusiastic parent well over a decade ago, after his Daughter Hayley joined the club as an u13 in 2008. Hayley went on to enjoy a great career with the club, first as a player with the club and academy, before turning her hand to coaching. Meanwhile Terry volunteered his services to the club as a Team Manager and Assistant Coach. During his time at the club, Terry has also held positions such as fixtures secretary and vice chairman. However, Terry will be most remembered for his time as Team Manager for both the Senior Men and Senior Women. Working alongside his longtime friend and colleague, Nick Drane, Terry would manage some of the best teams in the club’s recent history. Terry worked with the Senior Men for five seasons, enjoying huge success and helping Ipswich gain a reputation for being one of the most professionally run teams in the National League. He then followed Drane over to the Senior Women’s team in 2017 and has played a huge part in the team’s meteoric rise to the top of WNBL Division One. Terry and Nick have won five national championships together in the last three seasons with the women.
“People have absolutely no idea what Terry has given this club for more than a decade" said an emotional Nick Drane. "He stays away from the limelight, he would rather not be given credit for the work he does, and he likes to do his job and sneak away without any fuss. But I can honestly say that without Terry, the club would not be what it is today. He has turned being a Team Manager into something of an artform. His eye for detail, his understanding of what the players and staff needed to perform, and his unselfish attitude set the tone on every team we worked on together. Working at the highest level, Terry understood what his job was, and did it to an incredibly high level – this is something we want to install in all of our players, coaches and volunteers. Do what needs to be done and be a star at your role. Terry has been more than a star at his role, he’s been a superstar, and will almost certainly be impossible to replace”
After making his decision, Terry had this to say “This is not a decision I have made lightly. I have the upmost respect for everyone at Ipswich Basketball Club and I am beyond proud and appreciative to Nick for not only the incredible opportunity I have had working with him on both senior teams, but also the trust and loyalty we have shared over the years. I just want to thank everyone for so many memories over the years”.
“With so much uncertainty around when the club will be back to normal, and whether we will all be allowed to celebrate the last season together, we have decided to release this story now, together with a tribute to Terry" said Club Chairman Simon Drane. "We hope that we will be able to bring the club together to celebrate the 2019/2020 Season at some stage and celebrate not only Terry, but everyone at the club, in the not too distant future”
This also means that Coach Drane is now looking for a new Team Manager for the Senior Women for the coming season. Please contact Nick directly if you are interested in the position.
Ipswich Basketball Club would like to extend a huge thank you to Terry, for his unwavering loyalty to the club, for his selfless attitude towards helping others, and for his level of consistence and quality that has impacted so many people over the years.
Thank you, Terry.