Geoff Heskett

HTML <h2><strong>No 9 GEOFF HESKETT</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>6 feet 2 inch (187cm) Guard/forward</strong></h2>

HTML <h2><strong>1956 Olympic Games</strong></h2>

HTML <p>It was the late 1950’s and Frank Sedgman and Ashley Cooper were two of the greats in world tennis and all the members of the Brunswick Tennis Club in Melbourne knew who they were as they demonstrated their great skills on the club courts. The members also knew the other tall athletic player hitting up with them, but casual strangers did not recognise him and had to ask the members. They saw that he was a very good player and held his own on the court. What they did not know was that the other player Geoff Heskett had represented Australia in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games in basketball.</p>

HTML <p>Geoff Heskettwas born August 3rd 1929 in Melbourne, Victoria. In the late nineteen thirties his mother sent him off to the local YMCA “to get him out of her hair.” The YMCA had a basketball court and soon Geoff was playing basketball. As he grew he excelled at Rugby Union and for the last three years of high school he represented the school in rugby. At the same time his father encouraged him to play tennis for which Geoff is eternally grateful as tennis became a life-time passion.</p>

HTML <p>He continued to play basketball with the YMCA in the Melbourne Y.M.C.A. competition.</p>

HTML <p>From 1951 to 1956 he represented Victoria in basketball and in 1954 and 1955 was awarded the coveted Alan Hughes Medal for the outstanding player in the Melbourne competition.</p>

HTML <p>As a member of the Victorian State team he won the Australian Championships from 1949 to 1955 with the exception of 1953 when the championships were not played.</p>

HTML <p>In 1953 he spearheaded the YMCA in a triumphant tour of New Zealand.</p>

HTML <p>Geoff was named in the All Australian Team after the Australian Basketball Championships from 1951 to 1955.</p>

HTML <p>In 1955 he was selected in the 16 man 1956 Olympic Basketball Squad. He was subsequently selected on the Olympic Team and remembers with great pride how he felt at being selected on Australia’s very first Olympic Basketball Team.</p>

HTML <p>Even though he was only 6ft 2ins (188cms) in height Geoff played centre with the occasional stint at guard.</p>

HTML <p>He was one of the most experienced Australian born players on the Olympic Basketball Team and was highly respected for his quick reflexes, uncanny interceptions, big man amazing ball control and quick thinking.</p>

HTML <p>Geoff was coached by the legendary Leon Baltrunas “Mr Basketball” a Lithuanian player who was a member of the Lithuanian National Team that won the 1937 European Championships. After migrating to Australia Baltrunasbecame coach of the Australian Team and the Victorian team that won numerous Australian Championships. Baltrunas said in a newspaper interview, “Give me ten Hesketts and I will win any title for you.”Heskett was Leon’s choice as Australia’s best player. “He listens to the coach, believes all that he says and then goes out and does it,” stated Baltrunas.</p>

HTML <p>Geoff recalls,” I can still recall with great pride being part of the original Australian Olympic Basketball Team.”</p>

HTML <p>Geoff felt at times the fact that the players and coaches on the Olympic Team came from three States and had little time together and at times things appeared to be at “cross-purposes”. </p>

HTML <p>The fact that the team members from NSW and South Australia were coached by “correspondence” by Coach Ken Watson was not ideal but the Australian Basketball Union could not afford to bring the team together in the months before the Games.</p>

HTML <p>The Olympic Basketball Team assembled in Melbourne some two weeks prior to the Games and engaged on a crash course of training and fitness.</p>

HTML <p>The Australian Team did have to adjust to the different styles of Asia, Europe and the Americas as well as the different rules interpretations than what they were accustomed in Australia. The Australian Team eventually finished in 12th place in the Olympic Tournament.</p>

HTML <p>Geoff singles out AlgiIgnativicius as one of the best players on the team. Similarly he was very impressed by the speed of Bruce Flick and described Bruce as by far the fastest player on the team. According to Geoff the guards on the team worked very well together despite their lack of time together and had surprisingly few turnovers.</p>

HTML <p>In summation he felt that the team did very well despite the lack of time together and experience playing against international teams.</p>

HTML <p>Geoff Heskett shoots against Singapore at the 1956 Olympic Games while George Dancis (12) looks to rebound.</p>

HTML <p>(Courtesy Public Record Office Victoria)</p>

HTML <p>After the Melbourne Olympic Games Geoff turned his passion to tennis at the Brunswick Tennis Club and frequently played with and against Wimbledon champions Frank Sedgman and Ashley Cooper. After retiring from tennis as a competitive player hebecame a qualified tennis coach and coached tennis for 48 years before retiring in 2009 at the age of 80. He also coached gymnastics for 35 years at the YMCA. Geoff worked as a bank officer for 40 years. </p>

HTML <p>Geoff Heskett was a very talented all-round sportsman who has the distinction of being a member of Australia’s first Olympic Basketball Team.</p>

HTML <p>He is retired and lives in Melbourne.</p>

HTML <p> Geoff Heskett</p>

HTML <p>(Courtesy G. Heskett)</p>

HTML <p>Geoff Heskett (14) attempts to block an opponent’s shot at the 1956 Olympic Games (</p>

HTML <p>(Courtesy Public Record Office Victoria)</p>