Harry Dean

Harry Dean was an active member of the Queensland Basketball Referees’ Association (QBRA) for more than 25-years from 1970 until the 1990s.  He attended his first state championship as a referee in 1972 and continued refereeing state championships for many years. At this 1972 state championship, Harry was awarded the State refereeing badge and attended his first Australian championship as a referee and continued refereeing Australian championships for many years. At every Australian championship which he attended, he was appointed to call the final.

Within local basketball, Harry was an active referee at Townsville, Mt. Isa, and Mackay basketball associations in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1975, Harry was elected as referee coach for North Queensland basketball referees and to Townsville junior referees, and in those positions, he travelled widely offering referee education courses. In 1975 Harry was appointed to Queensland referees’ appointments board. He served in this position for many years including participating in several championships as referee commissioner and referee coach in the 1970s and 1980s.

Harry Dean was Vice-President of QBRA for three years prior to becoming President for ten years from 1980 until 1989; and was elected as a life member of QBRA in 1984, one of only nine life members of QBRA. A key feature of Harry’s presidency was his promotion and active participation in regional referee education and referee coach education seminars.

On his transfer to Mackay Harry Dean promoted the annual Australia Day basketball carnival as a vehicle for referee education, and this pioneered audio and video feedback to referees. The Mackay Australia Day carnival became known across Australia as the place-to-be for early-in-the-year referee education with many of Australia’s senior referee coaches involved.

He continues to referee weekly at the Mackay housewives’ basketball competitions.Harry Dean – an outstanding early contributor to referee education in Queensland who, along with a number of colleagues, built the platform on which others would go on to achieve national and international success – and a very worthy member of the Class of 2016 of the Queensland Basketball Hall of Fame.