By Rowan Forster
A Pakenham Upper basketball fanatic has taken the first step towards achieving his dream, crowned metropolitan Melbourne’s best junior referee.
Kash Gaitely, 19, was bestowed with the honour at an awards ceremony on Sunday – after four years of honing his craft.
For Mr Gaitely, who one day aspires to referee NBL matches and international competitions, it is a huge blessing.
“It’s taken a lot of effort and practice for me to get here, but it’s a huge acknowledgement and I couldn’t be happier,” he said.
“I’ve been doing it for four years because I discovered I wasn’t fit enough to keep playing, but I wanted to be a part of it.
“I love it – it’s such a challenge to keep going up in levels.”
For the 19-year-old, the role requires a great deal of dedication and commitment.
He referees five nights a week, which also includes weekend work.
Victorian Basketball Referees Association (VBRA) Pakenham advisor Warwick Loveless said Mr Gaitely was the perfect person to receive the commendation.
“He’s been an outstanding student of the game, and prepared to work as hard as he can to understand all of the rules and regulations,” he said.
When asked how he thinks the 19-year-old will fare on the world stage, Mr Loveless had no doubts.
“He’ll make it,” he said.
“He’s a dedicated, hardworking young fellow who works very hard to get where he is and won’t stop until he makes it.”
Under the process, Pakenham’s referee association nominated Mr Gaitely to the VBRA.
VBRA scouts then discretely scouted the refereeing of nominees to decide who was most deserving of the prize.
Despite winning the title, it is business as usual for Mr Gaitely.
