Campbell: I'll Hit The Phones If I Have To

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday December 15, 2007

By TIM KEEBLE

WOLLONGONG Hawks captain Mat Campbell says he'll hit the phones if necessary to find a white knight to save the financially stricken club.

With the Hawks in need of a quick $1 million, Campbell is prepared to do anything as the Illawarra battles to save the foundation NBL team.

"I'd hate to see the club go under and I'm thinking 'Do I start ringing around'? What can I do to save the club?' We need an owner to come on board but we also need sponsors to come on board, and I'm wondering if I should go out and start talking to people to drum up support," Campbell said yesterday.

The Hawks and Brisbane are the NBL's last remaining foundation teams.

The next few days are crucial for the Hawks, who are the 2001 titleholders. They play the top-placed Sydney Kings tomorrow and then on Monday the Hawks board will meet to discuss its options.

Players tried to shake off the crisis as they got down to business at training yesterday.

Campbell, who arrived in Wollongong as a skinny 19-year-old in 1996 and has spent his entire career with the club, said the team could not be allowed to fold.

"I've had opportunities to go to other clubs but I've stuck by the Hawks because I love the culture here. The community's great and the fans are awesome," he said.

"In 10 years, I want to still be involved with the Hawks and taking my kids to the games. That's something I want to look forward to in retirement. Even as a grandfather, taking my grandkids to the game, showing them where I used to play and what I used to do, and maybe even looking up and seeing my number retired by the club.

"When there's no club, your history is erased pretty quickly. We're not just talking about the guys here now, we're talking about the history of our club. Next year's the 30-year anniversary of our club and I'm heavily a part of that, nearly 400 games, and I don't want that to be erased."

Campbell fears Illawarra's perennially strong junior program would suffer if the Hawks were dissolved.

"The basketball talent in the Illawarra is awesome. We've got so many junior teams that do well every year, but what will be their stepping stone? Will they have a team to aspire to?" he asked.

"That's the worry. I mean, you look at society now and all the shootings and stabbings we have, you need as many positive distractions for these kids as we can give them. You need things like sport and teams to follow to give kids hopes and dreams, and just to show them there's something else to do with their lives.

"The Steelers aren't here now, the Wolves aren't here now, and we're talking about the Hawks not being here. Sport gives you all the skills you need for life."

* HAWKS FOCUS ON KINGS: PAGE 96

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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