Patrick Hunt has seen the Tamworth Basketball Association based at four different venues in town.
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The association went from playing at an outdoor court next to the old No. 3 Oval to now being based at the multipurpose Tamworth Sports Dome.
And throughout that time, there's always been exceptional volunteers, Hunt said.
The Tamworth boy, who has gone on to be the president of the World Association of Basketball Coaches, is one of them and was recognised on Tuesday when he was given life membership with TBA.
Hunt, 68, said it was "an absolute honour" to join the exclusive group.
"The people that have gone before me as life members have all been tremendous volunteers for the sport," Hunt told The Leader.
Hunt said he'd coached a fair few of the other life members and to see them become such valued members of the basketball community was something that gave the former national coach "a great thrill".
"That means my job, in terms of enthusing them for our wonderful sport, has had a long term effect where they've stayed involved and they've been able to give something back to the sport," he said.
"To me that means a lot and to be honoured in this way... as I say I'm humbled and privileged and it's fantastic. It's wonderful."
Hunt's list of achievements is extensive.
Along with coaching national teams, he's coached the Canberra Cannons and worked at the Australian Institute of Sport for 36 years.
He is currently chair of FIBA's technical commission, has received an Order of Australia and has attended six Olympics in a range of roles.
Hunt was at Tokyo to see Australia clinch the bronze medal in the men's basketball tournament.
Many of those players had come through the programs Hunt ran and was a part of at the AIS.
"The bronze was fantastic for Australia and to have Nick Kay as part of that too [was great]," Hunt said.
"Patty Mills and that generation of kids came through that [national intensive training] program and a lot of the Opals players as well, so it was great to see the fruits of many of our labours in that."
Hunt is still a regular visitor to Tamworth.
He gets back to his hometown once or twice a year to catch up with friends.
Hunt not only loves the place but it is one of Tamworth's biggest advocates.
Whatever tournament he goes to, he is sure to let everyone know about the country music capital and that it's Nick Kay's home town, too.
Hunt is thankful for his early days playing on the outdoor courts next to No. 3 Oval before he got an early start to coaching at the age of 16.
"The springboard came from Tamworth. This is where it all started," he said.
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