St Martin Panthers Basketball Club was founded in 1989, providing generations of local children with the opportunity to learn, play and develop a lifelong love of basketball.
The club was established by families associated with St Martin of Tours Primary School in Rosanna who shared a simple vision: to create a welcoming community where children could develop their basketball skills, build confidence and, most importantly, enjoy playing sport with their friends. More than three decades later, that philosophy remains unchanged.
The club was built on the values of community, inclusion and friendship. While the club has grown significantly over the years, those values remain at the heart of everything we do.
Today, St Martin Panthers provides opportunities for over 160 junior players across 22 teams, but success has never been measured solely by premierships. The club has always believed basketball is about belonging. Generations of Panthers have formed lifelong friendships on the court, with many players progressing through the club together from Under 8s into their late teenage years.
As basketball has evolved, so too has the Panthers. Former players have returned as coaches, volunteers and parents, introducing their own children to the club that shaped so many of their own childhood memories. Every season adds another chapter to a story built by hundreds of volunteers who have generously given their time to ensure local children have a place to play.
While the club has continued to grow, its values have remained constant: friendship, community, inclusion and a love of basketball. Every new Panther who pulls on the jersey becomes part of a legacy more than 35 years in the making.
The Story Behind the Original Panther logo
One of the club’s most enduring symbols is its distinctive Panthers logo.
Around 1994, while a student at St Martin of Tours Primary School, Damian Lavric and his twin brother had just started playing Under 10 basketball for St Martin’s Basketball Club. When the club decided it needed a logo, it ran a design competition and Damian entered with a hand-drawn panther inspired by an illustration he had found in a book – well before the days of the internet. Damian’s mum submitted the competition entry in both twins’ names because she wanted to be fair, however, both brothers agree that it was Damian who actually drew the winning design!
The original artwork looked remarkably similar to the logo still proudly worn today, featuring the red basketball, bold lettering and a pouncing panther. The biggest difference was that Damian’s original panther was shown in more of a stalking pose rather than leaping through the basketball.
At the time, replacing every uniform was beyond the club’s budget. Rather than purchasing an entirely new playing strip, volunteers collected existing uniforms and painstakingly ironed logo transfers onto each singlet – an early example of the resourcefulness and community spirit that has always defined the Panthers.
Damian continued playing for the Panthers through to Under 21s. As part of researching the club’s history for its anniversary celebrations, the Panthers were delighted to reconnect with Damian and hear the story behind the logo that has represented the club for more than three decades.
While the club’s logo has evolved with a more modern and fierce appearance, it remains unmistakably based on Damian’s original design. His childhood artwork laid the foundation for one of the club’s most recognisable symbols. What began as an 11-year-old’s drawing more than 30 years ago continues to represent the pride, history and community spirit of the Panthers every time a player pulls on the jersey.
