Learning to play basketball in Shellharbour has become easier with the formation of the Shellharbour City Basketball Association.
Members of the Shellharbour Bulls, the first basketball club in Shellharbour to be officially affiliated with Basketball NSW, may now participate in the wide range of competition and coaching opportunities offered by the sport’s state governing body.
Association chairman Adam Woodward worked for two years to form the club after realising Shellharbour kids, playing in a weekly grassroots competition at Shellharbour City Stadium, had to trial for limited representative team positions in Wollongong, Shoalhaven or Moss Vale.
It was a long process to have the club officially registered with Basketball NSW so, in the meantime, Adam joined forces with Kiama Basketball to compete in other competitions, such as the Barrengarry Conference, an independent competition providing a pathway for regional players to enter the representative arena.
“We demonstrated we have the talent, we now have a coaching program set up for players,
we have teaching programs for coaches and the numbers to run a domestic competition, as well as a referee pathway and Walk Tall initiative,” Adam says.
“Our referee program is designed to educate the learning green shirt referees to build their knowledge around the rules of basketball. They are then promoted to a striped shirt and prepared for competition and representative basketball.
“The Walk Tall initiative provides financial assistance for children and families who otherwise could not afford to play. Monies cover domestic competition fees, uniforms, camps, representative fees and equipment.”
Several sponsors – including Harrigan Ford, Remac Fire Safety and PRP Advisers – support the club, and the association now has coaching and development sessions for all age groups. It has also started a Rookie League across different age groups on Friday nights, with games at Shellharbour City Stadium and Kiama Leisure Centre.
The association’s next goal is to establish a weekly Shellharbour Bulls domestic competition for all players, Adam says, but finding a venue is a challenge as Shellharbour Council has ruled out Croome Rd Stadium.
The lack of indoor basketball venues in the Illawarra is a real problem, Adam says, but he is determined to get the domestic competition up and running.
Visit www.shellharbourcitybasketballclub.com.au; Facebook Shellharbour City Basketball Inc; phone 0493 192 821.
