Our State/Territory managers are on the look-out for Local Centres going above and beyond their role in providing a great first basketball experience to their Aussie Hoopers. Each Local Centre of the Month is awarded a $50 voucher to their nearest Vicinity Centre.
November 2016 – Cockburn Cougars (WA)
Congratulations Cockburn Cougars, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher to Galleria Shopping Centre!
Local Centre Coordinator: Graeme Pratt
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 12 months
Participants in Term 4 2016: 109
Cougars Basketball commenced delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops in Term 4 2015 as a way of refreshing their introductory program, and in that time has expanded from humble beginnings of 40 participants in one venue to over 120 Aussie Hoops in Term 3 2016 across multiple days and two venues! It was only fitting that the Cougars Aussie Hoops was awarded Basketball WA’s Association Program of the Year for 2016 – congratulations to Centre Coordinator Graeme Pratt and his team of dedicated coaches on this wonderful achievement!
August 2016 – Myrtleford Basketball (VIC)
Congratulations Myrtleford Basketball, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher from Vicinity Centres!
Local Centre Coordinator: Elisha Hazeldine
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 6 years
Participants in Term 3 2016: 80
Myrtleford District Basketball Association, nestled in the Ovens Valley of regional Victoria, has seen a boom in participation recently with their Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops program doubling in size! Local Centre Coordinator Elisha Hazeldine puts this down to the work of her energetic team of volunteer coaches who were encouraged by the development of their Aussie Hoops whose skills improved each session.
The Myrtleford District Basketball Association has been working in conjunction with the Alpine Shire, firstly with a feasibility study and now with a application to State government for funds to expand their existing stadium into a two court indoor stadium, enabling them to offer Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops and basketball programs all year round – very exciting times ahead!
July 2016 – Darwin Basketball (NT)
Congratulations Darwin Basketball, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher from Vicinity Centres!
Local Centre Coordinator: Kerri Savidge
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 1 year
Participants in Term 2 2016: 100
There is a big inclusion of parental involvement at Darwin Basketball, making it a safe environment for learning. Their coaches come with a wealth of experience, and love their job of forming young role models for the Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoopers. A highlight of their involvement with the program was having Jayco Opal Liz Cambage attend a session in 2015.
June 2016 – Morphett Vale Stadium (SA)
Congratulations Morphett Vale Stadium, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher to Colonnades!
Local Centre Coordinator: Karlin Haug
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 5 years
Participants in Term 2 2016: 40
At Morphett Vale they want to see everyone have a go at Basketball – that is why they deliver Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops.
Coordinator Karlin Fernandini adds “We love seeing every child improve, and our coaches are continually learning and changing their approach to ensure the kids are having fun and getting the most out of their sessions.”
“We often have guest coaches attend, from local premier league players, state players, to a Canadian College Team. We always look for opportunities to show kids what they can achieve through basketball.”
Morphett Vale have doubled their participant numbers since the launch of the revamped Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops program, but still pride themselves with delivering the more enjoyable opportunity to every kid who comes through the program.
With the help from local club Southern Tigers Basketball Association, Karlin believes they can offer even more opportunities for kids to play basketball and have fun through the Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops program.
May 2016 – Melton Thoroughbreds (VIC)
Congratulations Melton Basketball, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher to DFO Essendon!
Local Centre Coordinator: Stacey Blackmore
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 4 years
Participants in Term 2 2016: 26
The Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops programs at Melton Basketball are not only a learning environment for their junior players but they also use it as a learning environment for junior coaches who work side-by-side with the senior coach to build not only their own skills but help develop that of the junior players. They also have female coaches to encourage more girls like Charlotte (pictured) to enjoy Everyone’s Game.
April 2016 – Liverpool Spartans (NSW)
Congratulations Liverpool Spartans, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher to Bankstown Central shopping centre!
Local Centre Coordinator: Scott Frater
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 18 months
Participants in Term 2 2016: 52
Located in the Greater Western Sydney region, Liverpool Basketball is an association on the grow with over 50 participants in their Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops program for the first time in Term 2 2016.
With a new basketball venue opening in their district, their Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops “Rookie” program has formed a great platform to grow interest and develop new competitions.
Being a Sporting Schools endorsed provider has helped them to get into more schools to promote their programs and Basketball as a first sport of choice for teachers and parents.
Two Liverpool Aussie Hoopers have already graduated to play representative basketball for the Spartans, and Scott looks forward to this number growing over the coming years.
March 2016 – Northside Wizards (QLD)
Congratulations Northside Wizards, as our Centre of the Month you will receive a $50 voucher to Taigum Square shopping centre!
Local Centre Coordinator: Michael Pitman
Delivering Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops for: 6 years
Participants in Term 1 2016: 212
Northside Wizards pride themselves on catering to every stage of a young basketballer’s development through the stages of Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops. The Rookies and the Midweek Starter programs are a great introduction – concentrate on teaching the basics while having a stack of fun with skill based activities and games – and their All Stars sessions take the players to the next level, pushing a bit harder in the training, and adding the 5 on 5 game experience to transition players smoothly into local clubs.
For example, Jesse (bottom left) and two of his teammates have been trialling with a junior club for the winter championship season. After one term in a Starter program, Corey (middle left) has jumped into the All Star sessions relishing the opportunity to get game experience before moving into a club.
Due to their great attendance numbers, they are able to give girls the opportunity to play in all-girl teams in addition to mixed teams (bottom right).
Northside rely on volunteers to coach teams in their Aussie Hoops All-Star program, and this gives family members an opportunity to learn coaching basics with the material and practical support that the Aussie Hoops program provides. They also use this format as a training ground for the association’s beginner referees.
The exciting part for the Wizards is that they are getting new enquiries every week about Vicinity Centres Aussie Hoops. Grass roots basketball is still growing in the area, and Michael and his team are all “bracing for the boom when the Brisbane Bullets come back to dominate the NBL once again.”