Page 57 - BWA Annual Report 2023

PARTICIPATION
Keely O'Brien Participation Officer
BASKETBALL CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE SPORTS
With over 1.2 million participants nation-wide, Basketball continues to be one of Australia’s favourite sports. In WA, it currently ranks as the number 2 team sport for both 0-14s and 15+ participants, with BWA registered competitive numbers exceeding 60,000 and AusPlay predictions estimating overall participation to surpass 173,000. Despite these significant figures, there has been a downturn since 2022, with many associations and centres grappling with challenges related to venue capacities and staffing limits.
FUEL TO GO AND PLAY SCHOOL SLAM SERIES
The Fuel to Go & Play School Slam Series flourished in 2023, providing an inclusive and enjoyable basketball experience for primary school students all over WA. Nearly every event reached capacity, marking another record-breaking year for the series. Participation soared to over 3,000 students from 122 schools, a remarkable 50% increase from 2022.
In an effort to match the growing demand, inaugural School Slams were run in Mundaring and Northam, and the Hedland School Slam returned for the first time since 2019. These additions saw 19 School Slams facilitating connections between schools and their local basketball associations across the state.
The annual Fuel to Go & Play Champions Cup, held in November, showcased the top 32 teams from the series competing for the championship title. In the boys' competition, All Saints’ College emerged as champions with a strong performance against runners up Riverton Primary School. In the girls' competition, Sorrento Primary School secured the championship title by just 1 point, with Bull Creek Primary School finishing as the runners- up.
Basketball WA extends gratitude to Healthway and key partners including School Sport WA and SEDA college for their unwavering support in delivering these impactful programs, fostering a culture of health and wellness among youth through sports.
The Ford Aussie Hoops program continues to be Australia's leading introductory basketball initiative, catering to 5-10 year olds. With a focus on skill development and fun, Aussie Hoops introduces young playerstothefundamentalsofbasketball in a safe and inclusive environment.
In the last decade, WA has seen significant growth in the program, with 40 active centres across the state running Ford Aussie Hoops in 2023. Of these centres, four new additions include Margaret River, Mount Barker, Roche Park (Shire of Collie), and Yilgarn in the country, with more centres gearing up to launch in preparation for 2024. Despite representing just 11% of the national population, WA contributes 17% of all Aussie Hoops participation, ranking third closely behind NSW.
The substantial increase in participation since 2019 has started to encounter constraints due to venue and volunteer capacity. Despite these challenges, the Cockburn Cougars' Aussie Hoops program maintains its position as the largest centre in Australia for the second consecutive year, while star coach from Cockburn Mackenzie Stewart received the Coach of the Year award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the program's success and the development of young athletes. Additionally, Warwick Senators Aussie Hoops was also named one of the top 10 programs nationally for participation.
Basketball WA forged a valuable partnership with Ford in 2023, facilitating funding opportunities and providing new resources and signage to enhance the Aussie Hoops program. The collaboration exemplifies a commitment to grassroots basketball development, featuring significant updates to program materials and branding design, and enhancing the program's effectiveness and value for both participants and centres.
“Participation soared to over
3,000 students from 122 schools, a
remarkable 50% increase from 2022”
FORD AUSSIE HOOPS
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