Peninsula Blitz sees player growth despite lack of training space

A LOCAL basketball club is on the lookout for more players and coaches from across the Bellarine to join the #wewillblitzyou movement as the club continues to see growth ahead of the coming domestic summer season.

Peninsula Blitz Basketball Club, formerly known as Portarlington Blitz, has more than doubled its player numbers in half a year as basketball continues its rapid spread across the Bellarine Peninsula and beyond.

Newly-appointed Blitz president Derek Haayema said the club grew from six teams to 14 teams from the end of the previous Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association summer season in April.

“We have a rather large base that we cater to, stretching from as far as Curlewis all the way down to Queenscliff.

“To meet with our increase in players, we welcome any potential sponsors, coaches, and team managers to and some extra committee on board – we’re also looking for new committee members to join as well.

“The beauty of basketball is it allows everyone to get involved and have an impact. Sports like football, you can spend hours barely touching the ball, but in basketball, players are always doing something, you’re part of the game.”

Haayema said the club’s most pressing issue was not having a training facility for the Blitz’s 120 players.

The lack of facilities and available infrastructure in the region could delay player growth and development, he added, as the club worked with the Bellarine Storm administration to find a solution.

“The hype we’re seeing across the Bellarine for basketball transitions to a point where teams can’t get any training in, or get better, because there just isn’t anything available.

“Bellarine Basketball Association and Bellarine Secondary College are working on adding an additional three courts to their sporting precinct, which would have a massive effect on basketball in the region.”

The Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association told the Times News Group it had 332 teams across its senior and junior domestic competitions a year ago and access to eight competition-grade courts.

Grading begins this weekend for domestic competitions.

Anyone interested in joining the Peninsula Blitz can do so by emailing the club at [email protected]