All-abilities basketball program launched

GEELONG United Basketball has launched an all-abilities program that organisers dream of building into a league.

Run in conjunction with Reclink, the clinics for men, women and non-binary people aged 18 and over is being run over Term 4 and has participants learning the skills of the sport and playing three-on-three practice games.

United’s participation and inclusion administrator Joseph Pilon said the initial purpose of the program was to have fun and get people moving.

“Basketball is a game for everyone: it’s simple, not super-intensive and you only need one piece of equipment.

“It’s got that social aspect as well.
“Most participants have support workers with them, then there’s a couple of independent people who come by themselves, and some of the workers get involved too.”

Run out of the Leisure Time Sports Precinct on Anakie Road in Norlane, players have been gathering once a week since the start of October to learn about the game under the coaching guidance of Mr Pilon and player Laura Williamson.

As participation numbers grow, the group will start playing more structured five-on-five games, setting them up for Mr Pilon’s “long-term goal” of having them play in an all-abilities basketball competition alongside the area’s existing league.

“It would be really cool to have a full comp’ going… which is probably an 18-24 month plan,” he said.

To build the clinic and league, Mr Pilon has borrowed from three well-established sporting programs for inspiration and structure: United’s Aussie Hoops program that provides a pathway for young people into the sport; The Big Issue’s Street Soccer Program that hosts weekly sessions of training and friendly matches for people of all levels of fitness and abilities; and the Reclink Football League.
Under the banner of “Footy for All”, the Reclink Victorian Football League is an opportunity for men and women of all ages and abilities who have experienced disadvantage and isolation to participate in a structured team sport, helping to improve physical and mental health and social inclusion.

Established in 1989, the Reclink Victorian Football League now hosts teams from across the state including Geelong, and Mr Pilon sees it as a logical model to build a basketball equivalent on.

“One week of games, the next is development and then an away game,” he said.

“It’s just been really good to get participants engaged in basketball and we’ve had really good feedback from the small amount of sessions this far.”

For more information, head to geelongunitedbasketball.com.au/all-abilities-information