Lara continues giant push for new home

GEELONG’S largest basketball club is claiming it is “shovel ready” for a new basketball stadium with basketball facilities filled to the brim across the region.

Lara Giants Basketball Club is ramping up its push for a new home, further motivated by a recent study conducted by Council citing 20 additional courts are needed to cope with basketball participation in the region.

Giants president Jason Aherne senses the Lara community is starting to become more vocal in its need for a new stadium near Lara.

“It is a quite a juggling act for a lot of our families in Lara with multiple kids playing basketball and still in school,” Aherne said.

“If you have a child with a five o’clock game on the other side of Geelong and it takes 30 to 45 minutes to get there dependent on traffic, a parent has to somehow get out of work, pick up their child from school and get them to the game.

“It’s quite a sacrifice, which many of our parents are happy to do within reason, but they shouldn’t have to.”

Basketball numbers continue to grow at a rapid pace at Lara, increasing by 30 per cent since the end of the winter season in time for the start of the summer season.

The Giants will field 658 total players, a split of 532 juniors and 109 seniors. It is also the first time in the history of Geelong association basketball a club will contribute more than 80 teams in a single season.

Giants vice president Lorraine Kulic said given Lara is the largest affiliated club within regional Victoria’s largest basketball association at Geelong United, it is a massive achievement for the club, but one that needs facilities to match its size.

“We have the full backing of Geelong United and Council for a new facility closer to Lara, they’re trying their best to help us out and other clubs by booking courts for game days,” Kulic said.

“We’ve had good chats with Lara candidate Ella George, we’ve received verbal support from Council of the need and requirement for a new stadium at Beckley Park, but as far as we are concerned its state-owned land, so they have to get the ball rolling first.

“Both Kylie Grzybek and Anthony Aitken, our local councillors, have been really helpful to date.”

The closest stadiums Lara players can compete domestically at are Leisuretime Centre in Norlane and The Arena in North Geelong. All trainings are held at three Lara-based schools, Lara primary School, Lara Lake Primary School and Lara Secondary College.