Dolphins set to make a splash

WITH the new school term nearly here, Dolphins Basketball Club is set to hold their Aussie Hoops program for the first time at Bannockburn P-12 College.

The eight-week program will take place weekly from Saturday, 30 April, and is aimed at introducing children aged five to 10 to the sport.

This term’s program will mark one year since the Dolphins adopted Basketball Victoria’s official program, and club president Vince Gandolfo said their focus on fun will keep kids on the court.

“It’s an introduction to basketball in sort of a fun games-based environment. It’s not the pressure of competition,” he said.

“It’s really about getting kids to come take it in, and the games are designed to teach them the skills while being focused on the fun part of it.”

The program was previously held at Bannockburn Community Stadium, and Mr Gandolfo said the new facilities will allow for a better-quality program than what came before.

Each session will comprise specialised games with a focus on skills like dribbling and passing, and every participant will receive their own ball, sticker-pack and individualised singlet provided by Basketball Victoria.

With an average enrolment of 20 to 30 kids, Mr Gandolfo said their “steadily growing” intake has a lot to benefit from what the program offers.

“A big part of it is about giving kids the confidence to be able to interact with each in that kind of sporting environment,” he said.

“We tend to spend a lot of time just getting kids comfortable with being on the court and with being amongst the group.

“And having our program in line with Basketball Victoria makes everything consistent for the children, and that’s so important with learning any sports skill.

“We’re quite proud of the quality of our offering, and when we’re doing it right, our kids will be learning new skills without even realising it.”

Registration will cost a one-off fee of $90 for new kids and $65 for returning players, and is available via membership.mygameday.app.