THE Ballarat Sports and Events Centre will host WNBL games during a statewide festival of women\u2019s basketball in January.<\/p>\n
Six of the competition\u2019s fifteen matches will take place on the Ballarat Basketball show court, with each team having a chance to play on site.<\/p>\n
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said the Perth Lynx will be based in Ballarat throughout the festival, utilising BSEC as a training hub.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasketball has a huge following in Ballarat, with thousands of locals playing each week. BSEC was designed to host major events like the WNBL,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really excited about having WNBL right across the state, but particularly here in Ballarat, with six games and every team cycling through.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be a boon for the local basketball community. We look forward to BSEC being the Victorian home of the Perth Lynx.\u201d<\/p>\n
Olympian and Basketball Australia\u2019s head of women in basketball Lauren Jackson was in the city during last week\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up playing basketball in a beautiful centre not unlike Ballarat, and I always say that you can\u2019t be what you can\u2019t see,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of girls in Ballarat are going to see a lot of great basketball. The world\u2019s best women will play basketball here which is really, really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Southside Flyers\u2019 Rachel Jarry is a former Ballarat Rush and Lady Miners player who said the city \u201cdeserves\u201d this opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo see how far this city has come is great. Ballarat loves their basketball so I expect them to get fully behind it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great reward for regional areas to have the WNBL competition come to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, a parent of a basketballer and a player herself, is delighted to welcome the elite athletes and \u201crole models\u201d to the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have over 3000 players every week engaging in basketball and three levels of government spent $24 million to build this beautiful stadium so we could host events like this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nowhere better in regional Victoria to play basketball than right here in Ballarat and it\u2019s going to be fantastic to see these facilities hosting some of the world\u2019s best players. Bring on January.\u201d<\/p>\n
The festival\u2019s competition will also be staged in Bendigo, Traralgon, Dandenong, and Parkville.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Ballarat Sports and Events Centre will host WNBL games during a statewide festival of women\u2019s basketball in January. Six of the competition\u2019s fifteen matches will take place on the Ballarat Basketball show court, with each team having a chance to play on site. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said the […]<\/p>\n