Players, teams, turned away as SBA court shortage halts basketball growth

THE Surf Coast’s leading basketball association says a regional shortage of playing courts will affect the development of the region’s junior basketballers, with players, teams and age groups being turned away from playing.

Surfcoast Basketball Association (SBA) president Leon Sayers said declining a junior basketballer from joining was “heartbreaking”, and a shortage of courts was disrupting the growth of basketball locally.

“For the first time ever we have had to cap numbers to our domestic competitions and reject players and teams for our Winter Season, that is the severity of our situation right now. We’ve had growth year on year, season on season, but now we’re at a stage where council has notified us we are at capacity at Wurdi Baierr Stadium.

“We understand that it’s a multipurpose facility and other sports do need to use the facility, but it can be frustrating at times when I see four people using one court, knowing we could have 10 on it during any game.”

The SBA allows 226 basketball teams and more than 2,000 players to compete once a week, ranging from Under 8s through to Open Age competitions from Monday to Friday, in addition to its representative Chargers program and AussieHoops kids program.

To create other opportunities for domestic basketball players, the SBA utilises local schools that offer regulation basketball courts.

SBA domestic competitions are held at Wurdi Baierr Stadium (four courts), Torquay College (two courts), Torquay Coast Primary School (one court), and Armstrong Creek School (one court).

Ongoing discussions between the SBA, Anglesea Aireys Basketball Club and Anglesea Primary School will facilitate domestic basketball as early as the end of the year when specific upgrades are installed to the school’s stadium, such as the installation of toilets, changing facilities and scoreboards.

Mr Sayers said developments facilitating domestic basketball at Bellbrae Primary have hit a slight hiccup with the Victorian School Buildings Authority (VSBA) unable to hand over control of the basketball court to the school until the neighbouring football oval upgrades are complete.

“If we were to keep up with demand and growth over the next few years given the housing development driving into Torquay, we would need at least four additional courts, ideally six, at Wurdi Baierr Stadium,” he added.

“The biggest challenge is land space, because it’s parcelled for two courts, but we are open to other areas for a new stadium. Somewhere central for people on the Surf Coast, whether that be towards Anglesea or Armstrong Creek.”