Geoff McIlvenna, liaison officer, Whittlesea City Basketball Association.
When the Mill Park basketball stadium opened in 1992, there were just a few junior domestic teams that played at local schools. Now we have 170 junior domestic teams, 130 senior domestic teams, 24 junior championship teams and four senior teams that play in the Big V [basketball] Competition. About 4500 people are involved.
We have outgrown the stadium and the population is booming in the north. There are four courts and that’s not enough for our existing players, forcing us to hire other courts. There are clinics being run through schools and that’s bringing more juniors to us and this is going to continue to grow.
Basketball gets kids away from the television and they learn skills and discipline. The whole family can be involved in the sport. But we have to keep up with demand.
Nothing has been done for basketball in the area for the past almost 20 years since the stadium was built. Families have come to the area and their kids want to play sport and we can’t keep abreast with just four courts.
Mill Park, Thomastown, Lalor and Bundoora would be catered for with the existing courts but we really need something north, in areas like Epping North, Mernda and Laurimar.
There is a basketball club at Laurimar but they use courts in Diamond Valley and we would rather keep our own people playing in our own area.
Basketball has slipped under the radar because it is not as popular as football and soccer, but now it needs attention.
The Whittlesea council has put up $40,000 for a feasibility study into new basketball facilities. These won’t be cheap, but once they are built they are there for good.
The feasibility study was approved in the council’s July budget but it is only the start. ¦
