Tara Murray
Whittlesea Pacers won’t field a women’s side this season in the Big V competition after failing to get the numbers.
After winless 2021 in the championship division, the Pacers were set to play in division 1 this year.
But that wasn’t enough to get a team together and the club made the decision to pull the plug.
Damon Lowery was set to coach the women’s side again, having led the side since 2019, when the Pacers won four games in championship division.
He said it was disappointing not to get a team up.
“We didn’t have enough girls,” he said.
“There wasn’t enough interest. We were going down to division 1, but you never know why women don’t want to play basketball.”
Lowery said last season they weren’t competitive enough and were hurt by not having imports.
He said he thought they could have had a good season in the lower division.
While the women’s side didn’t get up, the club has managed to reform a youth league girls side.
They will play in division 2.
“We’ve got some fresh faces and enthusiastic coaches and we’re looking forward to these girls playing.
“We’re building back up a youth league girls team and we were hoping for them to have a team to go up into.
“That will have to wait now.”
The club will have both men’s and youth league men’s sides, both in division 2 competitions.
There will be 18 rounds in the senior division, with the final round to start on July 30 with finals to follow.
The men’s side will kick off their season on March 19 against Melton Thoroughbreds. They will play their first home match the following week.
The youth league side has a double header in round one. They face Maccabi on March 19, before hosting Wangaratta North East Bushrangers.
