The Swan Hill Basketball Association (SHBA) Swan Hill region basketball season is about to tip off.Like everyone, the Swan Hill Basketball Association have been struggling with the current lockdowns and restrictions but have worked extremely hard to get competitions up and running for our kids.
The SHBA tried multiple times to stage their traditional winter competition but were thwarted, always shut down just before take-off. Given that, they are really keen to get the kids registered for our up and coming Summer competition to get them out of the house and doing something active and something they love.
Player registrations are now now open, but will close this Monday 13th September. So players intending to register need to do so quickly.
A range of programs will be staged by the Association including Academy U12s which includes the inaugural running of their in house U12s Academy program.
A group of juniors were selected to attend this new program which is designed to improve players’ ball handling skills, defence and offensive training and give players’ a better understanding of game plan strategies.
The SHBA is in the process of organising Squad Try Outs at present, which has proved quiet difficult with the NSW and Victorian lockdowns.
But, now that Victorian Regions are moving out of lockdown, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
The Association has been rescheduling try outs to accommodate all players. It will then select these Squad teams when the tryouts have been completed.
The Squad teams are planning to head to Horsham in November and Shepparton in December to start their season.
The Association has entered teams in Country Basketball League (CBL) and have once again entered our Lady and Men’s Flyers into the new CBL season and they can not wait to see the teams on court this year representing our region.
As well in the off season the Basketball Victoria Country (BVC) Academy Program was held.Wil Bennett was selected in the Basketball Victoria Country State Development program for the U16 boys late last year and fromto this month, September has trained in the Bendigo Hub with other selected athletes from Bendigo & surrounding areas.
This has included weekly group training in Bendigo, individual training in Swan Hill including zoom sessions when in lockdown.
The SDP is a pathway for U16 & 18 athletes to be selected into State Teams & other future high performance programs.Wil’s sister Arlee Bennett was also selected in the SDP U18 girls where she trained in the Ballarat Hub.
The Association was lucky enough to have Tess Denham run a 4 v 4 competition as well as other events during the interrupted year in order to help keep a ball in their hands. This gave kids a chance to get back on the court and have some fun.
The SHBA are crossing all fingers that their Junior tournament will still run on October 23rd and 24th even with some restriction to help get some visitors back to town.
As well in March 2021 Swan Hill players were selected for the U14 Regional Basketball Victoria Country Academy Program and a regional U14 skills day was held in Swan Hill where players from Echuca to Mildura attended.
The Swan Hill selected athletes have trained weekly with coach, Sharon Denham from April to August 2021 and had two day camps in the U14 Academy program with academy’s in our region.
After a final day camp held in Swan Hill group players will be notified in the coming weeks if they have been successful to participate in the Gold Nugget Camp.
On the final selection day a decision will be made on who will play at the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup at Albury and the Southern Cross Challenge to be held in Knox January, 2022.
The 2021 – U14 Swan Hill athletes selected for regional Academy Program: Ava Crow, Clancy Devlin, Seamus Doherty, Indi Grey, Scarlet Grey, Bodhi Kelly, Chloe Meehan, Chad O’Sullivan, Cruz O’Sullivan, Brooke PearsonJ, ayda Plant, Jonty Worner, Izzy Corrie, Bryce Anderson
