Basketball Plus Newsletter Issue 1 27th July 2009 In this Issue: - Pearls Secure Silver Medal at Global Games - School Basketball Clinics - VicHealth Cup Basketball Tournament - Basketball Tip of the Month - Dribbling - Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League Action! - Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League Schedule - Coaching Course for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community - Useful Internet Links - Can You Help Us? - Access for All Abilities - We Need Your Input! PEARLS SECURE SILVER MEDAL AT GLOBAL GAMES On July 4th 2009 twenty basketballers from around Australia travelled to Czech Republic to compete at the 2009 INAS-FID (International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability) Global Games. The Global Games is the largest multi-sport competition for athletes with an intellectual disability. The INAS-FID conducted the tournament from July 5-14, with five countries competing in the women’s basketball event and eight in the men’s. With the girls having a consistently strong history in the Global Games, winning a bronze at the last meeting and also securing silver at the recent World Cup in Russia in 2008, the Pearls went into the tournament with positive attitudes and an optimistic outlook about the final outcome. The tournament commenced with Australia playing Mexico on the opening day. It was a close fought game, seeing our Aussie girls going down by 4 in the end. Over the next four days the Pearls played magnificently, defeating France, Japan and Brazil, showing why they were championship contenders. In the fight for the gold medal the Pearls unfortunately couldn't hold off the strong and physical Mexican team, which saw them taking Silver for Australia. The Boomerangs (Men’s National Team for Athletes with an Intellectual Disability) who also represented Australia at the Global Games went down to Greece by 3 in their first match. The Boomerangs, as their name suggests, came back with a convincing win against South Africa, followed by a great victory against Hungary. Unfortunately the men went down to Brazil in the quarter finals, giving them the final position of 5th but with the youngsters of the team showing great potential for the future. Congratulations to all our Australian athletes who competed in the Global Games. SCHOOL BASKETBALL CLINICS Over the years Basketball Victoria have been visiting special schools around the state and running basketball clinics for kids with disabilities. Our aim is to develop inclusion, get kids actively involved no matter what their disability and most importantly, to have fun. Thanks to support and funding from VicHealth we have been given the opportunity to build and develop our program. With over 30 schools already visited since January, this year promises to be an even bigger and more successful year. If your school would like Basketball Victoria to run a clinic, please don't hesitate to make a request and we will do our best to come out to you! VICHEALTH CUP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT Who- Any special school can come along! Where– Waverley Basketball Stadium, corner of Batesford Rd and Power Ave, Chadstone, Vic Why - To get kids active and involved in basketball When- Friday September 4th 2009 Time– 9.30am– 2pm (or a morning division for S.D.S’s) Basketball Victoria is hosting a tournament involving schools all across Victoria, with giveaways, on the day and fun to be had by all. There will be separate divisions for different standards. Bus subsidy can be arranged, so there’s no excuse not to come along! For an application form visit: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=y4OP76yuMhADrpPeZxFNEA_3d_3d or for further enquiries please contact Basketball Victoria for more information. BASKETBALL TIP OF THE MONTH - DRIBBLING A Good position when dribbling the basketball requires a wide stance, knees bent and back straight. Fingers should be spread over the top of the basketball to maximise control and guide the ball. Use a pushing action with the fingertips rather than patting the ball with the palm of the hand. Dribbling height should be a little higher than the knees but below waist height. WOMEN'S NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE ACTION! Hard work, determination, intense competition and a whole lot of skill! Get yourself to a Women’s Wheelchair Basketball game and it’s a guarantee this is what you’ll get! Over the weekend of June 27th and June 28th four teams from around the nation came together for round three of the Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League in Sydney. The first game commenced on Saturday afternoon, with the Victorian Dandenong Rangers securing a 10 point win over the Perth Western Stars followed by quite a comfortable win over the Gouldkamp Gladiators. Meanwhile on the Sunday the Rangers won in a remarkable and courageous victory over the Hills Hornets, who currently hold the top position on the ladder. Overall it was a hard fought weekend seeing our own Victorian Dandenong Rangers win all three of their matches. Now with a 7-4 win/loss record and a second spot on the ladder the Victorian Dandenong Rangers move into the third round in great shape. Catch more WNWBL action in Melbourne in August! Dandenong Rangers also have a Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team competing at a national level in the NWBL (National Wheelchair Basketball League). The Ranger Men are currently sitting fourth on the ladder with 2 losses. The next round commences July 18th in Wollongong. For draws, results and ladders visit http://www.nwblaus.com/ for the men and visit http://www.wnwbl.basketball.net.au/ for the women. WOMEN'S NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE SCHEDULE DATE TIME GAME Fri Aug 7th 2pm Vic Dandenong Rangers Vs Hills Hornets 4pm Perth Western Stars Vs Goudkamp Gladiators 6pm Vic Dandenong Rangers Vs Hills Hornets 8pm Perth Western Stars Vs Goudkamp Gladiators Sat Aug 8th 4pm Perth Western Stars Vs Hills Hornets 6pm Vic Dandenong Rangers Vs Perth Western Stars 8pm Hills Hornets Vs Goudkamp Gladiators Sun Aug 9th 1pm Vic Dandenong Rangers Vs Goudkamp Gladiators All games are played at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium - 270 Stud Road, Dandenong (Just off the Monash Freeway). COACHING COURSE FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING COMMUNITY Over the period of two weekends Basketball Victoria in partnership with Deaf Basketball Victoria ran Australia’s first ever coaching course for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. 11 people were involved in the event, including two interpreters, 8 participants and a coach, Danny Adamson. “From all accounts it went very well. All coaches appeared to be having fun, but more importantly all grasped the concepts of the coaching components” commented Danny at the conclusion of the course. This course was initially set up to assist in removing the barriers currently presented to deaf and hard of hearing in the basketball community. With assistance from these Level 1 qualified coaches, we believe a more equal opportunity will be presented with the wider basketball community. Along with training these enthusiastic participants, Basketball Victoria has recently employed Renee Kahle as a Deaf Basketball Inclusion Officer. With both these aspects combined as well as various funding available, we believe we will be able to develop numerous opportunities for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals to become involved in Basketball. For all enquires, do not hesitate to contact Renee Kahle via email - renee.kahle@basketballvictoria.com.au or Phone Office: 99276666 Mobile: 0408686419 USEFUL INTERNET LINKS For basketball skills and drills try visiting - www.jes-basketball.com Our website with links and plenty of basketball information - www.basketballvictoria.com.au For new grants, programs and projects visit - www.vichealth.vic.gov.au CAN YOU HELP US? If your school has been visited by Basketball Victoria we would greatly appreciate your feedback. To fill out a survey go to - Participants/students visit: www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=tWfcQ1Mc3z6xaVBxju61NQ_3d_3d Staff/teachers visit: www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2fkBLRCL3Ljyn8vJfhzBvHw_3d_3d The feedback from these surveys will help Basketball Victoria to improve and develop our basketball programs to make them more enjoyable and beneficial for all involved. ACCESS FOR ALL ABILITIES (AAA) As a Nation, we are passionate about our sport, whether it be participating directly or indirectly. The Access For All Abilities program promotes the benefit of physical activity and active participation for people of all abilities in all communities. It encourages partnerships that promote access and inclusion and also aims to influence the planning and development of recreation facilities and services. AAA providers influence inclusive sport, in not only basketball but most sports around Victoria. There are so many sports to choose from and most sports including basketball, cater for all ages and abilities, it’s never too late to start! WE NEED YOUR INPUT! Please submit any news, success stories or anything you might find relevant to alice.hammond@basketballvictoria.com.au Basketball Victoria Disability Inclusion Officer CONTACT US! Basketball Victoria Box 3 MSAC Aughtie Drive Albert Park, Vic 3206 E-mail: alice.hammond@basketballvictoria.com.au Phone: 99276666 Fax: 99276677 We’re on the web! www.basketballvictoria.com.au