Basketball Plus Newsletter Issue 2 19th August 2009 In this Issue: - Rollers take out Gold at World Challenge! - Access for All Abilities Basketball Program - Australian Paralympic Youth Games - VicHealth Cup Basketball Tournament - Basketball Tip of the Month - Shooting - Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League Finals - Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League – Finals Schedule - Asia Oceania Championships 6 Nations Tournament - LIVEWIRE– An online service for kids - Useful Internet Links - Deaf Basketball Victoria Review - Level 0 Coaches Course ROLLERS TAKE OUT GOLD AT WORLD CHALLENGE! The Australian men’s wheelchair basketball team, the Rollers, recently competed in the Rollers World Challenge; a four-nation International basketball tournament. Staged at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre and running from Wednesday July 29th- Saturday August 1st the tournament featured three medal winning teams from the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Australia (Gold), Canada (Silver) and Great Britain (Bronze) alongside Asian powerhouse Japan all competed for a title. In day 1 of competition the Rollers took on Beijing Silver medallists, Canada, winning 66 - 37, proving that their Gold medal performance at Beijing wasn't a one off. In round 2 Australia dominated Japan 83-41 followed by a closer match against Great Britain in round 3. The Britain’s got the closest any team had been to the Aussies, only going down by 14 points. The Rollers went into the Gold medal match with a 100% winning record for the tournament and once again proved why they are the number 1 ranked team in the world, smashing Canada 77-48 and claiming yet another Gold medal. Congratulations to all our Australian Rollers athletes. ACCESS FOR ALL ABILITIES BASKETBALL PROGRAM If you're between 8 - 15 years old with a disability and would like to learn a new sport, meet some new friends and have fun, then take part in the Access for All Abilities Basketball Program. The program starts on Saturday 10 October and runs until Saturday 5 December. Time: Saturdays, 11.15am - 12.30pm Venue: Collingwood College, Cnr Cromwell St & McCutcheon Way, Collingwood Cost: The eight week program costs $75 including coaching, registration insurance and some equipment to take home Meet the coaches, program staff and shoot some hoops at 2 FREE COME & TRY SESSIONS on Saturday 5 & 12 September, 11.15am - 12.15pm AUSTRALIAN PARALYMPIC YOUTH GAMES The Australian Paralympic Youth Games will be held in Melbourne from Monday 5th October until Sunday 11th October 2009 and will be staged in and around the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, and other major sporting facilities in Melbourne. The Basketball event will consist of 5 Australian teams, with the possibility of 2 American teams competing also. These games will help provide a Paralympic experience for all athletes to introduce them to the range of services and activities that they might come to expect as they strive for selection in their national teams to compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. For more information visit www.wsv.org.au and follow the links. VICHEALTH CUP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT The VicHealth Cup is coming up fast! We have a total of 25 teams entered in it, with schools from all over Victoria participating. We would like to thank all the Schools who are getting involved and supporting what will potentially be Victoria’s major tournament of the year for Special Schools all over the State. The tournament is being held at Waverly Basketball Stadium on Friday September 4th 2009. BASKETBALL TIP OF THE MONTH - SHOOTING In preparing to shoot we begin with our shooting hand under the ball with fingers spread, keeping the ball off the palm of the hand. The non-shooting hand is brought to the side of the ball for balance and control. The shooting elbow is pointing towards the ring and under the ball. A good shooting stance begins with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing to the basket, knees slightly bent, back straight and nose behind the toes. Pushing from the feet and extending up on the toes. The shooting arm moves in an upward motion whilst slowly releasing the non-shooting hand from the ball. The ball is released when the shooting arm is fully extended , following through with a snap of the wrist pointing at the basket. Shooting should always be made in one single motion. WOMEN'S NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE FINALS The final round of the regular season for the Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League finished off last weekend with the Victorian Dandenong Rangers Women winning two out of their four games. All teams have now secured their places on the ladder for the upcoming finals round. Perth Western will take on Hills Hornets in the major semi-final; both will compete to go straight though to the Grand Final. Fighting it out in the Preliminary Final is 3rd placed Victorian Dandenong Rangers playing 4th on the ladder Goudkamp Gladiators. The winner of this match will go through and play the loser of Perth and Hills Hornets, whilst the loser will be forced to play off for 3rd and 4th spot. For further information on the finals schedule visit www.sportingpulse.com and follow the links. The Finals are being held at the Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatic Centre and run over the weekend of September 5th- 6th. WOMEN'S NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE - FINALS SCHEDULE DATE GAME TEAMS Saturday September 5th Second Semi-Final Vic Dandenong Rangers Vs Goudkamp Gladiators Saturday September 5th First Semi-Final Perth Western Stars Vs Hills Hornets ASIA OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS - 6 NATIONS TOURNAMENT Australia has secured the rights over Japan to host the Asian Oceania 6 Nations Tournament at Dandenong Basketball Stadium. The tournament runs from October 13th - 17th and consists of six countries including Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Kuwait and Malaysia. This tournament will be more than a demonstrative event, as the six nations are competing for three places available in the IWBF World Championships held in Birmingham, England in 2010. For more information on this event visit Basketball Victoria’s website and follow the links. LIVEWIRE– An online service for kids Livewire is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and is supported by funding from the Australian Government. Starlight Children’s Foundation has been working towards providing a free and safe online community for families affected by a serious illness, a chronic health condition or a disability. Livewire is for kids between the ages of 10 and 21. This online community provides games, chat rooms, online guess speakers, and online monitors– ensuring that the community is kept safe for all. Livewire aims to provide an online community where kids can hangout, make new friends, openly share experiences, and most importantly know that they are not alone. Livewire also includes a service for young people between the age of 10 and 21 who have a brother or sister living with an illness, a chronic health condition or a disability. This network is fast growing and in October 2009 there will also be a service for parents and carers so that they can connect with others who understand what they are going through. If there is anything else you would like to know about livewire write to them at: member.services@livewire.org.au or go to www.livewire.org.au to become a member. USEFUL INTERNET LINKS Visit Starlight Foundation website for chat rooms for kids - www.starlightfoundation.com.au 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 DEAF BASKETBALL VICTORIA REVIEW The last couple of months have been very productive for Deaf basketball Victoria. In partnership with Basketball Victoria, a number of school clinics have been held which have all resulted in positive feedback from the parties involved. On Tuesday the 21st of July, Mt Erin Secondary College in Frankston hosted a clinic at their school and invited other schools in the area to participate. The age of the participants ranged from grade 5 to year 11 however this large age gap did not create any problems. All the children actively participated and enjoyed themselves while learning new skills and finally competing in a round robin game. A similar event took place on Tuesday the 28th of July when the 3rd Secondary Deaf School Sports Day took place at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. Both the dynamic sessions, with the children divided in their specific age groups, were full of energetic participants whom all contributed fairly. The teachers involved offered positive comments at the end of the sessions and the children were equally lively. As well as the establishment of promoting deaf basketball to the younger generations of the community, DBV held a SWOT forum, with partners Basketball Victoria, Deaf Sports Australia and Deaf Sport and Recreation Victoria, where different aspects of Deaf basketball were discussed. This forum was particularly productive and successfully pointed out our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. As a result of the information gathered during the forum, DBV is working closely with the partner organizations involved to create further opportunities in the near future and continue to promote deaf basketball in Victoria. For all enquires, do not hesitate to contact Renee Kahle Email renee.kahle@basketballvictoria.com.au Phone Office: 99276666 Mobile: 0408686419 LEVEL 0 COACHES COURSE Basketball Victoria is currently looking at running a Level 0 coaching course for any special school teachers or staff that would be interested. The Level 0 coaching course is a basic course that is developed to help educate and develop coaching techniques and basketball specific skills. For more information or to enrol contact Alice Hammond at Basketball Victoria. WE NEED YOUR INPUT! Please submit any news, success stories or anything you might find relevant to Alice Hammond, Basketball Victoria Disability Inclusion Officer. Email: alice.hammond@basketballvictoria.com.au 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