Basketball Plus Newsletter Issue 4 1st November 2009 In this Issue: - Australian Paralympic youth games - Coburg Come and Try Day - Carers 2 Coaches Program - Basketball Victoria Grants Program - Basketball Tip of the Month - Chest Passing - Golden Rollers Sweep Asia Oceania Tournament - Player Profile - Leanne Del Toso - Toyota Paralympic Talent Search - Junior Basketball Clinic and 3 on 3 Day - Deaf Basketball Victoria News AUSTRALIAN PARALYMPIC YOUTH GAMES The Australian Paralympic Youth Games kicked off on October 5th and rolled though to Saturday October 10th. Athletes from different countries and around the nation competed in a range of sports including football, table tennis, swimming, athletics, tennis and basketball. Basketball was the largest sport in the games, with Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and the United States of America all competing to be title champions. When competition began on Tuesday 6th, the games provided players and spectators alike with an opportunity to witness some of the best junior wheelchair basketball from Australia and the USA. At the end of competition, the USA proved to have too much depth for the Australian teams and took out the Gold medal over Western Australia 68 to 55. New South Wales and Victoria fought it out for the Bronze, but as with the round games, New South Wales easily accounted for the Victorians. Tasmania and Queensland provided one of the most exciting games of the competition with the match going into overtime before Queensland overpowered the gallant Tasmanian outfit, 53 to 39 in the 5th place playoff. The medal ceremony for Wheelchair Basketball took place after the Gold Medal Match, with members of the Australian Rollers, (Beijing Paralympic Games Gold Medallists and IPC World Team of the Year) on hand to present the medals. Final standings for the competition were as follows: 1st – USA 2nd – Western Australia 3rd – New South Wales 4th – Victoria 5th – Queensland 6th – Tasmania COBURG COME AND TRY DAY If you’re 18+ with a disability and would like to learn how to play basketball, meet new people and have a whole lot of fun then take part in the Coburg Come and Try days! Sessions will be held at Coburg Basketball Stadium. The two come and try days are FREE. There will be opportunities for participants to continue on to play in an 8 week competition. Time– 4pm—5pm Dates– October 18th & November 8th Venue– Coburg Basketball Stadium, Outlook Drive, Coburg To register or for more information please contact Shona Curavic or Georgia Pizarcoff at Coburg Basketball Stadium on 9355 7200, or alternatively you can contact Alice Hammond at Basketball Victoria on 9927 6622 or email alice.hammond@basketballvictoria.com.au CARERS TO COACHES PROGRAM Basketball Victoria is proud to launch the Carers 2 Coaches Program. The program has been established with the assistance of Tim Widdison from the JCAAA (Joint Access for All Abilities). The Carers 2 Coaches Program aims at providing disability support workers, parents, friends and teachers an introduction to coaching basketball. The sessions have a focus on basic skills and fundamentals that are associated with the sport and is specifically aimed for participants who may not have a basketball background. This program will lead to sustainable programs as current competitions expand and the opportunity to participate in basketball for members of the community with a disability become more available. In addition to the Carers 2 Coaches Program, Basketball Victoria also coordinates Inclusion and Adaptive Coaching Workshops, for existing coaches, Board Members and volunteers. The Coach 2 Coach, sessions run for 2 hours and cost $20 (to cover the cost of resources). Basketball Victoria is currently looking to plan a number of sessions throughout 2010 and if you are interested in participating, please contact Matthew Dunstan on (03) 9927 6666 or email matthew.dunstan@basketballvictoria.com.au Basketball Victoria Grants Program Eltham Wildcats is the latest association to receive a Basketball Victoria Inclusive Grant and are one of the many associations to jump on board the All Abilities program. They are currently developing a basketball competition for special schools in their area and running adaptive coaching sessions for teachers and potential coaches. If you know of an association or organisation that wants to get a program for All Abilities up and running and needs some funds to help kick it off, contact Basketball Victoria for an Inclusive Grant application form! BASKETBALL TIP OF THE MONTH – CHEST PASSING The purpose of passing is to advance the ball up the floor as quick as possible to achieve better court positioning and improve shooting position. When making a chest pass make sure you have good balance. Knees should be bent, head up, back straight and wide stance. The ball is held with fingers relaxed and spread, thumbs behind the ball and elbows bent. Step towards the receiver as you pass, snapping your wrists and fingers on release. After passing arms should be straight out in front of you, your fingers should be pointed towards the target and your thumbs should be pointing down to the ground. GOLDEN ROLLERS SWEEP ASIA OCEANIA TOURNAMENT Australia’s Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team won Gold at the Asia Oceania Championship for Men on Saturday 17th October with a 68-51 victory over Japan. Undefeated through seven games in the tournament, the Rollers qualified for next year’s IWBF (International Wheelchair Basketball Federation) World Championship in Birmingham, England as a result. Justin Eveson was the chief destroyer for Australia and finished with game highs in points (25) and rebounds (13) while delivering a team high 5 assists. Paralympians Shaun Norris (19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists) and Brad Ness (9 points, 10 rebounds) provided invaluable support while Reo Fujimoto led Japan with 17 points. Australia looked set for a big victory when they led by ten points, 18-8, after one quarter but Japan fought back to win the second quarter 17-13 to trail 31-25 at half time. The Rollers pushed the lead back out to double figures at the end of the third quarter and were never threatened in the final quarter as they extended the lead out to seventeen points. The Australian Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team, The Gliders, took on Japan in a four game friendly series during the Asia Oceania Tournament. Australia proved too strong for Japan, winning three of the four matches played. Source: IWBF Official Website PLAYER PROFILE – LEANNE DEL TOSO Name: Leanne Del Toso Age: 29 Teams: Dandenong Rangers (Womens National Wheelchair Basketball League), The Gliders (National Team) Position Classification: 3.5 Favourite Food: Pizza Favourite Movie: Under the Tuscan Sun Favourite Music: Anything top 40 Favourite Basketball teams: The Gliders, Melbourne Tigers Most Admired person in your day to day life: Dad Most Admired Sports Person: Ian Thorpe Biggest Achievement: Playing for Australia Your Dream: To represent Australia at the 2012 London Paralympics If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? River Phoenix TOYOTA PARALYMPIC TALENT SEARCH Basketball Victoria is proud to support the Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Day that will be held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Saturday the 7th of November. Many Australian representatives and Paralympians, including Basketball Victoria employee Leanne Del Toso (Australian Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team), have been identified through the Toyota Paralympic Talent Search Program. The Australian Paralympic Committee will be conducting some sporting tests to assist in identifying future Paralympic Talent as we head towards the London Paralympic Games in 2012. Date: Saturday 7th November, 2009 Time: 10:00am until 1:00pm Venue: Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre (MSAC), Aughtie Drive, Albert Park Please keep in mind people with minor disabilities such as mild cerebral palsy or minor vision impairments may be eligible for Paralympic Sport as well as amputees and people in wheelchairs. If you require any additional information, please contact Tim Matthews from the Australian Paralympic Committee on 03 9614 6800 or via email to tim.matthews@paralympic.org.au or Basketball Victoria on (03) 9927 6666. JUNIOR BASKETBALL CLINIC & 3 ON 3 DAY Deaf Basketball Victoria in conjunction with Basketball Victoria will be hosting a Junior Basketball Clinic and 3 on 3 fun day on Sunday November 8, 2009 at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC Show Court) Clinic - The junior clinic will take place on the Sunday between 9.30am to 11.30am. 3 on 3 Competition - Following the clinic there will be a 3 on 3 competition from 12pm until 4pm. There will be a BBQ lunch provided! If you are interested in participating in the Junior Basketball Clinic and/or enter the 3 on 3 competition, you will need to register by visiting: http://www.deafbasketballvictoria.org.au and following the links. DEAF BASKETBALL VICTORIA NEWS Deaf Basketball Victoria are excited to share some of the upcoming events happening before the silly season starts. Sunday 8th November - Youth Clinic (9.30am -11.30am), 3 on 3 Competition (12pm – 4pm) and BBQ at MSAC Sunday 22nd November - Youth Clinic at Southern Peninsula Basketball Association Details are on the website www.deafbasektballvictoria.com.au For more details contact Renee Kahle on renee.kahle@basketballvictoria.com.au 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