Written by Jay Bryce, 2024 BV Rookie Report Program
A few years ago, basketball was a forgotten sport in Heywood.
Today, it proudly hosts an award-winning basketball association.
There hadn’t been any senior basketball in the town since about 2018, and no juniors since before the pandemic.
Recognising the need for revival, the Glenelg Shire Council and Basketball Victoria partnered to provide Heywood Basketball Association a lifeline in the form of a grant.
This funding kick-started domestic competitions again, but there was an excess of junior players all grouped together at different ages and skill levels, and not quite enough adults participating.
So, pre-teens and teenagers, as young as 12 were grouped into teams with the adults.
The result has been older players taking on a mentor role with the younger athletes, in these mixed teams, creating a fun and encouraging environment that has helped the younger players gain skills from the more experienced senior players.
The sport has bridged the generational gap, with the same group of kids and adults returning to play ball together each week.
“I’ve had kids come up to me and ask if they could be on the same team next week because of how much they enjoyed playing with the adults"
- Natasha Moore
Families who once travelled for hours to other towns for basketball now had local access to the sport.
Kids who had never even played basketball before were now playing with and against fully grown adults, a testament to the attitudes of the association’s younger and older players and the dedicated volunteers.
“It’s just integral to the kids that need it, and now they have adults they can turn to and have the sport actually accessible instead of requiring parents to travel hours to other towns.”
- Natasha Moore
News spread of the revival of the sport in the town and the unique approach the association took to overcome the challenge presented by the number of participants.
Heywood Basketball Association was announced as a recipient of the 2024 Southwest Community Sports Youth Participation Initiative award.
Members and volunteers from the association were gobsmacked that they had even been nominated for the award in March this year.
When they won, it was only right for association secretary Merelyn Bunworth to accept it on the night, someone often described as the embodiment of Heywood Basketball.
The award was to recognise Merelyn and the other dedicated volunteers within the association who have provided a safe space for local basketball players of all ages to play, connect, learn and have fun.
Credit: South West Community Sports Awards
