Basketball Ballarat has launched an engagement program offering its expansive sporting community opportunities to broaden their knowledge, skills and potentially increase involvement in readiness for when the COVID-19 shutdown is lifted.
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Basketball Ballarat chief executive officer Peter Eddy said the organisation was reaching out to an interest group of about 8500 with various information on a fortnightly basis.
He said as well as general operational updates, it was offering members a chance to be part of an online "Home-Stay-Play" program.
Basketball Ballarat received 144 registrations on the first day it was offered.
The program is targeting player development in the eight to 14 and 15-plus age groups, and those interested in coaching and refereeing.
Eddy said as well as appealing to people who might want to get involved in coaching or refereeing, the program was also aimed at making the likes of players and parents better informed.
He said it had spoken to specialists in various development areas and was sourcing quality content nationally and internationally to ensure all Basketball Ballarat stakeholders were best informed.
Eddy said as well as keeping in touch with everyone, the board of directors was working to ensure there was a strong foundation in place when sport resumed.
He said as important as the various pathway programs were, providing grassroots competitions was Basketball Ballarat's most important role.
"Over the upcoming weeks and months, we will be prioritising working extremely closely with our member clubs, players, officials and families to ensure we re-establish basketball within our community from the grassroots level up,'' a letter to members stated.
"Work to re-establish our elite programs will come after the local programs and competitions are back in place. It will be important that we resume our full pathway for all athletes, coaches and officials as soon as is practical."
Basketball Ballarat ceased all its senior and junior netball, basketball and volleyball competitions on Monday, March 16.