BHP has provided a $20,000 community grant to support the establishment of a new basketball competition in Newman.

It has been more than a decade since Newman residents, young and old, had the opportunity to compete in a basketball game, with the original competition falling away in 2009.

Now more than 200 local children aged four to 14 will be participating in a new competition starting just after the school holidays.

BHP provided funding to enable the purchase of balls and other training equipment, jerseys (singlets) and uniforms, umpire training courses and coaching clinics, as well as the cost of hiring courts at the Shire of East Pilbara Recreation Centre. The Shire has also supported the Club with a $8500 grant.

The Club currently consists of Mini Hoops (U10, U12 and U15 Age Divisions) and a plan to grow the competition to include adults in early 2023. Each age division is made up on 4 teams.

The first competition will begin in term 4, with training on Monday after school and Saturday games.

“We have spent the whole year building the club and developing coaching programs to train the young people so they are qualified to coach the juniors,” Brooke Rush, Newman Basketball Club President explained.

The young coaches are now earning some pocket money to provide one on one training sessions to the younger kids who are new to basketball, ahead of the season kicking off.

“The recreation centre ran a five week basketball skills training program last year and when that finished, my son cried. He loves basketball and many other kids in the community do as well - so we decided to create our own club,” Brooke said.

“Thanks to the support of BHP and the local shire, children can now enjoy the game and a community-grown and based basketball competition in Newman.

“This basketball competition also gives Newman youth the opportunity to participate in North West rounds and Country Week competitions - giving our young ones the same exposure to scouts and experience as the city kids.”