I am delighted to have been invited to attend Basketball Tasmania’s Kingborough Huon Basketball Association School Holiday Camp at the Kingborough Sports Centre today to see members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams take the children for a number of basketball related exercises and training drills.
Basketball Tasmania are just one of a number of community groups to have received funding recently from the State Government’s 2016 State Grants Program. Basketball Tasmania received $58 000 in funding to assist with initiatives such as participation programs and coach development.
Today was an opportunity to witness first-hand some of the great work Basketball Tasmania undertakes in engaging our young people to participate in sport and physical activity. This is obviously essential to ensure they grow into happy and healthy adults, avoiding the various lifestyle diseases associated with inactivity.
The ADF teams did a wonderful job working with the young people participating today and it was clear that all of them (including the adults) were having fun and learning new skills!
The visiting ADF teams are made up of personnel from the defence forces across Australia, and this year Tasmania has been selected for the ADF basketball tour. The ADF teams will play a number of games against local teams across the State, including the Hobart Chargers and the Hobart Lady Chargers.
The teams are also assisting Basketball Tasmania at their School Holiday Camp, which is a great opportunity for the experienced players to share their knowledge and skills with the camp participants.
I trust the visiting teams will have a fantastic time touring all over our great State, and enjoy the spectacular scenery and fresh produce that makes Tasmania a ‘must-see’ destination.
ADF Women’s Head Coach Squadron Leader Janeter Turnbull said, “We have had a really positive reaction from the teams in Tassie. It is great to turn this tour into fruition. I’m really proud to be able to showcase ADF basketball in my home town of Smithton, and to have our teams play against teams that I was part of or played against prior to my RAAF career is pretty special”.
“What a fantastic opportunity we have to be able to play against the Tasmanian teams. We can’t wait!” Ms Turnbull added.
The State Grants Program provides grants of up to $60,000 to state sporting organisations, state disability sporting organisations, state active recreation providers and state sector service providers. Applications for grants in 2017 will open later this year and prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Communities, Sport and Recreation in the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
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