Jane Howlett,Minister for Sport and Recreation
The Tasmanian Government is committed to growing participation rates across all sporting codes by supporting them right from the grass roots level.
We are a strong supporter of basketball in the state and are providing significant financial support for the sport.
As part of our 2020-21 State Budget, our Government has committed funding of $1 million over four years (2020-21 to 2023-24) to Basketball Tasmania to support the State's three NBL1 clubs to deliver school basketball clinics across Tasmania.
Out of the $250,000 a year funding commitment, the Hobart Chargers will receive $105,000, the Launceston Tornadoes will receive $85,000, while the North West Thunder will be provided $55,000. Basketball Tasmania will retain $5,000 for administrative costs.
Since the initiative began in 2017, our Government has provided a total of $750,000 to the three clubs, allowing them to engage with communities by delivering school basketball clinics around Tasmania.
In 2019 alone, the Hobart Chargers delivered clinics to 10,000 children at Southern Schools, while the Launceston Tornadoes and North West Thunder delivered clinics to a total of 7,000 children at schools in the North and North West of the State.
Following the challenges posed by COVID-19 in 2020, clinics were able to resume in the second half of the year, and since September the Hobart Chargers have been delivering clinics to an average of 915 participants each month (higher than the usual average of 670 per month).
These clinics are an amazing opportunity for students to learn from some of the stars of the NBL1 competition, and get a glimpse of the pathway from grassroots competition all the way to the elite level.
Basketball has always been one of the State's most loved sports, and its profile will only continue to grow with Tasmania set to re-join the National Basketball League in 2021.
Along with many keen basketball fans, I look forward to cheering on the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers and seeing more young Tasmanians taking up this exciting sport.
