The upgraded Ballarat Sports and Events Centre will host the 2019 Under 14 National Club Basketball Championships and the 2019 Basketball Australia National Coaches’ Conference, thanks to funding from the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford today formally announced the events, both of which have received funding from the Labor Government’s Significant Sporting Events Program.
The championships and the conference in September and October next year will be the first major events held at the new state-of-the-art Ballarat Sports and Event Centre, which is due to open next year.
More than 650 athletes and officials from around Australia will attend, bringing thousands of family and supporters with them. As host of the championships, the Ballarat Basketball Association can enter a boys and a girls team – a great opportunity for local players.
During the tournament Basketball Australia’s national coaches’ conference will attract around 250 coaches – with almost two thirds coming from interstate or overseas. It’s the first time this event has been held in regional Victoria and it plays a vital role in building the capabilities and numbers of coaches in local associations.
This is yet another basketball coup for regional Victoria, adding to the NBL Blitz announced yesterday that will see eight games featuring Australia’s best players at Ballarat’s Minerdome, along with four games at Bendigo Stadium in a deal brought together by the Labor Government.
The NBL Blitz was secured through the latest round of the Victorian Government’s $17.7 million Significant Sporting Events Program and the $20.7 million Regional Events Fund.
The Significant Sporting Events Program will secure more than 300 sporting events for Victoria over the next four years of which more than half will be held in regional Victoria, bringing competitors and tourists to local towns, stimulating the local economies and getting more Victorians active and healthy through sport.
Since 2014, the Victorian Government’s Regional Events Fund has supported over 160 regional events, providing jobs for locals and improving the liveability of our regions.
Quote attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford
"We’ve invested more than $9 million in Ballarat’s new Sports and Events Centre so it can host national events like these ones, which will provide a huge boost to our local visitor economy."
Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Sharon Knight
"Locals are going to enjoy some of the country’s best basketballers and Ballarat is going to host thousands of visitors, supporters, players and officials."
Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Geoff Howard
"We’re encouraging all Victorians to embrace a more active and healthy lifestyle and seeing the best basketballers in Australia competing in our own backyard will inspire many locals to give basketball a go."
