The development program at the Dunsborough Oilers Mens Basketball Club has proved so successful they have outgrown the one court they have to run their competition.
One night a week the club gets access to the only indoor basketball court in Dunsborough.
One of the club’s leaders Andrew Crosbie said the problem was partly attributed to the growth of the sport and their approach to the junior development program.
Mr Crosbie said they had 77 registered players including 20 children which pushed the facilities in Dunsborough to the point where they could can not accept anymore players.
The club’s president Travis Fassom said it would be ideal to have an additional two courts in Dunsborough so they did not have to turn players away.
He said they started the league so players did not have to travel to Busselton and found a lot of children did not want to play football and there was no other winter league for them.
“We thought we would give them the option, basketball is the fastest growing sport in the South West, it gives them the opportunity be doing something rather than hanging out at the skate park,” he said.
“There needs to be something done in Dunsborough to improve the facilities and we are really trying to push to get those extra courts.”
City of Busselton director of community and commercial services Naomi Searle said the city had done a strategic review of operations at the Naturaliste Community Centre which assessed the usage patterns of user groups to make recommendations for future needs of facilities.
“Where there is a demonstrated return to the broad community, sufficient ongoing demand and available funds, the city would always consider the provision of new or upgraded facilities,” she said.
Basketball WA chief executive officer Rob Clement said 40 per cent of their registered players were from regional WA and that many clubs were struggling for facilities.
”The biggest challenge has been getting facilities where clubs can train, compete and run social competitions, which often means social competitions are the first to miss out,” he said.
“Basketball WA has a strategic plan to go to the government and say these are our priorities to get better facilities.”
A Department of Sport and Recreation spokesperson said in the last 10 years, the state government had invested more than $169 million in more than 1000 facility projects all over WA.
“The department would continue to invest in basketball to deliver grassroots competitions,” they said.
