Many years of not having a place to play basketball has come to an end thanks to Awarua Whānau Services reaching out to basketball’s national body.
Basketball New Zealand partnered with Schick to deliver a Neighbourhoops initiative that implements the installation of 10 basketball hoops across 10 regions throughout New Zealand. One hoop is installed in each district with the input of the community.
The celebration of the new basketball hoop was well attended by Bluff residents.
Tall Black Ethan Rusbatch led the event and the Southland Sharks supported the Bluff community from the courtside.
Awarua Whānau Services Kaiarahi Tinana, Tam Topi said the event was a "true example" of collaboration with Basketball NZ and the Schick Neighbourhoops initiative.
"It has been supported by so many folks in our community and the turnout has been awesome," she said.
Making basketball more accessible and encouraging tamariki and their friends to become more physically active while having fun was the goal of the initiative for Basketball New Zealand Facilities and Insights lead Dan Dawick.
"A lot of these smaller towns don’t get these opportunities so it’s my hope that this basketball hoop will get kids playing basketball and get the sport developed across the country," he said.
Tall Black and Franklin Bulls player Ethan Rusbatch was raised in Twizel and considers himself a southern boy.
He was happy to return to Southland where his love for basketball began and felt it was "not just the big cities that produced basketballers; so did the little towns".
"Simply putting up a basketball hoop has made a huge difference, seeing the kids shoot hoops and the joy on their faces, that’s what it’s all about," Mr Dawick said.
- By Nina Tapu
