Encouraging The Next Generation

Burdekin Basketball Pushes For More Girls In The Game

From competitive fixtures to community programs, the courts are always buzzing at Burdekin Basketball. But now, the association is making a play for change—and it starts with getting more girls on the court.

“We’re a community facility, and we want to make sure everyone feels included,” said club president Shane James. “This current push is about getting girls back into sport—giving them opportunities to be active, to build friendships, and to grow their confidence through basketball.”

Located on Little Drysdale Street, Burdekin Basketball operates out of a multipurpose space with three courts, including a full indoor stadium and two outdoor concrete courts. Weekly fixtures run on Mondays and Wednesdays, with skills training and representative team sessions scattered throughout the rest of the week. Beyond basketball, the space also hosts everything from badminton and Pilates to youth groups and exercise classes.

“We’re a bit of a community hub,” Shane said. “We try to be a space for the whole community.”

But with support from recent state government funding, the club is now putting extra energy into programs designed to attract more female players. Shane, who personally applied for the grants, said the idea was to strengthen grassroots participation and bring new faces into the sport—especially at a school level.

“We’ve been into a couple of local schools already,” he said. “We’re holding come-and-try sessions and inclusion clinics to give girls a chance to get involved in a fun, no-pressure environment. Last week we were at St Francis, and this week our female coaches are running a session at East Ayr.”

While the club already boasts girls' representative teams, their regular weekly fixtures are mixed-gender, due simply to current player numbers. The hope, Shane said, is that with increased visibility, encouragement, and school involvement, the female side of the game will continue to grow.

“Basketball’s a great way to build bonds between kids,” he said. “It teaches teamwork, it builds relationships, and it gives them a sense of community. It’s empowering—especially for young girls.”

Outside of schools, the club is also ramping up its presence in the wider community—leaning into social media, word of mouth, branded apparel, and partnerships with local youth programs to spread the word.

“Any opportunity we have to get involved with the community, we take it,” Shane said. “A lot of our coaches are school teachers, and we’re already a familiar face around town. We want to keep that going.”

For Shane and the rest of the Burdekin Basketball committee, the goal is simple: to provide a welcoming, active space for everyone—and to make sure young girls know there’s a place for them in the game.

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