Hoof Prints & Hoops - Ed.4
- president4283
- Jun 25
- 6 min read
Welcome to your weekly update on all things Ballan Brumbies Basketball Club.
FROM THE PRESIDENT.
Welcome to another edition of Hoop Prints and Hoops – your weekly wrap-up of all things Ballan Basketball!
We’ve officially passed the halfway point of the season and are now just two weeks away from the July school holidays!
I continue to be blown away by the performance and dedication of our teams this season.
Out of the 19 Ballan teams competing with recorded results (15 junior and 4 senior — with U8s excluded as their results aren’t tallied), 10 are sitting in the top 4 of their respective ladders. That’s a remarkable achievement for a small-town club and speaks volumes about the growth and strength of our athletes on court.
With winter well and truly upon us, I’d like to remind everyone to take care with the flu making its way through the region. If your child is unwell, please ensure you notify your coach and update their availability in the Stack Team App (click here to see email on how to use). This helps us plan ahead and, where needed, arrange for players to step up and fill in. For any concerns or questions, feel free to contact the Coaching Committee on coachingcommittee@ballanbrumbies.com.au and the team can help.
On a related note, I’ve noticed quite a few of our players arriving to training in t-shirts or singlets. I know how tricky it can be to keep growing kids in warm clothes, but staying rugged up is key to keeping the bugs at bay. A Ballan Brumbies hoodie or jacket might be a great option (yes, a shameless plug — but a useful one!).
You might have also noticed some improvements in the gym surface over recent weeks. Our committee has been working hard every Friday night to bring the court back up to a standard. A group of 3-4 us sweep, mop, and machine the floor each week, and it only takes around 40 minutes with a few helping hands.
As the President of the club, I’ve committed to doing this weekly, but we’d love some volunteers to share the load. If you can spare the occasional Friday night, please email me at president@ballanbrumbies and I’ll put together a simple roster.
As my mum used to say, “Many hands make light work.”
Lastly, dont forget the Sunday Scrimmages for those in U16's and over. It's a great chance for all our athletes to get together in a fun game of pickup. Each week we have seen a great mix of young and old players coming together with laughs and smiles all the way. See the flyer at the end of the email for more information.
AAANNNNDDDDDD the AGM has been set for July 28th at the Commercial Hotel from 6.30PM so if your interested please come along.
Here’s to another great week of basketball — keep pushing hard, stay warm, and as always,
THE WEEKLY SCOREBOARD
Ballan Brumbies U8.1 Boys - 24
Dummo Dragons U8 Boys B.3 - 6
"Can't be more proud of these kids. Its night and day compared to how we started and cant wait to see where they end up at the end of the season." - Coach Steve Cassar
Ballan Brumbies U10.1 Girls - 6
Drummo Dragons U10 Girls G.3 - 21
"The girls have settled into their new grade (B) . This week we only had 4 girls and played the top team. To only loose by 15 to the top team shows we have it in us to be competitive at this level." - Coach Ruby McLeod
Ballan Brumbies U12.1 Boys - 85
Drummo Dragons U12 Boys B.3 - 35
"After our first loss of the season the boys responded with a dominate 50 point win. With everyone contributing, its a great team effort." - Coach Joe Seketa
Ballan Brumbies U12.2 Boys - 25
Drummo Dragons U12 Boys B.12 - 38
Ballan Brumbies U12.3 Boys - 6
Phoenix Colts - 12
Ballan Brumbies U12.1 Girls - 40
Drummo Dragons U12 G.2 - 10
Ballan Brumbies U14.1 Boys - 37
ExiesArmy U14 Boys 14.4 - 16
Ballan Brumbies U14.2 Boys - 36
Phoenix Vipers - 39
Ballan Brumbies U14.1 Girls - 25
Phoenix Flamingos - 23
Ballan Brumbies U16.1 Boys - 31
ExiesArmy U16 Boys 16.3 - 30
"After leading by 11 points at the half, scraping through to win by just 1 was a clear reminder of the areas we still need to improve. The boys are fully committed to our team values and understand that if we want more convincing wins, we need to keep raising our standards and staying focused from start to finish." - Coach James Tamanika
Ballan Brumbies U16.2 Boys - 31
Wildcats U16 B7 - 28
Celtic Tigers U16 B.6 - 30
Ballan Brumbies U16.3 - 33
Phoenix Swans - 15
Ballan Brumbies U16.1 Girls - 52
Ballan Brumbies U19.1 Boys - 35
Phoenix Ninjas - 51
Ballan Brumbies U19.2 Boys
BYE
Breakers Women - 39
Ballan Brumbies Women - 14
Celtic Tigers Men B.7 - 77
Ballan Brumbies Mens Red - 50
Ballan Brumbies Mens White - 25
Wildcats Gold Mens - 37
Ballan Brumbies Mens Blue - 38
Cool Bears Mens - 32
GET YOUR BRUMBIES MERCH!
With winter now settling in, now is a great time to get some Brumbies merch to keep you warm and looking cool!
With many sizes for adults and youth available, check out our online store or our Hip Pocket online shop via the links below.
REMINDERS
FIRST AID COURSE - New Date & Open to the Community
Due to low initial numbers, the First Aid Course has been rescheduled to Sunday, 27th July 2025. To make the most of this valuable opportunity, we’re now opening it up to other local sports clubs and the wider Ballan community. We believe it’s important that our coaches — and anyone working with our players — have basic first aid knowledge.
This course is also open to parents, guardians, and family members who wish to attend.
The Brumbies Committee has organised this course to support our club’s commitment to safety, and we’ll be subsidising the cost for all coaches under 18 years of age.
When: 27th of July 2025
Time: 9:30 to 12:30
Where: Basketball Gym, Ballan Primary School
What: General first aid along with CPR certification
For more information check the NEWS section on the home page of the StackTeam App. or click on the link below.
COACHES CORNER
QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS WITH A BALLAN BRUMBIES COACH.
COACH: Riley Dart
TEAM: BOYS U14.1 & 19.2
BASKETBALL BACKGROUND:
After being one of those kids that played basketball in the summer and footy in the winter, I 100% committed to basketball and have played all my basketball at the Ballan Basketball Club.
FAVORITE BASKETBALL TEAM:
2010-11 LA Lakers - Aggressive style and they where different.
FAVORITE BASKETBALL PLAYER:
Austin Reaves - Relentless IQ and willingness to do what it takes in any role.
FAVORITE DRILL:
The Mikan Drill. A very underestimated drill as far as todays training goes. Every athlete at any age should be doing this once or twice a week as a minimum.
BASKETBALL PHILOSOPHY:
Communication is key. Al ot of kids I coach play very quietly but as you get more and more to understand the game and how its played, athletes should communicate more to help their team understand the situation.
DRILL OF THE WEEK
WHEN ITS COLD, WARM UP CORRECTLY.
In winter basketball, correctly warming up is crucial for injury prevention and performance enhancement. Cold muscles and joints are more susceptible to injury, and a proper warm-up helps prepare the body for the demands of the game by increasing blood flow, raising muscle temperature, and improving flexibility and range of motion.
Getting in the gym and throwing up 3's as soon as your shoes are on is NOT a warmup! Before the game, or before training find your self an area, be it the hallway or the side of the court and get a few basic cardio warm ups in to get you started.
Light Cardio and Mobility:
Jogging: Start with a light jog around the court or up and down the hallway or sideline, gradually increasing the pace.
High Knees: Bring your knees up towards your chest while walking or jogging.
Butt Kicks: Bring your heels up towards your bum while walking or jogging.
Arm Circles: Forward and backward arm circles to warm up the shoulders.
Leg Swings: Forward and sideways leg swings to improve flexibility and range of motion.
Dribbling: Practice dribbling with both hands, incorporating different dribble moves.
Passing: Grab a friend and practice passing. High, low, bounce, overhead, focusing on accuracy and timing.
Then when its time to get on the court before the game, get in some basics first and then build to the 3 point line.
Pre-Game Court work:
Layups: Practice layups from different angles and distances, focusing on proper form.
Shooting: Gradually increase the distance and intensity of shots, focusing on form and accuracy.
Defensive Closeouts: Simulate defensive closeouts as your friends are shooting to prepare for game situations.
All together your warm up should take no longer than 10-15minutes if you stay committed and dont let distractions get in your way. Then the body is ready for you to get on court and have a great game.
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