Many of you will have seen a press release from Basketball WA yesterday sharing the above roadmap for a return to basketball training and competition in WA.
As the roadmap indicates, we are currently in Stage 2, Step One.
Stage 2, Step Two will kick in next Monday 18 May.
After you read the full BWA press release here, we know you will all have one question:
‘What does this mean for me/the program I’m involved in at Perth Redbacks?’
Read on to find out where we currently sit (based on the information and resources we currently have available to us).
SBL/DIVISION 1
As you will have seen yesterday, SBL and Division 1 have been cancelled for 2020.
Basketball WA does, however, intend to create and run a winter competition for the elite adult players in our state. And it is Perth Redbacks’ intention to be part of this competition.
The Perth Redbacks SBL Director has already started conversations with our SBL coaches and players about a return to training that will ensure our players are fully prepared for that competition when it starts (hopefully in July).
WABL
All our WABL teams have commenced outdoor conditioning training.
As of Monday 18 May, there is potential for our WABL teams to return to non-contact indoor training. But, we are currently speaking with all our venues about access and availability for that and the conversations we are having suggest that indoor training for WABL is 1-2 weeks away. A key restraint here is that, until at least Monday 15 June, indoor facilities with multiple courts are only permitted to have 20 people in a ‘room’ (rather than per court).
BWA has also now confirmed they are aiming to start the WABL competition on the final weekend of the Term 2 school holidays – Saturday 18/Sunday 19 July). This is the date we were already working towards as a club so it is pleasing to know we are on track. Venue access and availability, along with the WA Government activating Phase 3 of their roadmap are the conditions that will determine whether this happens or not.
DOMESTIC
Domestic competition can start again when:
- The WA Government activates Phase 3 of their roadmap.
- Venues can have 20 people on each court (instead of 20 people in the entire facility which is what venues are restricted to when indoor facilities re-open on Monday 18 May).
The earliest the above will happen is the week of 15 June. Which means the earliest Perth Redbacks can start our Winter Domestic competition is Saturday 20 June.
We have now opened registrations for the Winter Domestic season in order to facilitate a return to play as soon as is possible.
As with WABL, in theory indoor, non-contact domestic training can commence as of Monday 18 May. But the reality of venue availability/capacity restrictions might mean this is further away than we’d like. Non-contact training (adhering to these rules) on outdoor basketball courts is currently permitted, however.
AUSSIE HOOPS & SPIDERLINGS
It is anticipated that these two programs will return in Term 3.