A hot meal, workshop and a couple of hours of basketball drills and matches made for a fun and safe Saturday night on May 25 as round three of the inaugural Blue Mountains Midnight Baskeball program tipped off at Katoomba Sport and Aquatic Centre.
Midnight Basketball is a community-run initiative offering a supervised environment for 12 to18-year-olds, particularly targeting disadvantaged youths and those identified as being ‘at risk’.
A bus takes all players home after the matches conclude at midnight, a security guard is provided at the venue and a team of about 15 volunteers run each round of the eight-week program.
Head coach Joe Conry, a Katoomba resident and former junior state basketball representative, said council’s youth drug and alcohol project officer Sarah Farrell-Whelan got the ball rolling in mid-2012 when she called for volunteers, local schools and potential participants.
The Rotary Club of Katoomba donates the food for the children’s dinners and many volunteers including Darug elder Carol Cooper and legendary local basketball administrators Fred and Brenda Pateman came on board, enabling the program to start.
It now regularly draws up to 40 kids per round and it’s hoped that with enough support, a second season will be held in the second half of this year.
“An alarming statistic is that the Blue Mountains has the highest rate of youth binge drinking in NSW,” Mr Conry said.
“This program gives young people something to do on a Saturday night, which is lacking in the Blue Mountains.
“Tonight they received a workshop on how to deal with cyber-bullying from Blue Mountains Police youth liaison officer Senior Constable Michelle Jancso and we often bring in other guest speakers like Rural Fire Service volunteers.
“The kids can see people like police officers as human beings, they can see adults in different community roles and that we are here to help them,” Mr Conry said.
“As long as they’re getting something out of it and we are teaching them something, it’s all worth it.”
Mr Conroy, a father of four, said he can relate well with the participants because he grew up in an abusive and tough environment.
“I was heading down a bad path and in life you are going to have troubles,” he said.
“But on the other hand people who overcome challenges early in life tend to become stronger.
“Seeing the smiles on the kids faces at Midnight Basketball is great and I really do understand where a lot of them are coming from.”
Participant Cain Pettitt told the Gazette he was thankful for the opportunity to play the game of basketball on Saturday nights with other students his age.
“They say there is also the opportunity to take it (basketball) further if you want to,” Cain said.
“I know most of the kids here, it’s a lot of fun and we can do stuff together and learn to co-operate.”
To learn more about Midnight Basketball visit www.midnightbasketball.org.au or phone Sarah Farrell-Whelan on 4780-5637, or contact by email sfarrellwhelan@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or
