Ben Forsyth, Amilia Weah, Heather Barton, Axel Goodall and Ben White.

SOUTHERN Peninsula Basketball Association has teamed up with Sorrento Community Centre to make the sport more accessible to players and to upgrade the community centre’s basketball facilities.

“Domestic games and programs will be run out of the one court at Sorrento,” association general manager Ben White said.

“Initially this will see the addition of this court to our Saturday domestic competition, which will act as the home court for a number of Sorrento and Rye games.”

The long distances between some venues was a catalyst for the agreement. “Currently some participants have to make an 80-minute round trip if they are playing at Dromana, let alone the additional time at busy periods on the southern end of the peninsula,” Mr White said when announcing the plan last October.

“To have them spending double the time in the car than they would play a domestic game on a regular basis is creating barriers for not only players, but coaches and referees, too.”

The association will work with the community centre to deliver fixtures in which teams from Sorrento, Rye, Rosebud or Boneo will use the Sorrento Community Centre and the Hillview Stadium at Rosebud.Chairman Shane McMahon said Sorrento Community Centre was “very pleased to have entered this partnership agreement”.

“It provides for additional use of the Sorrento Community Centre and supports our aim of working more closely with other community-based organisations. We are very much looking forward to further building on what is a mutually beneficial long-term partnership which will extend the benefits we can provide to our community.”

Mr White said the partnership helped alleviate the “significant court shortage on the peninsula”.

“We are continuing to work with local, state and federal governments for further facilities with the support of Basketball Victoria and community groups,” he said.

“We are still at 100 per cent capacity midweek and almost 100 per cent on weekends.”

“As we return to sport as COVID-19 restrictions ease, we look forward to announcing further programs and initiatives with the Sorrento Community Centre.”

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 12 January 2021