A message from the Club President

Greetings to all our Wattle Park Families,

With the holiday break behind us, we are now moving towards completing our Winter season and preparing for finals. It is also the time when we open registrations for the Summer 2026–27 Season.

We are really keen to see all our wonderful Wattle Park families continue their basketball journey with the mighty Wattle Park Saints. Please register as soon as possible so we can plan teams and resourcing for the new season.

Despite increases in training and team sheet fees, we have worked hard to absorb these costs and keep registration fees at the same level as last season.

Please make sure you read the registration information carefully, even if you have registered many times before, and please make sure you use the correct registration link for the day you want to play.

If you have not received your registration information, please contact your Team Manager or Age Group Coordinator as soon as possible.

We would love to see as many of our current players as possible return, but we also want to give more children the opportunity to experience what makes Wattle Park special. Please feel free to pass the registration information on to friends and family who may be looking for a team. We would love them to become part of Wattle Park.

Respect, Behaviour and the Wattle Park Way

I also want to take the opportunity to talk about behaviour.

Unfortunately, player, coach and spectator behaviour continues to be an issue across the Association, with a number of technical fouls being issued and several matters being referred to the Tribunal.

We have also had incidents where coaches or parents have interacted directly with opposition players. This is an absolute no-go zone for Wattle Park Saints.

There is no circumstance where it is appropriate to confront, abuse or make physical contact with an opposition player, either before, during or after a game. If you have a concern about something that has happened, raise it with your Team Manager, Age Group Coordinator or with me. That is the appropriate way to deal with it.

At the end of the day, this is junior sport. No player should ever feel threatened or intimidated while playing basketball.

The same principle applies to referees. Coaches can appropriately raise matters with referees during breaks in play, but parents and spectators should not be confronting referees during or after games. If there is an issue that needs to be addressed, again, speak to your Team Manager, Age Group Coordinator or Club officials.

The Club supports the Association's strict approach to unacceptable behaviour and will uphold penalties, forfeits and suspensions where they apply.

These matters can have serious consequences. A recent Tribunal decision resulted in a parent receiving a two-year ban following abuse directed towards a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old referee during a game.

We all want Wattle Park to provide a safe, respectful and positive environment for every player, coach, referee and family. But that environment doesn't happen by itself and it requires all of us to make the right choices.

If this is not something you are prepared to commit to, then I would encourage you to seriously consider whether Wattle Park is the right club for you.

Child Safety has become an increasingly important focus across the whole sporting community, and Basketball Victoria is committed to ensuring that basketball operates with the highest standards of integrity and child safety.

Recent events have shown that good intentions are not enough and rightly resulted in a much greater focus on compliance, with Coaches, Team Managers and Club Officials required to ensure that all necessary registrations, checks and verifications are current.

The Association is taking a firm approach where these requirements are not met, and this can result in teams being unable to play, including forfeits or games being cancelled and treated as walkovers.

Wattle Park strongly supports these requirements.

We are continually working to ensure that our Coaches, Team Managers and other officials have the necessary accreditation and checks in place. However, child safety is a shared responsibility.

If you are involved directly with children at the Club, please make sure your relevant accreditation, registration and Working with Children Check (WWCC) are current and that you respond promptly when the Club asks you to update or verify your details.

These requirements are not simply administrative hurdles. They are an important part of creating an environment where every child can participate safely.

Finally, I want to share something I saw while getting around the games recently.

I watched what I thought was a great example of the Wattle Park Way.

One of our teams was struggling against a faster, taller and stronger opposition. Their coach, a relatively young coach in only his second season, could easily have become frustrated.

Instead, he just kept encouraging his players, reminding them of what they needed to do and supporting them throughout the game.

The score started to blow out, but the boys were still smiling. They were getting their court time, making their substitutions, getting their hands on the ball and, most importantly, enjoying playing basketball.

That is what junior basketball should be about.

In another game, I saw a very talented player who was clearly physically dominant for his age. He could shoot, was athletic and looked like he could have just about been playing NBL-1. There is nothing wrong with having talented players, and we want those players to develop and do their best.

Playing this player for the whole game with a long bench and a substantial lead, the opportunity to share the game with the entire team was missed.

For me, the first coach demonstrated much more of what we want to see at Wattle Park. Every player gets an opportunity. Every player gets to learn. Every player gets to contribute. And every player gets to enjoy the game.

So, a special shout-out to Tom Glass for the way he approached his game, but also a big thank you to all of our coaches who embrace this philosophy and continue to support the Wattle Park Way.

Coaching junior basketball isn't just about winning games. It is about helping young people develop confidence, learn teamwork, build friendships and, hopefully, develop a lifelong love of the sport.

That is something we should all be proud of.

Go Saints!

I look forward to seeing everyone at our Winter Presentation and please get those registrations in.

Brave, True, One.

Shayne La Combre
Club President

In this edition

Summer Season Registration

Winter Season Presentation Day

Saints Starters New Development Program

Summer Season Coaches Wanted!

Spring Basketball Camps

Pre Season Basketball returns to the Heartland!

Wanted: Your Old Saints Uniforms

Thank you to our Sponsors

Dates to remember

Summer Season Registration

Yes, it is still chilly outside but Summer Season registrations are now open! Registration details are available on our website.

Junior Monday (Girls) and Friday (Boys) Players – register here

Junior Saturday Players – register here

Please make sure you use the correct links when registering.

Registrations close 5pm, Sunday 16 August.

If you have any questions, drop us an email to find out more.

You're Invited!

Winter Presentation Day

Pop it in the diary, Winter Presentation Day is coming up on Sunday 27 September! Held at Forest Hill College, the event celebrates another fantastic basketball season and will include awards, pizza and the Presentation Day Skills Challenge.

Presentation Day Skills Challenge

Show your basketball skills at our Presentation Day challenge! Following our awards, we'll be running a shooting and ball handling competition for each age group. Come along for the presentation, stay to show your skills!

Winners will be recognised as our club shooting and ball handling champions, with trophies and prizes on offer. Participation is free - just register to the Presentation Day and stick around for the challenge after the awards.

Date: Sunday 27 September 2026
Time: 2pm - 6pm
Location: Forest Hill College, 178/180 Mahoneys Rd, Burwood East
Bookings: Please book your seats via Trybooking

Saints Starters

New Development Program

Saints Starters is a new program to help support new players build skills and confidence from an early stage.

We had a great first couple of weeks, with a lot of smiles and excitement from our young players. We want to say a big thank you to players, parents and our wonderful Saints Starters coaching team for making the program such a success so far.

We've also been running targeted skills sessions for more experienced players (U11s and up), with our other new program, Saints Skills Sessions. We have a couple of spots available for upcoming U11s/ U13s sessions, available to book here.

For any questions, contact Paul.

Summer Season Coaches Needed!

As each new season comes around, our Club needs coaches (both new and returning) to register to take on the role.

Without coaches, we cannot field teams. We ask parents, carers, older siblings and players (U15+) to consider putting your hand up.

Coaching is extremely rewarding - probably one of the most direct ways that you can positively impact young lives. All coaches receive training for the role, so you don't need to be a basketball all star - you just need the commitment to guide a group of young people.

To register, just fill out the EOI form. For any questions, contact Paul.

International Sports Camps

Spring Basketball Camps

Our incredible sponsor, International Sports Camps, have another great deal for Wattle Park Saints families on their fantastic basketball camps during the next school holidays! Save 30% using the code WS30. Various locations and dates are available, including Canterbury, Box Hill and North Balwyn. Head to the website to book.

Pre Season Basketball

Returns to the Heartland!

SEM Phoenix’s NBL27 campaign is fast approaching, and there's no better way to get excited than with four preseason games at the State Basketball Centre this August.

See the Phoenix take on a Japanese B.LEAGUE Select Team, NCAA Division I side Saint Mary's, and fellow NBL clubs Melbourne United and the Cairns Taipans. It'll be your first look at the Phoenix under newly re-signed Head Coach Josh King as the team begins its journey towards a maiden NBL championship.

Watch Next Star Dash Daniels pull on the Phoenix colours for the first time alongside fan favourites Jordan Hunter, Angus Glover and Nathan Sobey, plus our exciting new import signings.

Here is the link for tickets

Enter the code CLUBPARTNERPRESEASON to unlock exclusive partner discounts!

Wanted: Your Old Saints Uniforms

Do you have an outgrown Saints uniform sitting in your cupboard? Then please donate it to the Club for reuse! Your old singlet or shorts can be added to our loan stock which assists to kit-out new players while they wait for their uniform to arrive from the manufacturer.

Please e mail the Club to organise dropping off your pre-loved uniforms.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are very grateful to our wonderful sponsors. Thanks to these sponsors, we have been able to provide top-notch coaching and development, along with coaching kits to our young aspiring Junior coaches in our community. This support has not only improved their confidence, leadership and basketball skills but also instills valuable life lessons around teamwork, discipline, perseverance. It's heartening to see this positive impact and how sponsorship makes a difference.

Community Bank Inner East

We are pleased to have Community Bank Inner East as a sponsor. They share their profits with the local community so clubs like us can benefit. Please contact Kate Bellamy for all your banking needs.

M: 0478 435 736 E: kate.bellamy@bendigoadelaide.com.au.