Drug Aware Ignite Basketball uses its Saturday night tournament as the foundation for the program. Along with the coaching and skills development, it caters to all ages and abilities and provides an ideal platform for initial engagement. This year, we have partnered with the Perth Redbacks who have helped transition Drug Aware Ignite into a program that offers formal competition within teams at Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18 levels. Intensive training takes place on Tuesday nights for all teams, while games are played in Victoria Park on Saturday mornings through the Perth Redbacks Leagues.
Skills Coaching
It is not just enough to throw the young people into games and expect great results. Players have to be taught strong fundamentals of the game to enable them to grow and develop. At Drug Aware Ignite, we use qualified, experienced senior coaches to deliver skills and drills to the young people on both Saturdays and Tuesdays. They are also taught to “self-coach” so that they can practice the correct techniques in their own time.
Ignite Diamonds, Warriors and Tigers
Graduating from casual basketball to a more structured and advanced level, the Diamonds (all-girls), Warriors (U14 boys) and Tigers (U18 boys) have been competing against teams across Perth for the last two seasons. With young people developing skills and abilities, creation of formal, competitive teams was a natural progression for the program. Coaches from the Saturday session voluntarily provide their time and have already yielded amazing results, with the Ignite Tigers and Ignite Warriors capturing the U16 and U14 championship respectively in mid-2014.
Basketball Camps
Several times a year, The Perth Redbacks run developmental basketball camps during school holidays. Offered at a discounted price, they allow Drug Aware Ignite participants to attend and receive tutelage from SBL and professional level coaches.
USA College Scholarship Trials
In late 2013, several talented participants from Ignite were identified by the Perth Redbacks and invited to take part in College Scholarship trials at the WA Basketball Centre in Perth. Playing in front of scouts from the US, our young players were able to mix and compete with other talented young people from across Perth.
