Greg Dickinson with Parker Grant, Darcy Arthur, Hugo Murphy, Levi Robson, Lincoln Arthur and Asher Parsons at the Ford Aussie Hoops program launch.
Rural Ford Deniliquin is partnering with the Deniliquin Stadium to shine a light on junior basketball, which will see impressive facility upgrades and some welcome donations.
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The junior basketball program hit the courts for the first time this season on Wednesday, with a brand new look as the ‘Ford Aussie Hoops’ program.
About 60 enthusiastic junior basketballers attended.
The Ford Aussie Hoops program runs on Wednesday afternoons, catering to kids from preschool up to Year 2.
The players learned many skills and received a basketball singlet as part of the first training program.
The Aussie Hoops Basketball program started with one program for preschool and Kindergarten players (3.50pm start) and another for the Year 1 and 2 students (4.45pm start), including boys and girls.
Deniliquin Rural Ford general manager Vicki Holloway said the local business is excited to be a part of the program.
“Ford Australia recently partnered with Basketball Australia and encouraged all dealerships to collaborate with their local Aussie Hoops coordinators to help with the program in any way needed, so we’ve gone big with it!” she said.
“Every registrant this season receives a free Ford Aussie Hoops singlet that’s theirs to keep.
“We’ve also donated 20 basketballs to the stadium.”
Holloway also announced the addition of new basketball backboards at the program launch.
“In production at the moment are four clear, acrylic backboards for the stadium, which we’re really excited about as they will enhance the professional look of the facilities,” she said.
Deniliquin Sports & Entertainment Stadium manager John Arthur agreed that the backboards were a much-needed upgrade.
“Our current wooden backboards have served us well, but they’re in desperate need of an upgrade,” he said.
“The acrylic backboards not only look great, but they improve playing performance and now make our facilities compliant with Basketball Victoria.
“This opens up more opportunities for the kids as they get older, through gala days and competitions as a part of our local representative basketball club, the Deniliquin Junior Giants.”
Arthur said the partnership with Rural Ford was crucial to this upgrade.
“Our Aussie Hoops program has always been strong, with more than 50 kids each season.
“But to remain accessible to all our families, there just isn’t room in the budget to do all these upgrades alone.
“Rural Ford’s sponsorship has made all this possible, and the singlets for the kids just really top off the support.”
Rural Ford marketing manager Emma Arthur said the support doesn’t end here.
“We’ve already got some things in the pipeline to give more to the Ford Aussie Hoops program over the next 18 months,” she said.
“Ford Australia have made this partnership possible and communities like ours work best when locals support each other.”
More information about the program is available from the Deniliquin Stadium and Rural Ford Deniliquin Facebook pages.
Levi Robson, Asher Parsons, Lincoln Arthur and Hugo Murphy (back) with Darcy Arthur and Parker Grant (front) at the Ford Aussie Hoops program launch.
Some of the Ford Aussie Hoops program balls with Ford F-150 on show.
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