Ballina Basketball History

Ballina Basketball has a rich history dating back to the 1960s when a small competition was played in an old timber church hall at the Catholic Church on Crane Street. By the late 1960s, the Ballina Council established a brand-new bitumen outdoor court with lighting on Swift Street, allowing for the first structured competitions for men and women. At this stage, basketball was still a relatively new sport in the region, and there were no junior divisions.

During this time, basketball was growing in popularity across the North Coast, with competitions emerging in various towns. Ballina likely fielded its first-ever representative team when Eric Dean, a basketball enthusiast from Casino, encouraged local youths to train and develop their skills. This led to the formation of Ballina’s first junior representative team in the Under-18 division, competing against clubs from Casino, Kempsey, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Byron Bay, and Murwillumbah. Under the guidance of Eric and his wife Irene, Ballina's basketball community expanded rapidly, and within two years, the Ballina Men's U18 team became regional champions.

By the 1970s, Ballina Basketball had established itself as a competitive force. A junior program was introduced on Friday nights, leading to significant growth in participation. During this era, North Coast basketball was primarily centred around two-day senior carnivals held on weekends in various towns, including Woodenbong, Casino, Lismore and Ballina. These events were both highly competitive and socially engaging, with Ballina emerging as one of the strongest teams in the region. A record 55 teams once participated in a Ballina-hosted carnival, utilising Swift Street, the high school outdoor courts and even converting a town tennis court into a makeshift basketball court.

Throughout most of the 1970s, basketball in Ballina was played outdoors. That changed in the late 1970s when games moved into the Ballina High School auditorium. This indoor facility allowed year-round play, although it came with its own challenges—most notably, the eastern baseline being uncomfortably close to a wall, an arrangement that would not meet today's safety standards. As basketball continued to grow, the focus shifted towards junior development, leading to the establishment of junior league programs across New South Wales.

The 1980s saw further expansion when former Ballina Mayor, David Wright, played a key role in introducing basketball to the newly built Alstonville Community Centre. This venue, featuring a high-quality parquetry floor, quickly became a major asset. With the help of Ballina Basketball members, the Alstonville competition grew to two nights a week, providing additional opportunities for local players.

In the mid-1990s, Ballina Basketball secured equal access to the stadium at the newly built Southern Cross School through an agreement with the Ballina Council. While the facility was excellent, increasing school enrolments eventually limited the club’s access during exam periods. Despite these challenges, the men's competition expanded to two divisions (A and B), and the women's competition also grew steadily. Although junior programs were still small, neighbouring clubs like Lismore and Grafton dominated the Northern Junior League, the official Basketball NSW representative competition. Some of Ballina’s top junior players were invited to play for Lismore Lakers before Ballina established its own representative program.

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ballina Basketball was fielding its own representative teams in the Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 age groups. Players, coaches, and managers committed to rigorous training and extensive travel, often spending weekends on the road competing across the state. These experiences forged lasting friendships and rivalries, while also producing high-level talent. Several Ballina players went on to represent their state and play professionally, including:

• Nathan Crosswell: NBL 1999–2013: Melbourne Tigers, Victoria Giants, Adelaide 36ers, Townsville Crocs, Cairns Taipans; now Melbourne United Academy and Sabres Youth League (Big V) Head Coach.

• Tegan Fowler: WNBL – Melbourne Tigers, Boomers; NBL One (Casey); Sabres (Big V); Frankston; Germany.

• Lauren King: WNBL – AIS (Australian Institute of Sport), Bendigo Lady Braves, Townsville Fire, Sydney Uni Flames.

A major highlight of the 1990s was Ballina hosting a preseason National Basketball League (NBL) game between the Gold Coast Rollers and Brisbane Bullets at Southern Cross School. The event was a resounding success, with 700 spectators packed into the school’s stadium.

For over 60 years, Ballina Basketball has thrived thanks to the dedication of passionate volunteers who have ensured the club’s continued growth and success. Special recognition goes to Eva Ramsay and Steve McCarthy, whose tireless efforts helped secure the development of the Ballina Indoor Sports Centre (BISC). This state-of-the-art facility stands as a testament to their commitment and the legacy of countless individuals who have contributed to Ballina Basketball over the decades.

Representative Program Achievements

The association takes pride in its rich history of representative teams participating in officially sanctioned competitions in New South Wales. Notably, junior teams competed in the Northern Junior League seasons from 2008 to 2015, achieving title wins in various age categories, such as Under 14 Boys (2008), Under 16 Boys (2009), Under 18 Boys (2010), Under 14 Boys (2011), Under 16 Girls (2014), and Under 16 Girls (2015). In 2008, the Ballina Breakers made their debut appearance in the NSW Senior Division 1 State League, finishing a commendable third in the competition.

In 2023, the Ballina Breakers' Under 18 Girls achieved a remarkable feat by clinching the Division 1 North-Eastern Junior League (NEJL) championship. Their journey didn’t stop there—they progressed to the Spalding Waratah Junior State Cup, where they stood out as the sole representative from a country team across all 14, 16, and 18 divisions. In an awe-inspiring display of talent and determination, they secured the runner-up position in the Grand Final.

With a new committee injecting much-needed funds and attention into our juniors in 2024, our 2024/25 NJL teams have flourished! We’ve worked hard to bring pride and prestige to our representative program. Representing Ballina is something we want families to view as an honour—a reflection of commitment, growth, and community.

This year, Tiffany Chilcott stepped into the rep delegate role for the first time and did an incredible job supporting the program and the seven teams entered in the BNSW Northern Junior League (Division 2).

Key initiatives included:

• Excellent parent-coaches who supported holistic player growth and competitiveness.

• A comprehensive Rep Information Booklet for families.

• New supporter apparel and warm-up tops featuring sponsor logos.

• A detailed sponsorship package to help families gain local support.

• Two training sessions per week offered to all rep teams.

• A new Rep Launch Day with uniforms, team-building, team photos, a scoreboard clinic, and a warm-up session led by Cal from Jetts Gym.

• Partnership with Jetts Gym, providing a free PT session to each team.

While we’re still building a more competitive and committed mindset, these improvements supported coaches and managers and helped players grow while having fun.

Result: Five out of seven teams reached the grand final, with the U14 and U16 Girls crowned champions. We are now working towards entering teams in Division 1 next season.

Currently, Ballina Basketball remains actively engaged in multiple competitions, including the Northern Junior League (NJL), North Coast Shield (NCS), and Sunshine Conference Competitions.