FAQ

About The Club

Who are the Ocean Grove Breakers?

The Ocean Grove Breakers Basketball Club is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2022 by local parents who have a passion for children's sport and in particular, basketball! We know how hard it can be to form a team, find a coach, organise uniforms and then find time and courts for training. Let us do the hard work for you!

What is the club's purpose?

Our goal is to make it easy for everybody in our town to participate in basketball while forming a sporting community focused on fair play, healthy competition, inclusion and participation. The club will also serve as a united voice calling for more basketball facilities, sooner for Ocean Grove’s community.

Why does Ocean Grove need a basketball club?

Ocean Grove is full of active kids! They ride bikes, they surf or join the Nippers and we have successful local clubs for AFL, Netball, Soccer and Cricket. But despite the prevalence of basketball hoops and the sounds of bouncing balls in our local streets, driveways and schools Ocean Grove has not had a basketball club for over a decade! In 2022 the Ocean Grove Breakers was founded to fill this gap.

What are the benefits of a basketball club?

The Ocean Grove Breakers Basketball Club aims to provide our community with a structured and friendly environment for kids to learn basketball skills, and play with friends, old and new, in the Bellarine and Geelong Competitions. The club will manage team allocations and support team coaches, team managers and players throughout the season. Uniforms are available for new players and existing teams to purchase.

How do I get involved?

It’s easy! Whether you are an experienced player, already in a team or new to basketball just complete the enquiry form, and we will be in touch with the next steps. You can also follow us on the socials - Facebook and Instagram for updates. We also welcome parents to get involved, whether that be as a team coach or team manager.

Does the Ocean Grove Breakers Basketball Club have a Code of Conduct?

We expect all of our coaches, players, parents, spectators and officials to abide by the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association's Code of Conduct.

We will expect every person involved in our club to demonstrate high standards of behaviour including the 5 core fair play values: 

• integrity, 

• respect, 

• responsibility, 

• fairness, and 

• safety.

Our club will adhere to and enforce Victoria’s New Childsafe Standards to keep all children and young people involved in our club safe.

Our club will adhere to and enforce Basketball Victoria’s Member protection by-laws and incorporate Basketball Victoria’s Membership Protection Declaration into standard practice.

Our club will comply with Basketball Victoria’s Drugs in basketball by-laws, last updated November 2021, which adopts the anti-doping policies of Basketball Australia. Our club will keep up-to-date with amendments made to anti-doping policies over time, and maintain the integrity of basketball by deterring doping in this sport.

Game Time and Training

Is training provided?

The club provides court time and scheduling for team coaches to run shared training sessions. The club’s volunteer Head of Basketball and volunteer club coaches can provide guidance to the team coaches to provide fun training sessions designed to develop a love of the game while giving your children an opportunity to continually improve.

When and where are the training sessions?

Training is held each Sunday at BASC, Ocean Grove (but may change from season to season based on court availability). Teams are grouped together based age and experience - check here for more details about training session times as they may change from time to time.

Who coaches?

We require each team to nominate a team coach, usually a parent, to provide supervision and encouragement at each game and training sessions. Team coaches are also required have a Working With Children Check to join the training sessions. Our volunteer club coaches can provide support to the team coaches relating to age specific training focused on correct techniques of shooting and ball handling.

What does a Team Manager do?

We require each team to have a Team Manager. This role includes -

• communicating with the parents, club and association

• setting up and maintaining a team chat group for parents (usually Messenger or Whats App)

• collecting payments from parents to contribute to the weekly game payments

• creating a roster to share the scoring duties

When does the basketball seasons run?

Basketball is a great year round sport and runs during school terms. There are two seasons;

• Summer - October to March

• Winter - April to September

Where do we play?

Our teams compete within the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association and Geelong United Basketball competitions (more info coming soon). Games are played at the following venues - 

• Bellarine Sports Centre, Bellarine Secondary College, Peninsula Dr, Drysdale VIC 3222

• Bellarine Sports and Aquatic Centre (BASC) - Shell Rd, Ocean Grove VIC 3226

Other venues are used from time to time with details provided in the online fixtures.

When do the Bellarine competition teams play?

The scheduling is determined by the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association and may change between seasons depending on court availability and demand. This information is for the 2022-2023 Summer season -

CC = Christian College, Drysdale. STIG = St Ignatius, Drysdale

Registration and Fees

Basketball is played all year round. Registrations open in March (for the Winter Season) and August (for the Summer season). When registration are open visit our homepage and click "Register". The rest of the time you are welcome to join our wait list in case a team requires a new player or to be reminded when the new season begins.

How much does it cost to register?

*Note: The information below relates to the Bellarine competition. From 2024-2025 Summer season our club will also have teams competing in the Geelong competition - for more information visit geelongunitedbasketball.com.au.

There are a number of fees when registering to play basketball in Victoria. All of the above are collected at the time of registration in PlayHQ -

• Club Membership $55 (per season) - Per player paid to Ocean Grove Breakers.

• Club Singlet $50 (as required) - Per player paid to Ocean Grove Breakers. Includes a  reversible singlet. Junior players are to provide their own navy blue shorts with no pockets.

• Basketball Victoria Fee $43 (first year) and $29 (per year) for renewals - Per player paid annually to Basketball Victoria

• BPBA Player Fees $45 (per season) - Per player paid to Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association (note: this has increased from $28 last season).

• Basketball Australia Player Development Fee $5 (per season) - Per Player

* A team registration fee to the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association is paid by the the club and included within our Club Fee

How much are game fees?

• BPBA Game Fee $72 Juniors (per game) / $79 Seniors (per game) - This expense is shared by the team (usually $10-12 per player) paid to the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association.

Costs up to date for August 2022. Ocean Grove Breakers Basketball Club Inc. is a not for profit association. All proceeds are used for the benefit of our members.

Does the Ocean Grove Basketball Club participate in the ‘Get Active Kids’ voucher program?

Yes!  The “Get Active Kids’ voucher program is a Victorian Government initiative that supports children to get involved in organised sport and active recreation activities by providing up to $200 towards the cost of membership, sports equipment or uniforms.

To find out more about the Get Active Kids Voucher Program and to apply visit Get Active Victoria

Can I register as a senior team or player?

Yes. For players wanting to compete in the senior competitions register your interest and we will attempt to place you in team at the the start of the season. From time to time positions become available during the season too. Alternatively, exisiting teams can join the Breakers - contact us.

I haven't / my child hasn't played basketball before - can I / they still join a team?

Ocean Grove Breakers is fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where new players will have an equal opportunity to develop and improve. The Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association has many divisions within each age group which enables teams to compete against other teams of a similar standard. For juniors that are new to basketball also consider programs delivered by the Bellarine Peninsula Basketball Association for 5 to 10 years olds such as Aussie Hoops and Slam Jam.

I am / my child is an experienced player but doesn't currently have a team. How do I join?

Team and Player Registrations open in March (for the Winter Season) and September (for the Summer season). When registration are open visit our homepage and click "Register". The rest of the time you are welcome to join our wait list in case a team requires a new player or to be reminded when the new season begins. Follow our social channels and subscribe to our mailing list to be notified when Pre-registration opens.

How will my child be allocated to a team?

During the registration process we collect information about your child’s current basketball experience.  We use this information to match your child with teammates of similar experience. Once allocated to a team the players can stay together season after season if they choose.

My child wants to play in a team with their friend. Will this be possible?

There is a section on the registration form where this can be requested. We will do what we can to accommodate this but it is not always possible.

Is it possible to join a team mid season?

Yes . . . but there are rules to prevent manipulation of the grading system. Opportunities to fill-in or join a team mid season will be handled on a case by case basis to satisfy the Association's regulations. The first step is to register.

Do I have to be a resident of Ocean Grove to join?

No. We will accept members from throughout the Bellarine Peninsula but we encourage you to play for your local club if possible. See all Bellarine clubs here.

When is a “clearance” required?

In some cases players may require a "clearance" to change clubs.  This does not apply to players within individual teams that are not part of a club.

• Download the BPBA player transfer form

Existing Teams

Will our players remain together if we join the club?

Yes. Existing and newly formed teams can keep playing together season after season if they choose.

Our existing team already has uniforms - do we need to buy new uniforms?

Yes - the uniform is a very important part of promoting and representing our club.

Can existing teams keep their current name?

Partly. All teams will compete under the club name but will also have a unique team name which they can keep as they move through the age groups. For example "Ocean Grove Breakers - Pirates". For existing teams that are joining our club this will provide a great way to continue the legacy of your team while enjoying the benefits of being part of a club. Note: there will be guidelines regarding acceptable team names.

What is the players uniform?

The players uniform consists of a reversible unisex club singlet and navy blue shorts. The club singlet will be available to purchase at the time of registration via PlayHQ.

Players must wear navy blue shorts without pockets. Affordable options are available at most department stores -

• https://www.target.com.au/p/basketball-shorts/62846271

What is PlayHQ & MyHoop?

PlayHQ is an online platform for clubs and teams to manage player registration, payments and order uniforms and merchandise -

• PlayHQ - Ocean Grove Breakers

MyHoops is a free iOS and Android App for community basketball players, family and fans with live scores and statistics, plus fixtures, ladders and results for every competition on PlayHQ -

• https://www.playhq.com/au/apps/myhoops