LEETON'S Adam O'Callaghan has landed the head coaching role of the Southern Sports Academy's basketball division.
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Basketball had been a missing sport from the academy for some time, but with the work of O'Callaghan and several of his peers from throughout the region, it is now making a come back.
The importance of this is that it means children in the area, including from Leeton, will now again have the opportunity to trial for the representative teams on offer and, if chosen, play at a higher level.
It also means distinct pathways will be in place for those who talents shine bright along the way.
"Basketball hasn't been part of the academy for about a year or two now," O'Callaghan said.
"With our Murrumbidgee South West tournament that we have going, having every association in the region involved, basketball popularity is growing again.
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"I basically applied for the position as head coach, it had to be tendered and that kind of thing, but it's all part of jump-starting the program.
"I've got a lot of help from other coaches from throughout the region as well.
"We wanted a representative from each place.
"The aim is to not just have it as coaches from one area."
In getting the basketball part of the academy back up and running, O'Callaghan and the coaches are concentrating on the under 14s and under 16s age groups for girls and boys, with the aim of growing to include other divisions in the coming years.
"Once we are established we are hoping to have an under 18s program as well," O'Callaghan said.
More than 100 players trialled for the age divisions in November, with final teams to be named in the coming week or so.
Those players who are selected will have an induction into the academy before Christmas and then the first training session will be held in late January before games against other academies in the state are then scheduled and organised.
The academy games will also be held in late April.
O'Callaghan was hopeful the resurgence of basketball at a local level, including in Leeton, would lead to more interest in the sport at a higher level.
This is the opportunity the academy does provide.
"We just want to make sure those opportunities for players are here in our region, we want to have a top quality representative program and that's what the academy offers," O'Callaghan said.
