The Central Coast Waves Basketball Association (CCWBA) has shut the doors to its courts at Niagara Park Stadium and suspended all trading, leaving hundreds of domestic and representative players blindsided.
CCWBA had contacted Basketball NSW expressing concerns about the association’s financial stability and on March 28, things took an abrupt turn.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic left many small businesses and community-based sporting organisations struggling and dedicated Waves Board members tried their best to navigate through the unforeseen financial adversity but the aftershock of the pandemic proved too much.
CCWBA hasn’t thrown in the towel yet as Basketball NSW continues to work closely with directors to have finances audited, while the association takes measures to ensure plans are in place to reduce its debts.
Some relief may be in sight for representative Waves athletes with an offer extended by Central Coast Basketball (CCB) to play out the remainder of the Spalding Waratah League season under its management.
CCB, which operates out of Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium at Terrigal, has had its own economic challenges in recent years and is empathetic to the Waves’ struggles.
“Many community sporting organisations struggled during the pandemic, and we were not immune to that,” CCB General Manager Matthew Tredrea said.
“However, through careful planning and management from our team and our Board, we are now in a sound position.”
For a lot of Waves players in the under-12 program, this is their first year of representative basketball and for some Under-18s athletes, this will be their last.
“It is important for these young members of the community to play out the remainder of this potentially monumental season, and that is just one of the reasons we look forward to welcoming these teams to continue their basketball journey on the Central Coast with our Club,” Tredrea said.
As a staple of the Central Coast sporting community since 2006, CCWBA has housed numerous programs from grass roots Learn To Play to inclusive programs like One Culture.
Board members and Basketball NSW will meet in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson said Basketball NSW is working with Central Coast Council regarding the finals of the current CCWBA domestic competitions being completed, with more information to be announced shortly.
Stefan Kataric