Basketball Queensland, alongside numerous clubs and associations, has been awarded Active Women and Girls funding, marking a significant milestone in fostering gender inclusivity within the basketball community. The Department of Tourism and Sport developed this funding as part of the Activate! Queensland 2019-2029. The strategy aims to increase sports and recreation participation among women and girls.

With a budget of $15 million, the Active Women and Girls Program represents a transformative initiative to uplift and accelerate participation opportunities for females in sports. The Queensland Government provided $25,000 to Basketball Queensland, earmarked for education and training dedicated to female basketball coaches.

Luke McGuire, Head of Player and Coach Development, stressed the funding's significance for Basketball Queensland, highlighting plans for female coaches.

"Our goal is to use it to provide vital opportunities for female coaches, including access to conferences, specialised camps aligned with our high-performance events, support along our coaching pathway, and the expansion of all female coaching programs," said McGuire.

General Manager of BQ Business Operations Kimberley Hibbert emphasised that Basketball Queensland understands that opportunities for women and girls extend beyond just playing.

"It's about expanding the variety of opportunities for women and girls to stay connected to the sport, and finding new ways to participate," said Hibbert.

Northside Wizards was among the $7,500 Category 2 funding recipients. Mark Wrobel, Northside Wizards GM, underscored the funding's importance in investing in developing female administrators within the association.

"Funding like this from the State Government makes it possible for associations to provide training and development opportunities that they usually wouldn't be able to," said Wrobel.

Funding initiatives like the Active Women and Girls grant are significant in establishing inclusivity. It provides resources for education, training, equipment, and programs tailored to the specific needs of female athletes, coaches, and administrators. By investing in these areas, the goal is to not only promote gender equality but also strengthen the overall fabric of the basketball community, ensuring that women and girls have equal opportunities to excel and contribute to the sport.

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