The court is full of smiles, laughs, and social connection as Mornington District Basketball Association (MDBA) coaches deliver Basketball Victoria’s (BV) social participation program B-All-In, on a Friday morning. Funded by Sport and Recreation Victoria with the aim to provide a fun and welcoming environment for women and gender-diverse people to participate in basketball, each week you can expect to see a few prams on the sidelines, and an excited group enjoying their time on the court.
MDBA’s B-All-In program is about to close out a second term of free sessions at Civic Reserve in Mornington, and during this time has brought together close to 30 women from the local community to learn the basics of basketball in a non-competitive environment.
The program was designed to provide an alternative for women and gender-diverse people who were interested in playing basketball but didn’t feel comfortable committing to a domestic season. Removing the competitive element and providing coaches who can teach basic skills and technique was vital, as was ensuring that the participants could engage socially with each other over a drink at the café after a session.
‘It was a pleasure to see Mornington Basketball Association delivering the B-All-In program to a group of eager and excited women on Friday morning’ said Women and Girls Participation Coordinator Kat Gourley. ‘It was clear that the program met the goals of fitness, fun, and friendship, and Ketiah and Madi provided excellent coaching that allowed skill-building opportunities for participants of all levels’.
MDBA General Manager Samantha Browne confirmed the positive impact that the program has had in the community.
‘Mornington Basketball was thrilled to be approached to deliver the B-All-In program in our region, and it has been an incredible success. The most rewarding part has been watching a strong sense of connection develop among participants from all walks of life and skill levels.
Some are picking up a basketball for the very first time, while others are returning to the sport after years away—raising families, pursuing other interests, or simply not having played since childhood. We've even had a number of participants whose children are part of our junior program, eager to deepen their own understanding of the game so they can support their kids through coaching or training.
What’s made this program truly special is the sense of community that’s formed both on and off the court and even a new domestic team in our Women's competition as a result of the program. We love seeing everyone come together over coffee and cake afterwards—sharing laughs, letting the kids run around, and forming new friendships that extend beyond basketball.
We’re incredibly proud of what the B-All-In program has become, and we look forward to continuing it for many years to come.’
The creation of a new domestic team formed out of B-All-In at MDBA highlights the success of the program at offering new entry-points for people who previously wouldn’t have engaged in the sport.
‘We had hoped that B-All-In would inspire people to start or get back to playing basketball who weren’t currently involved in the sport, and it’s wonderful to see this occurring at MDBA’ General Manager Member Participation and Growth David Huxtable said. ‘BV is aiming to be the highest participation sport for women and girls in Victoria by 2032, and offering creative and social participation options to engage underrepresented cohorts is vital to reaching this goal’.
BV currently provides seed funding and an equipment pack to Associations who deliver the program, with opportunities to start B-All-In in 2025 still available.
For more information about the program, click below to email.
