Basketball Illawarra

Basketball Illawarra is the governing body of basketball[1] in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia and is based in the city of Wollongong. The club fields both men's and women's teams in state representative conceptions including the semi-professional basketball competition the Waratah League who compete as the 'Illawarra Hawks'.

Illawarra Hawks
LeaguesWaratah League
Founded1954
ArenaBeaton Park Stadium
Capacity1,500
LocationWollongong, New South Wales
Team colorsRed, Black & White
OwnershipIllawarra Basketball Association Ltd.
Affiliation(s)Hawks
WebsiteSnakePit.com.au

Club history

Background

The Illawarra Basketball Association was established in 1954[2] as a local basketball competition among seven teams who registered to play. Their first venue was the Unanderra Hostel before moving to their current home in 1965, Beaton Park Stadium. In 1979, Basketball Illawarra entered into the newly formed National Basketball League for its inaugural season that year.[3] Since then, the NBL side has become largely independent of the Illawarra Basketball Association with separate ownership.[4]

Representative Competitions

Basketball Illawarra competes in the various men's and women's competitions operated by Basketball NSW including their top-tier Waratah League. Playing as the 'Illawarra Hawks', they were champions of the men's state premier division championship in 1998 and 1999 prior to the formation of the Waratah League. The Hawks men's side were champions of the inaugural Waratah League in 2001 and again in 2011.[5]

The women's side were runners-up in the 2011 Waratah League season.[5]

Venue

The Hawks and recreational competitions operated by the association, play games at the Beaton Park Stadium, nicknamed 'The Snake Pit'.[6] The stadium opened in 1965 and is located in the Illawarra suburb of Gwynneville, New South Wales. The stadium previously hosted home games for the professional NBL side of the same name until their move to WIN Entertainment Centre.[7] The NBL side's front office is still based at the stadium and the team use it as a training facility.[8]

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References
  1. "Illawarra Basketball Association". Basketball New South Wales. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  2. "History - Basketball Illawarra". SportsTG. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  3. "Boti Nagy | FLASHBACK 4: August, 1977, ABM". www.botinagy.com. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  4. "National Basketball League | NBL". www.hawks.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  5. "History - Waratah Basketball League". SportsTG. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  6. "Contact Details - Basketball Illawarra". SportsTG. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  7. KEEBLE, TIM (22 June 2015). "Hawks go back to future as Illawarra". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  8. "National Basketball League | NBL". www.hawks.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
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