The 'Mustangs' junior and senior teams represent the Swan
Districts Basketball Association in the elite, inter - district
Western Australian Basketball League, or WABL, competition
The competition is controlled by the governing body of basketball
in the state, Basketball WA
WHO AND WHERE DO THEY PLAY ?
The WABL competition is conducted on Sundays from May to
September on a 'home and away' basis between Association or district
- based teams in stadiums throughout the metropolitan and outer
metropolitan area from Mandurah in the south to Joondalup in the
north and includes Cockburn, Kalamunda, Morley and Rockingham
amongst others
Approximately half of the 'Mustangs' games are played on
our home courts at the Swan Park Recreation Centre
In 1998, the WABL was divided in the south and north conferences,
with conference finalists playing each other for the WABL Championship
at the Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium
The 'Mustangs' Under 18 Division 1 Men's team were 1998
north conference champions and WABL Championship Runners
Up
HOW MANY OF THESE 'MUSTANGS' TEAMS ARE THERE ?
In the 1998 Season, the Swan Districts Basketball Association
fielded 10 of a possible 14 'Mustangs' teams in the WABL
Nomination of teams is dependant upon the availability of players
and coaches
The age divisions for 1999 are designated as Under 14 Divisions 1 &
2 men and women; Under 16 Divisions 1 & 2 men and women; Under
18 Divisions 1 and 2 men; Under 20 women; Under 23 men; Senior,
or Division 1, men and women
This break down allows teams of junior players aged 12,13,14,15,16,17,
18/19 and 18 - 22 years of age to compete against teams of players the
same age
However, the structure is such that exceptional younger players
may play in a Division 1 team or an older age group, whilst an
player may play in a Division 2 team providing they meet the age
qualification for the division
WHAT ABOUT THE YOUNGER PLAYERS ?
The 'Mustangs' have also set up an Under 12 Development
Programme, supervised by Mr Fred Pesqua, the Association's Development
Officer
Players falling into this age group have the opportunity to compete
in mid and end - of - season tournaments and to represent the
Association in Basketball WA's proposed WABL Under 12
Development Competition with games held on a monthly basis
in a 'round - robin' format
Parents of players who will be in this age group in 1999 are invited
to register their interest with the Association's Administrative
Assistant by telephone on 9274 1321 or by fax on 9274
6525
WHERE DO THE PLAYERS GO AFTER THE WABL ?
With 1999 being the year of the 'Mustangs'return to the
elite Skywest Basketball League, or SBL, local players
have the opportunity to advance through junior ranks into senior
and SBL basketball in one planned, seamless path
From there, the exceptional players have the opportunity to advance
to the national leagues
The Perth Breakers' Women's NBL team's Marianna Vlahov
is a product of the Swan's Junior Development Programme, as is Brett Jeffries of the Melbourne Tigers
WHAT ABOUT THE STATE TEAMS ?
The advent of the NBL and WNBL saw the demise of
the Senior State team National Championships, however the National
Junior Championships are still alive and well
In 1997, Swans' Brett Jones represented Western Australia in the
national Under 16 Championships, whilst Daniel O'Connor
was selected in the Under State Schoolboys team in 1998
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED ?
The Swans Districts Basketball Association, through Development
Officer Fred Pesqua, has already commenced planning for the 1998
BWA Championships to be held in November and December, and
for the 1999 WABL and SBL seasons
Try - outs for the BWA Championships are already under
way
