Bruins Bankstown Skills and Development
Welcome to the Bruins Skills & Development Program. We have introduced classes based on skill level and age range to better provide your child with a pathway through skill development, competition and beyond. We offer 1-hour classes that provide our athletes of all ability levels from the ages of 5-17 years with the opportunity to learn the skills and rules of basketball in a fun and friendly environment. Our classes focus on developing our athlete’s fundamentals including dribbling, passing, shooting, footwork, defence and a basic understanding of game concepts. The classes run alongside the school term for approximately 10 weeks.
Bruins Skills and Development Class Information
Welcome to Bruins Skills and Development Program
Bruins Skills and Development runs classes at Bankstown Stadium and Liverpool Whitlam Centre across multiple days throughout the school term. Please see below a brief description of some of Bruins Skills and Development basketball Classes.
Bruins Skills and Development also offers many speciality classes and programs across the year, including an Aussie Hoops Program, Under 9’s Development League, Under 11’s Rep Prep, Pink ball, and so much more!
Starters
| Ages | 6 -10 years |
| Available Classes | Mondays – 5:15pm (8-10yrs) Wednesdays – 4:30pm (6-8yrs), 5:30pm (6-8yrs), 5:30pm (8-10yrs) Friday – 4:15pm (7-9yrs) Saturday – 9:00am (6-9yrs), 9:00am – (8-10yrs) |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $100 (New Members $50 joining fee which includes a Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | Starters classes continue to develop basic skills, work on eye-hand coordination, and offer opportunities to use these skills in small sided game situations. |
Cubs
| Ages | 7-10 years |
| Available Classes | Wednesdays – 4:30 pm and 5:30pm Friday – 4:15pm Saturday – 9:00am and 10:00am |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $100 (New Members $50 joining fee which includes a Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | Cubs is the advanced level to Starters. A greater emphasis is placed on the fundamental skills and game-like situations and concepts are introduced. |
Rookies
| Ages | 11-13 years |
| Available Classes | Wednesdays – 4:30pm (11-13yrs), 5:30pm (11-13yrs) Friday – 4:15pm (11-13yrs) Saturdays – 10:00am (11-13yrs) |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $100 (New Members $50 joining fee which includes a Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | The Rookies program is the first step in our pathway for our older age group and is designed for players that have an interest in basketball and have never played competitively or trained formally. These classes provide skill instruction, a learning environment and a fun approach to teaching the game. |
Hoopsters
| Ages | 13-15 years |
| Available Classes | Wednesdays – 5:30 pm (13-15yrs) Friday – 4:15pm (13-15yrs) Saturday – 10:00am (13-15yrs) |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $100 (New Members $50 joining fee which includes a Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | Hoopsters have advanced from the Rookies classes and more detailed skills are introduced. Game concepts and rules of basketball introduced along with small-sided games and scrimmages. |
Rising Stars
| Ages | 15-17 years |
| Available Classes | Wednesdays – 5:30 pm (15-17yrs) Saturday – 10:00am (15-17yrs) |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $100 (New Members $50 joining fee which includes a Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | Rising Stars are at the level where they are introduced to competition and game strategy whilst testing their skills and this level. The players will be encouraged to join a junior club to be placed in a team. The next level of coaching will be high performance but must be graded to be elevated to this class. |
Girls Only Classes
| Ages | 10-16 years |
| Available Classes | Wednesdays – 5:30 pm |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $100 (New Members $50 joining fee which includes a Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | A class provided for Girls who have never played the sport and are looking to get involved. This class is led by a female coach who is passionate about providing opportunities for girls to play. |
High Performance
| Ages | 11-16 years |
| Available Classes | Wednesdays – 5:30pm(11-13yrs), 5:30pm (14-17yrs) Friday – 4:15pm (11-13yrs) Saturday – 10:00am (11-16yrs) |
| Class Duration | 60 mins |
| Cost | $130 (New Members $50 joining fee and Training Singlet) |
| Class Information | The High Performance Program is designed for those athletes who play in our local competition or have graduated through the ranks of the Skills & Development classes and are looking to improve their skills and overall game with an extra practice session each week. Our sessions are run in an intensive environment and structured similarly to a representative practice. These sessions provide a mix of individual skill, team concepts and understanding of the Bruins style of play. These classes often feature drills and small sided games that many representative teams and professional teams use in their weekly sessions. These drills are broken down to explain the ‘why’ and purpose of the skills necessary to perform the tasks and how they relate to competitions situations. |
Aussie Hoops Program
Bruins Aussie Hoops Program General Information
Bruins Aussie Hoops Program
For young athletes aged 5 to 7, we offer the “Aussie Hoops” program in which Bruin in conjunction with Basketball Australia aims to introduce the sport of basketball for the first time. These sessions include warm-up games, Skill activities and modified games with an emphasis on FUN and participation.
Upon registration, first-time participants will receive a starter pack which includes a reversible singlet, basketball and sports bag.
Bruins Bankstown Aussie Hoops Schedule includes classes on:
Monday 4:15pm – 5:15pm
Wednesday 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Friday 4:15pm – 5:15pm
Saturday 9:00am – 10:00am
Under 9's Development League
Bruins Under 9's Development League Class time and General Information
Our Under 9’s Competition is designed to provide athletes who have had some basketball experience a pathway into competitive basketball. This program caters for young athletes, who are between the ages of 7 to 9, who are too young to enter into Bruins Junior Domestic Competition.
Our Under 9’s competition is held at Bankstown Basketball Stadium on a Friday Afternoon at 4:15 pm and a Saturday morning at either 9:00 am or 10:00 am.
Our competition is structured so that our teams receive 30 minutes of practice and 30 minutes of game time, usually approximately 4 x 7-minute Quarters. Our experienced coaches run our practice sessions and then referee/coach the games to ensure our players are both learning the rules and using the skills they have been practising. All athletes in the Under 9’s must not turn 9 years old during the competition. We run 4 x U9’s Competitions each year, running in line with the School Terms. We believe this structure assists in easing the jump from our Skills and Development Program into our Junior Local Competitions.
For more information or if you wish to enter your child into one of Bruins Under 9’s Teams, please email caitin@bruinsbasketball.com.au
To register for the upcoming Term, please press on the link below.
Under 11's Rep Prep
Bruins Under 11's Rep Prep General Information
Bruins Under 11’s Rep Prep Program
The Bruins Under 11’s Development Squad is a selective program designed for boys and girls who wish to represent the Bankstown Bruins at a representative level one day. The elite program is open to all players under the age of 11 (they must not turn 11 in 2021).
It is an invitational only program and involves participating in a weekly training session held on a Wednesday afternoon from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm and two gala days, held on a Sunday against other Associations. The program runs from Term 1 to 3 (February to September). In Term 4, the players will trial for the Under 12’s representative teams for 2022.
In addition to developing the Super 6 basketball skills (Shooting, Passing, Dribbling, Pivoting, 1 v 1 Defence and Decision Making), participants are also taught the Bruins values of teamwork, hard work, respect and discipline. All of which are required to play at a representative level.
Speciality Programs
Speciality Program Information
Bruins Speciality Programs being announced soon!
Coaching Skills & Drills
FAQ's
What do I need to bring?
Just wear comfortable clothing, bring a water bottle, and if you have a basketball please bring along, if not we have balls to borrow and for purchase ($30).
Which class/group is my child in?
Your child will be placed with his age group and assessed by our coaches for promotion along our pathway. You will be directed by staff upon arrival to the correct court.
Do we have a uniform?
No, simply wear comfortable clothes and sports shoes
How long do the sessions run for?
Sessions run for 60 minutes. Our programs follow the school term, usually 10 weeks and break for school holidays. We also run a number of camps during the school holidays.
Do we play games?
Our sessions involve teaching skills, playing inclusive games that use these skills and then some sessions will include short unofficial games towards the end of the term.
Can my child play games and also participate in classes?
Yes, we encourage all players in our Local Competitions to attend classes also. We have classes that are tailored towards assisting with development for Local Competition players including our High Performance classes.
Does my child need supervision during the session?
All children under the age of 14 are required to have 1 parent supervise during the session.
Do we accept Active Kids and Creative Kids Vouchers?
We accept the Active Kids Voucher (beginning with 54). We DO NOT accept the Creative Kids Voucher (beginning with 99)
How does my child progress from Skills classes to Local Competition?
We can assist with this process. The first step is to follow the link below to our “want to play” form. You will be placed on a database, which our clubs can access. If a club has a position available, they will call you and provide you with all the details. https://bruinsbasketball.com.au/want-to-play-basketball