The College will launch the inaugural Beaconhills Basketball Pathway in 2025 and is expecting huge interest from students at both campuses.

The pathway aims to create a high-performance environment with a professional athlete culture, including support for students hoping to be sighted by talent identifiers.

It will run during terms 2-4 and is open to students from Year 9 and older who have played in or will trial/play in SEISA A or B basketball teams.

Students will have the chance to be selected for College teams which compete in the Victorian College Championships (VCC), with potential qualification for the VCC finals, Championships Finals, Champions Cup and Elite Eight school competitions.

The pathway also develops students to compete in the All Schools Championships at the Gold Coast. And plans are underway to revive an international basketball tour to the USA every three years.

The pathway will be a co-curricular offering under Beacon Explorers. It will attract a fee and includes:

•            support from NBL1 head coach Luke Kendall -currently Head Coach at Casey Cavaliers – and Nutritionist Ola Luczak (Game Day Nutrition)

•            College uniform and warm-up top

•            two training sessions a week before school (one College and one campus-based)

•            uniform

•            transport

•            management of individual training needs.

Berwick Campus Head of Sport, Chris Johnson, who heads up the Basketball Pathway, said basketball participation was already huge across the College. He estimated more than 50 per cent of students played basketball.

“This is a great opportunity. The pathway will take a holistic approach to help educate students for their sporting futures, not just the next competition,” he said.