The program was initiated due to having an insufficient number of girls to conduct a viable competition.

Sessions were held at Barton Street Stadium on Wednesday afternoons from 4.30 to 5.30 pm.

These consisted of training for about 30 minutes where coach David Swift taught the girls basic skills such as shooting, dribbling and passing in a fun environment.

After that they were placed in teams to play a game for half an hour and, depending on the numbers present, the teams swapped opponents at different intervals.

This allowed the girls to experience playing against a greater variety of skills and body types.

Mostly a good core group of 15 to 16 girls came to play and the association is hoping to attract a few more next season to run a fully-fledged competition.

Down the track it is hoped that the association can again enter girls’ Lazers teams in the Western Junior League to complement the strong boys program.

The girls who were present most weeks included Sophie Swift, Sabrina Cox, Hayley Ranse, Amelia Jeffery, Britney Battersby, Mikayla Fittler, Isabella Wright, Maddi O’Leary, Shannyn Hodges, Jessica Alexander, Krystel Bain, Lily and Carrie Wyrzykowski, Kyah Wright, Tamryn Martin, Bella Inzitari, Ava Kelly, Lauren Kirby, Cheyanne McDonald and Indianna Lincoln.

After the final session for the season the girls were each presented with a brand new Molten basketball.

The association thanks David Swift for his excellent, and patient, coaching, as well as Fletcher Swift and Hayden Cox who helped to referee the games most weeks.

Also a big thank you to McDonalds for supplying encouragement awards each week and the parents and carers for bringing their girls and supporting them in the often cold stadium.

Likewise thanks to Rae Swift for organising the playing singlets and helping to keep things running smoothly.

The association will conduct a muster day for next season on July 15 from 430pm at the Barton Street Stadium with an eye to forming a competition to start the next week, July 22.

If numbers are insufficient to create at least four teams the association will again run a Learn To Play Program.

Girls aged from about nine up are welcome to play.

Younger children, both girls and boys, should look out for the ‘Aussie Hoops’ program which will be running soon.

In the meantime, the association will be running a series of training and development programs.

Information on the programs can be found in in the Lithgow Mercury, on Radio 2LT or the Lithgow Basketball Development Program Facebook page.

The association believes the girls had plenty of fun during the season and all improved their basketball skills and fitness.

They invite all the girls back again next season and hope they can bring a friend or two to share the experience.

For further information on any of the Lithgow Basketball programs, contact Richard Marjoram on 6352 1635.