Junior Basketball in the City of Port Phillip was actively promoted by the Victorian Basketball Association through a state-wide activity amongst primary school children called 'McDonald's Cup'. Local schools were encouraged to form teams and to take part in this competition which was played at the Albert Park Basketball Stadium.
That competition was then handed over to the Melbourne Basketball Association (MBA) for further development. MBA appointed an 'Administrator' to manage the development and the expanded competition was named the 'Port Phillip Junior Basketball Competition'.
With the development of the Albert Park Lake reserve in 1997, the Albert Park Basketball Stadium was demolished and basketball games and competitions moved to the newly build Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, now commonly known as MSAC. Basketball facilities consisted of eight courts in the Basketball Hall and two Show Courts. A huge change from the moderate facilities of the Albert Park Basketball Stadium.
The Port Phillip Junior Basketball Competition (PPJBC) was gaining momentum with the number of teams increasing each year. At that time there were about 45-50 teams in the competition which catered for Primary School aged players. The PPJBC Executive Committee envisaged that competition could be extended to include older players but were concerned about the word 'junior' being in the name of the competition.
The Committee worked together to form a separate incorporated body for the development of basketball in the City of Port Phillip. Bill Bradshaw was the visionary in this process and due to his commitment to the sport of basketball and his passion for working with young people Port Phillip Basketball Association Incorporated was established in 2001. This body is governed by a dedicated volunteer group knows as the Committee of Management who are elected at the Annual General Meeting.
The competition now supports a number of "clubs" who provide a structured environment for players to participate in our competition. Individual teams are also welcomed.
We have maintained a full graded Competition schedule with 100 plus teams participating. Our beginner development programs have become stepping stones into the competition for individuals and teams. We offer regular professional coaching for teams and we have recently begun running our own courses and workshops for Coaches.
As we embark upon our 10th year of Association we trust that this Handbook will assist everyone who is associated with our Saturday Competition to understand and fulfill our Mission "to provide all youngsters with the opportunity to play basketball at a level appropriate to their age and skill, in an environment that encourages full participation as well as increasing levels of skill, within a framework of sound ethical practice."