Northam’s young people give night hoops their best shot

Night Hoops in action at Northam.

Since Night Hoops first began three years ago, with funding and support from WA Police, the program has gone from strength to strength drawing young participants from Northam and surrounding districts.

This year, Night Hoops ran on Saturday nights from 1 August to 5 September and it proved as popular as ever with hundreds of young people taking part over the six-week period. The program was popular with boys and girls alike and especially with Indigenous youth who comprised 85% of the participants. One Saturday night, the Northam Recreation Centre was almost bursting at the seams when 75 young people turned up.

Young people find out when Night Hoops is on through Northam PCYC, Wheatbelt Youth Police Officers, Northam High School and Northam Night Hoops Facebook page. It’s a real community effort helping young people to get there. Those who don’t live within walking distance can travel on one of three buses made available by Northam PCYC, the Shire of Northam and a community bus which picks up young people living in rural areas outside the town.

A typical Night Hoops Saturday evening involves the young people playing against each other in teams before breaking for a healthy dinner and taking part in workshops on a range of topics including leadership, yoga wellness and important health issues including safe sex. The evening finishes up with another action-packed mini tournament before the bus trip home.

For more pictures, go to the Northam Night Hoops Facebook page.