By Aaron Cordy
BALLERS, lifelong friends and Shepparton Gators Thomas Frame and Matt Bartlett always wanted a space where they could shoot hoops, hang out with like-minded people, and pass on their love of basketball to the next generation.
Talking to people with kids in the industry, the pair noticed a demand for good coaching in the area, so they took the plunge and began what would eventually be the Bucket Centre.
Thomas and Matt ran a free skills session at the Visy Centre in the old Wanganui Secondary School Stadium, which got the ball rolling. For nearly a year they ran 7am sessions out of Visy Stadium for some dedicated basketball enthusiasts.
“It averaged between five to 15 per session. Sometimes we’d get 15, sometimes six, or sometimes 10, but kids kept rocking up. It was cool because they’re all tiny, under the age of probably 13. And what’s really cool is we’ve seen all these kids stick with us to now, and we can see their development,” said Thomas.
With some dedicated kids, they brought in fellow Gators Josh Kooiman, Jordan Birch and Sam Beks and began sessions at GSSC on Saturday morning. With a good team around them, and the support of their parents and family they began searching for their own space, which threw up its own headaches.
“Matt called me one day. He said ‘So there’s this warehouse at Mitchell Street.’ I checked the plans, and I was like, mate, I’ve seen them before. They’re small, there’s only one building. He said, ‘Let’s go check it out anyway.’ Matt’s really good for that, the way he says: let’s go check it out – let’s go get it done. When Matt and I walked in the door, we just went blank, this almost looks right.”
On inspecting the now Bucket Centre, Thomas and Matt found more than they were looking for. The centre comprises two half-courts with three full-sized rings, a gym, a recovery room, and offices where they can hang out and watch NBA games and create an environment where ballers of all ages want to be.
Still in its infancy, The Bucket Centre hosted Maddie Garrick when she was in town over Christmas. The former Shepparton local and Australian 3×3 and WNBL basketball player did training sessions at the centre while visiting family.
The opportunity to attract elite talent like Maddie Garrick is one thing. The knowledge shared by Matt and Thomas and their team of coaches has the potential to grow and shape the future of basketball in the region. The pair have had schools in the centre and have also undertaken skills sessions in schools in the district to continue to pass on their knowledge and skills and inspire the next generation of basketball players.
It is the passion Thomas and Matt have not only for basketball but the youngsters, who come along each week to train and play with them, that sets them apart. They embrace the whole family, not only the players, by creating the environment where the kids want to be.
“Basketball sometimes comes second to some of those kids. We hear some stories from parents saying, they’ve been bullied at school or something horrible like that…but through our sessions and chats, it helps them get away from that, and that’s really cool,” said Matt.
“Sometimes you just want to walk in and not always feel like it’s basketball court you want to walk in and feel warm instantly by who’s around you. I reckon we’re doing a pretty good job of that,” said Thomas.
The Bucket Centre is open on weekdays after school and Wednesdays and Fridays for 7am sessions. You can book one-on-one time with the coaches, birthday packages, or casual shooting time. For more information about the Bucket Centre, email tom@thebucketcentre.com.au, visit thebucketcentre.com.au, follow them on Facebook and Instagram and find them at 17A Mitchell Street Shepparton.
