Basketball Otago (BBO) might be working within a tight budget but its grassroots programme is flourishing.
While the Nuggets franchise continues to struggle in the national basketball league, the rest of BBO has experienced significant growth.
In the past two and a-half years, there has been a steady rise in player numbers. According to information provided by BBO, there has been a 20% increase in the number of people involved in the winter competitions and a 50% increase in the summer competitions.
Miniball has proven hugely popular and has swollen to 135 teams, forcing the organisation to turn away prospective new teams.
BBO does not have the capacity to expand miniball until it can increase its access to the five wooden floor courts at the Edgar Centre, a problem on which chief executive Mark Rogers was outspoken.
"Court space is a big issue for us, because we can't grow a lot of our programmes, some of which bring in income," Rogers said.
BBO returned a $13,837 deficit for the financial year ending October 2007. The organisation also returned a small loss of $7170 the previous financial period.
Despite finances remaining a struggle, BBO has been proactive in ensuring it benefits from the increase in player numbers, establishing the "Miners" youth programme for children aged 6-17. About 140 benefit from weekly session throughout the year. There is also a basketball academy which caters for 18-23 year olds.
Not surprisingly, it has started to reap the rewards for its investment, with improved results at age group level.
Last year, the Otago under-17 boys finished second at the national championships, and this season the under-17 girls went one better by winning Otago's first national title in a decade. The boys under-19 team also finished a creditable fourth this year.
The improvement, though, is perhaps overdue. Basketball Otago is the third-largest basketball association in New Zealand in terms of playing numbers and has underachieved in the past.
BBO's shop window, the Otago Nuggets, have been at the bottom of the NBL for the past four years.
