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After 13 years of Association Cup, Basketball WA and School Sport WA are please to announce the new and improved name of the School Slam Series. The change in name and branding allows Basketball WA and School Sport WA to expand their reach with the Primary School Basketball Carnival as well as add some additional resources and capabilities of the program to benefit schools.

Moving away from the name Association Cup means that the carnival is no longer attached to an Association who is affiliated with Basketball WA. It will mean that the series will travel to areas such as Butler, Ellenbrook, Gosnells and Baldivis which previously were not able to hold their own area Association Cups. It will also allow Basketball WA to bring the carnival to many country town such as Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany and Busselton after the success of the two Association Cups this year in Eaton.

The change in format will also allow for a move competitive pathway for players and school, more competitions throughout the year and more opputunities to participate in the sport. Included in the new format are:

• 1 x free skills clinic
• 1 x free 3×3 lunch time clinic
• 2 x free professional development opputunities for staff/teachers to further their development as Baskektball Coaches
• Regional finals series (North, South, East, West and Country) where the top two schools from each carnival will compete to qualify for the Champions Cup Carnival
• The Grand Final for the Champions Cup to be played prior to a WNBL/NBL game

These changes not only provide more opputunities for players and staff but allows continue to develop them in the sport.

Another change will be the introduction of the ‘Endorsed Carnival’ stream. School Cell groups currently running their own Basketball Carnivals seperate to the School Slam Series can apply to ‘Endorse’ their carnival as a qualifier for the Regional Carnivals. Endorsed Carnivals will recieve an Event Manual, prizes and trophies for their event as well as some administrative support from Basketball WA to further the quality of their current carnival. This will allow more schools to be involved in the pathway and enable schools to be proactive and run their own carnivals.

With the launch of the new program, Basketball WA have constructed this website as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for everything school related and encourage Teachers, Students and Parents to engage in the resources.

For more information about the changes and how your school can be involved, please contact Georgia Clarke, Basketball WA Participation Officer on 6272 0748 or georgia.clarke@basketballwa.asn.au