As a guest of the club I watched on as the Forestville Eagles Basketball Club Central ABL men’s League won their match in extra time. Earlier in the night the Ladies team made mince meat of their opposition, a team just one game below them on the ladder.

The Forestville Eagles Basketball Club is another of the sporting success stories from within the boundaries of the City of Unley. South Australia’s premier club last year, the club is a victim of its own success.

With 70 teams across a number of competitions Forestville has become not just the most successful but the biggest club in South Australia.

Like another club residing in the west of the City of Unley they are providing opportunities for the next generation of players. Their junior program (those up to age 23) have so many kids involved the various managers of the club can’t agree on the numbers involved. It would appear to be between 500 and 600.

The Eagles play out of the 3 court Wayville Stadium which is tucked away in the north west corner of the Adelaide showgrounds on Rose Terrace.

To a large degree their growth, from just 35 teams I think 10 years ago, was some what unplanned, but  a legacy from simply doing things right. Recent changes to their management structure however has them planning like no other sporting club I have communicated with in our region with a clear 10 year plan.

They have a goal to grow to 100 teams in this time frame. Trouble is (as noted in my blog of June 9) the Stadium out of which they play cannot handle the size of their organisation now, with many of their teams not able to play their home games at home.

I enjoyed the games last night and congratulate them on their continuing success.

Thank you for the invite.