Week 1 of the Winter 2025 season is officially in the books — and what a start it’s been for Iron Tigers Basketball Club!

U16 and U18 teams took to the court for their first games on Monday night. While we’re not focusing on wins and losses just yet, it’s been great to see our squads begin to gel and find their flow. Building chemistry and trust takes time, and these early rounds are all about establishing a strong team foundation.

On Tuesday, our youngest Tigers kicked things off with U10 training at Niagara Park, led by Coaches Matt, Anthony, and Will. The energy was infectious — and the excitement was real. Unfortunately, the U10 games scheduled for Wednesday were cancelled due to a power outage at Breakers Indoor Stadium, but we’ll be back on court next week.

Wednesday evening saw our U12 and U14 teams train for the first time at CCGS, making great use of the space and showing early signs of cohesion. On Thursday, our U12 teams were on court for games, while U16s and U18s held their first team training sessions at CC Hoops — setting the tone for the weeks ahead.

Spotlight: Coach Xanthe Fitzgerald
This week, we’re giving a massive shoutout to Coach Xanthe Fitzgerald, who has gone above and beyond for her players.

On Monday, she filled in to coach the U16 White team in their first game, then backed it up immediately with her own U16F Black team. Tuesday saw her juggling university basketball trials, coaching her U14 Orange boys at Terrigal, and then rushing to Erina for Waves Waratah Women’s training. She wrapped up the week with a Waratah game on Saturday — an incredible example of commitment and passion.

Partner Shoutout
Thanks to World Burger and McDonald’s for supporting our Player of the Game awards. Their generosity helps us recognise the effort and sportsmanship of our players week after week.

Coming Up: Skills Academy Starts Next Week
Our Term 2 Skills Academy launches next week and is open to players not currently training with Iron Tigers teams. It’s a great opportunity for athletes playing social basketball — or anyone not in a structured program — to work on their skills with professional coaches.

• Cubs (U10s) – Tuesdays @ Niagara Park
• Juniors (10–13yrs) – Wednesdays @ CCGS
• Seniors (14–17yrs) – Thursdays @ CC Hoops

More info & registration:
eyeofthetigerfitness.com.au/basketball-skills-training

Hoodies Now Available
Keep warm in our official Iron Tigers hoodies — available now via our online shop.
Order here

Go Tigers!
We can’t wait to build on this momentum in Week 2. Thanks to all players, coaches, and families for making our first week so special.