“It keeps me fit and very active”: How is walking basketball helping older Whitehorse residents stay healthy?

A group of ageing Burwood East locals have been shooting hoops as part of a local all-abilities sporting program known as “walking basketball”.

Nunawading Basketball’s free Walking Basketball program, which began in October 2024, provides those who may not be able to participate in usual basketball competitions the chance to build up their skills and confidence in a safe environment.

🏀 From strength to strength

Sessions at the Nunawading Basketball Centre in Burwood East begin with a warm up, then move into a shooting drill before 40 minutes of game play broken up by seven-minute quarters. 

Nunawading Basketball community engagement officer, Holly Hanily, said the decision to implement the program was a “no brainer” and came as a part of her role when she started just over a year ago. 

“Every other big association was doing it, we had room on a Monday morning and we had a person to run it,” she told the Eastern Melburnian.

“We had three people to start off with; two that had been involved in Nunawading Basketball for a long time, and one that had never touched a basketball before.”

Now there are 18 participants with varied levels of experience who float in and out of games each week. 

“A lot [of the participants] just want to be a part of a community, but others have been involved in basketball but don’t think that they can keep up with regular basketball anymore, so the modified version works better for them,” Hanily said. 

“Others are returning from injury, and others have said that they quite simply don’t enjoy going to gyms, they’ve played sport their whole life, so this is the way they continue to do that.

“It’s been huge for friendships as well as general health and wellbeing and getting fit and staying active.”

Friendly fun

Lower Templestowe resident Neera Garg, 68, first started playing walking basketball almost five years ago and hasn’t looked back since. 

She now plays four days a week at Eltham, Boroondara, Bulleen and Nunawading. 

“I had never played in my childhood, I was too short so I was never selected for the school team, but I got hooked on it,” she told the Eastern Melburnian.

“I love playing, it keeps me fit and fine and very active.”

All experience levels welcome

For retiree Chee Ip, walking basketball is her first time playing a sport.

“Every now and then, I’m not doing something right and they will tell me “you should do it like that”, I find it really encouraging,” she told the Eastern Melburnian.

“I don’t have any pain.”

A free morning tea is also provided at the end of the session.

For enquiries about Nunawading Basketball’s Walking Basketball program, you can contact [email protected]