Shooting Hoops Foundation delivers meaningful impact across South Australia in 2025

In 2025, the Adelaide 36ers continued to extend their commitment beyond the court through the Shooting Hoops Foundation, the club’s not for profit arm dedicated to creating meaningful social impact through basketball.

Established to harness the power of sport as an engaging platform for the community, the Shooting Hoops Foundation connects, educates and empowers young people across South Australia. Guided by its core values of Impact, Engagement, Inclusion, Excellence and Opportunity, the Foundation delivers education focused initiatives aligned to five key pillars: Health and Wellbeing; Leadership and Resilience; Culture and Social Inclusion; Development and High Performance Pathways; and Science, Technology , Engineering and Maths (STEM).

Together, these pillars ensure programs are relevant to community needs, community driven and designed to deliver lasting outcomes for young people.

Throughout 2025, the Foundation engaged 28,192 participants across 66 schools and community settings, reinforcing its position as a leader in youth development through sport. Adelaide 36ers players played a central role in this impact, contributing more than 810 hours of direct community engagement, bringing authenticity, inspiration and strong role modelling into schools and communities.

In 2025, the Shooting Hoops Foundation implemented four new programs. A flagship initiative in 2025 was the Beyond the Baseline program, an innovative wellbeing and personal development program supporting Year 10 and 11 students. Aligned to the Australian Curriculum, the program equips young people with practical tools to manage pressure, build resilience, adapt to change and make positive life choices in response to increasing wellbeing challenges faced by adolescents.

The Adelaide 36ers Harmony Hoops Program was implemented to foster inclusion and connection for young people aged 12–15 from migrant, refugee, diverse and socially isolated backgrounds. By promoting social cohesion, cultural understanding and a sense of belonging, the program also encourages healthy lifestyles and highlights pathways into participation pathways.

In 2025, the Foundation also implemented a Defence Wellbeing and Positive Connections Program, supporting Australian Defence Force personnel and their families as they navigate the unique challenges of military life. The program focuses on building resilience, strengthening community connections and helping families integrate into South Australian communities through shared experiences and support networks.

Strengthening school partnerships was further enhanced with the launch of the Teacher Ambassador Program on World Teachers’ Day 2025. Now comprising a network of 50 teachers, the program partners educators with the Adelaide 36ers to strengthen school engagement, promote wellbeing initiatives and inspire greater student participation in basketball.

As well as new initiatives, the Adelaide 36ers High Performance Schools Program continued, addressing the demand for elite development pathways that support students both academically and athletically. Delivered across five partner schools and colleges, the program provides access to elite basketball coaching, leadership development, mentoring and exclusive match day experiences, aligning schools with a high performance model that enhances engagement, wellbeing and achievement on and off the court.

Promoting healthy, active lifestyles from an early age remained a priority through the Active Adelaide 36ers Program, which supports children aged 5–13 via basketball clinics and interactive wellbeing workshops. Delivered in schools the program focuses on physical activity, nutrition, sleep, vaping prevention and online safety, helping young people build positive habits for life. The program involves theoretical lessons and fund practical activities.

Grassroots engagement remained strong through Adelaide 36ers School Clinics, with interactive sessions delivered during school terms and holidays. Facilitated by Adelaide 36ers coaches and supported by player involvement, these clinics encourage physical activity and introduce participants to basketball and support their skill development in a fun, inclusive environment.

As the Shooting Hoops Foundation continues to grow, its purpose remains clear: to use basketball as a powerful tool to break down barriers, create opportunity and support young people to reach their potential. In 2025, the Foundation’s work delivered impact well beyond the scoreboard, building stronger communities and shaping brighter futures across South Australia.