Passion: Sam Beks during last year’s grand final.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
On Thursday, November 16, Shepparton Gators players Sam Beks, Dylan Hoare and Matt Bartlett welcomed Greater Shepparton City Council representatives to the Shepparton Sports Stadium to talk about, well, the Shepparton Sports Stadium.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
They were hoping to shine a light on the need for a redevelopment, or upgrade, to the stadium and highlight the potential for economic growth and positive impact on the community.
As vice-captain, Beks believes the community deserves better, specifically children.
The success of the Shepparton Gators has run parallel to the rise in junior players within the Greater Shepparton Basketball Association.
The Gators reached back-to-back Big V division one grand finals, and took home the title in August.
When Beks arrived for the grand final, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
Fans were lined up out the stadium’s doors as far as the hockey fields.
It was only after the game he found out hundreds of fans were sent home due to capacity issues at the stadium.
This left Beks feeling a bit “hurt”, and vindicated the need for more seating and capacity so that every fan is able to be a part of the journey.
Meanwhile, the domestic competitions have seen a surge of young ballers, with the association struggling to fit everyone in due to capacity issues.
“With how successful the men’s team has been, I think it’s been really good for the local basketball community,” Beks said.
“It enhances the kids’ desire to play, and gives them something to aspire to.”
While Beks is now a staple of the Shepparton community, both as Gators vice-captain and a local teacher, he actually took his game to the next level in Bendigo after he left Shepparton, before returning.
In 2018, Bendigo’s stadium had a major court expansion, much to the delight of the newly-arrived Beks.
“While I was at uni there, I had no issue ever getting a court and getting shots up,” he said.
“I think that ability to get on the court and work on my game by myself really took me to the next level.”
Nowadays, Beks is a semi-professional basketball player who performs in front of hundreds of devoted fans.
Hometown hero: Sam Beks often sees children he teaches show up and support him.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
And the only place he can get shots up is the half-court at this gym.
The Gators get one time-slot a week to train at the Shepparton Sports Stadium, finishing later than 9pm on a weekday.
Beks said he didn’t envy teammates Staci Richardson and Lachlan Kego, who travelled from Echuca and Benalla to train with the squad.
He is hopeful about the future of basketball in Shepparton, and is optimistic that one day the city will have the facilities to emulate his experience playing in Bendigo.
Beks said more courts would free up kids to train and provide the necessary infrastructure for the next generation.
“There’s some really good kids coming through, and they need a pathway, not only from Shepparton but surrounding towns,” he said.
“There needs to be some investment into the future of Shepparton basketball.”
