Waratah Leagues
The Spalding Waratah League is Basketball NSW’s senior representative competition. It runs across five divisions, with the season tipping off in March each year and the finals weekend held in August. Basketball Illawarra enters Hawks teams in the Youth League and Waratah divisions, sitting between the Junior Hawks program and NBL1 East.
Youth League
Youth League is the under-23 tier of the Waratah League — the first step into senior representative basketball for players finishing their junior careers. Hawks Youth League men’s and women’s teams train and play alongside the NBL1 program, and the strongest performers are promoted into NBL1 rosters during the season.
Waratah League
Our senior Waratah teams compete in the state’s open-age divisions, giving senior players a representative pathway whether they are building towards NBL1 or returning to the game. Fixtures run Saturdays and Sundays across NSW from March to August.
Waratah Wheelchair League
Basketball NSW, in partnership with Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT, launched the Spalding Waratah Wheelchair League in 2022. If you are interested in wheelchair basketball in the Illawarra, contact us and we will connect you with the program.
Want to play or help?
Trials for the following season are announced in News each spring. Players can register interest at any time; we are also always looking for team managers, bench crew and referees for home games.