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term 4 · 2026 intake

A sharper, higher-intensity development program for domestic players U10–U16 — two age blocks, one court, every Wednesday. Term 4 starts 14 October. Your pathway to representative basketball.

at a glance

Everything you need before you register.

program starts
Oct 14 2026

10 weeks · every Wednesday to 16 Dec 2026

when Wednesdays 4:30pm – 6:30pm · two blocks
ages U10 – U16 born 2012 – 2018
venue WARLC Warragul Leisure Centre
capacity 40 places 20 per block
cost $12/week $120 program · $55 jersey
important — read first

Built for domestic players ready for the next step.

built for

Domestic competition players (junior club basketball) aged U10–U16 who want to develop the skills needed for representative basketball.

not for

Players currently in the Country Representative Program (Squad) or VJBL teams.

This is your pathway TO representative basketball — not a program for those already in it.

the program

Built to develop the next Warriors.

Future Warriors Academy returns for Term 3 with a fresh format. Players from U10 to U16 are grouped into two age blocks and train side by side, learning the offensive and defensive concepts behind the Warriors Style of Play. It's competitive, high-energy, and built to get domestic players ready for the representative pathway.

two age blocks

Find your block.

Players are grouped by age so coaching is matched to development stage. Each block trains for an hour on one court — boys and girls together.

Younger Block 4:30 – 5:30pm
U10 – U12 Born 2016 – 2018

First session of the evening.

Register U10 – U12
Older Block 5:30 – 6:30pm
U14 – U16 Born 2012 – 2015

Second session of the evening.

Register U14 – U16
term 4 schedule

Ten Wednesdays.

Every session runs at Warragul Leisure Centre. The Younger Block trains first, the Older Block straight after.

Week Date U10 – U12 4:30 – 5:30pm U14 – U16 5:30 – 6:30pm
1 Wed 14 Oct 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
2 Wed 21 Oct 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
3 Wed 28 Oct 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
4 Wed 4 Nov 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
5 Wed 11 Nov 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
6 Wed 18 Nov 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
7 Wed 25 Nov 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
8 Wed 2 Dec 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
9 Wed 9 Dec 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
10 Wed 16 Dec 4:30 – 5:30pm 5:30 – 6:30pm
on the court

What players work on.

01

Warriors Style of Play

The offensive and defensive concepts our rep teams use — spacing, movement and transition basketball.

02

Shooting

Dedicated shooting blocks every session: technique, form and game-speed shots.

03

Ball Handling & Footwork

Handling under pressure, clean footwork and finishing with both hands.

04

Game IQ

Reading the game, making smart decisions and developing intelligence on and off the ball.

05

Defence

Stance, positioning, containment and communication — the foundation of Warriors defence.

06

Competitive Play

3v3 and 5v5 scrimmages with reversible jerseys for proper team competition.

every session

60 minutes, full intensity.

A sharper, higher-tempo format. Each block gets a focused hour split between skill work and live game application.

40 minutes

Skills Development

Shooting, ball handling, footwork, finishing, offensive concepts, defensive fundamentals and basketball IQ.

20 minutes

Game Application

3v3 and 5v5 scrimmages putting the Warriors Style of Play into competitive, high-energy situations.

Future Warriors Academy has been amazing for my son's basketball. He has improved so much since joining the academy.
— Future Warriors Academy parent
affordable elite training

Just $0 per week.

Ten one-hour sessions across the term with an experienced coaching staff bringing Big V and elite training backgrounds. The kind of development kids usually travel to Melbourne for — running locally at WARLC.

Reversible training jersey is compulsory for new participants. Returning participants reuse their existing jersey.

coaching team

Led by experienced coaches.

Each block is led by an experienced lead coach supported by assistants on court, bringing Big V playing experience and elite training backgrounds to every session.

Sophie Taylor
Lead Coach

Sophie Taylor

Warragul Local · NBL1 Contracted Player & Australian Representative

Current Playing

  • Contracted Player — Dandenong Rangers NBL1

Australian Representative

  • 2026 FIBA 3x3 World Cup
  • Represented Australia — U15 & U16
  • 2× Gold Medallist
  • All-Star Five Selection

Victorian Representative

  • Represented Victoria — U16, U18 & U20
  • 2× Bronze Medallist
  • Basketball Victoria Female Junior Athlete of the Year

Elite Development

  • Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence
  • AIS Scholarship (2023–2025)
Tony Harris
Lead Coach

Tony Harris

Basketball Victoria Pathways Coach · Representative & VJBL Coach

Pathways & Accreditation

  • Basketball Victoria Pathways Coach
  • Basketball Australia Qualified

Representative & VJBL

  • Warragul Warriors Country Representative Program
  • Gippsland United VJBL — U16 & U18
  • Pakenham Warriors VJBL — U12 & U14 (2018–2022)

Teams Coached

  • Gippsland United U18.1 Boys
  • Rebel Suns U19
  • Warragul Warriors Squad U16.2 Boys

Experience

  • 10+ seasons as Head Coach across all age groups
  • 10 seasons in the VJBL
  • CBL Women — 2024 Champions (Assistant Coach)
good to know

Questions, answered.

01 When does Term 4 run?

Ten Wednesdays from 14 October to 16 December 2026, at Warragul Leisure Centre. The Younger Block (U10–U12) trains 4:30–5:30pm and the Older Block (U14–U16) trains 5:30–6:30pm.

02 Who is this program for?

Future Warriors Academy is designed for domestic competition players aged U10–U16 who want to sharpen their skills and develop their understanding of representative-level basketball. It's not suitable for complete beginners or players currently in Squad or VJBL programs.

03 Can my child join if they're in Squad or VJBL?

No — this program is specifically for domestic players. It's designed to help players develop the skills needed to make Squad or VJBL teams in the future.

04 Are boys and girls in the same sessions?

Yes. Players train together within their age block — blocks are set by age, not gender, and coaching is matched to each block's development stage.

05 How are the age blocks decided?

Blocks are set by birth year. The Younger Block (4:30–5:30pm) is U10–U12, born 2016–2018. The Older Block (5:30–6:30pm) is U14–U16, born 2012–2015.

06 Who will be coaching?

Each block is led by an experienced lead coach supported by assistants on court. Our lead coaches are Sophie Taylor (Warragul local, Australian representative and NBL1 contracted player with Dandenong Rangers) and Tony Harris (Basketball Victoria Pathways Coach, with over a decade of representative and VJBL coaching experience).

07 What if I miss a session?

We understand conflicts happen. Unfortunately we can't offer make-up sessions or refunds for missed sessions.

08 Do I need to buy a uniform?

New participants must purchase the reversible training jersey (a one-off $55). This lets us run proper scrimmages during sessions. Returning participants can reuse their existing jersey.

09 Can I register if the program is full?

Places are limited to 40 (20 per block). If a block reaches capacity we'll open a waitlist and let you know if a spot becomes available.

10 What should my child bring?

Basketball shoes, a water bottle, and a positive attitude. Reversible jerseys are distributed after registration.

behavioural framework

How we train, compete, and treat each other.

Skill is half of it. Character is the other half. Every Future Warriors Academy session is delivered through our Behavioural Framework — applied equally to coaches, players, and parents.

01

Respect

For coaches, teammates, opponents, officials, and the game itself. No exceptions.

02

Effort

Show up ready. Train at the level you want to play at. The work is the reward.

03

Belonging

Everyone has a place here, regardless of skill, background, or how long they've been playing.

register your spot

Secure your place for Term 4.

Ten Wednesdays from 14 October to 16 December, with just 20 places per block. Register your child through PlayHQ below — choose the block that matches their age group.

starts Wed 14 Oct 2026
ages U10 – U16
eligibility domestic players only

Registrations close Friday 2 October, 5:30pm

Younger Block U10 – U12 · 4:30 – 5:30pm Register U10 – U12
Older Block U14 – U16 · 5:30 – 6:30pm Register U14 – U16