…supports physical well-being,

It's not just about providing somewhere for people to exercise and move their body; it's providing an environment in which people learn how to do so in a controlled and safe manner, being supported by teammates and organizers.

…supports mental and emotional well-being,

All attendees are expected to comply with our Code of Conduct. While score and standings are kept in some programs, the emphasis is always on building community and supporting others.

…supports players of all abilities,

Experienced players help the new players learn the ropes informally or through organized clinics, and spontaneous opportunities for mutual consensual learning occur organically and frequently, both on and off the court. 

…is diverse,

Participants in our programs come from a wide variety of backgrounds culturally, economically, and in their level of basketball ability.  It is our goal to offer programming that accommodates all of these scenarios and more; to challenge experienced players and to help beginner players build strong foundations, while also keeping economic and cultural barriers to a minimum. We also proactively seek out sponsors to support keeping costs down and reducing financial barriers to participation as much as possible. All attendees are expected to comply with our Gender Inclusion Policy.

…and is continuously introspecting and improving.

Island Hoops Basketball Society acknowledges that building community is never done, and pledges to continuously work towards improvement. We strive to create and support basketball programming that is accessible to as much of our membership as we can, with the resources we have available. We are always open to receiving feedback on how we can help support members’ participation; anonymous feedback surveys are circulated both annually and at the end of certain programs. Feedback can also be submitted directly on our Contact page.

July 2023

The first Tuesday Drop-in Basketball night happens at Naden Athletic Centre. Players in the Victoria Women’s Basketball League reached out to various recreation centres and gymnasiums to try to find somewhere to play basketball during the summer league hiatus. Naden Athletic Centre was an enthusiastic host! 10 players attended.
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Players at our first Tuesday drop-in!

May 2024

Summer Outdoor Hoops basketball starts. A member of our basketball community becomes the first person ever to reserve the outdoor basketball courts at Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre. This starts our inaugural outdoor summer hoops series! Excepting some unlucky rain days, outdoor pick-up basketball happened on alternate Sundays throughout the summer.

July 2024

Tuesday Drop-in at Naden Athletic Centre reaches its 1-year milestone. Weekly attendance now ranges from 12-25 players. Other than facility closure days, it has operated continuously since the first week of July in 2023. Island Hoops Basketball Society is incorporated as a not-for-profit society in response to a quickly growing community of basketball enthusiasts. Incorporating also allows us to access liability insurance to be able to rent gymnasium facilities, to access community grants, and to provide an organizational structure that better supports our players.

November 2024

The first annual Queer Hoops Jamboree occurred, our first major event. It spanned 2 days including an after-party, and had 58 players and a dozen volunteers. Purchased the Victoria Women’s Basketball League, a 3x3 league held at PISE (at Camosun College - Interurban campus) on Sunday evenings, effective January 1, 2025 - this becomes Sunday 3X3 League.