Ivor Burge Program

ARTICLE DETAILS

July 7, 2022
Basketball SA

IVOR BURGE PROGRAM

The Ivor Burge Program is designed to train recognised athletes within the Inclusive Basketball Program and represent South Australia in a high-performance environment.

The Ivor Burge Championships is part of the Foot Locker Under-20 and Ivor Burge National Championships run Basketball Australia in January. The championships are a series of events that form the pinnacle for emerging athletes within Australia, seeing the National Champion crowned at the conclusion of each event. There is a men’s and women’s divisions.

Ivor Burge Championships provide a high performance pathway for athletes with intellectual disability (ID), offering opportunities for selection to represent Australia in the Australian Pearls or Australian Boomerangs basketball teams.

Since the Australian Basketball team for People with an Intellectual Disability made their international debut at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona, the Australian Sports & Recreation Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (AUSRAPID), together with Basketball Australia, created the Ivor Burge Championship.

It was decided to title the Tournament the Ivor Burge Championship as Ivor Burge is considered one of the founding fathers of Basketball in Australia. Although he went to college in Springfield, Massachusetts, after graduating he came back home to Australia to promote the game further.

Do I qualify for the Ivor Burge squad?

The Ivor Burge Championship is for athletes with an intellectual disability and integration difficulties as per the VIRTUS classification requirements.

Eligible Groups

Intellectual Disability is a disability characterised by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviour as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills. This disability originates before the age of 22 Limitations in adaptive behaviour affect both daily life and the ability to respond to life changes and environmental demands (AAIDD 2010, WHO ICD-10 and ICF-2001).

Based on this definition, the Virtus Eligibility Criteria for athletes with an intellectual disability is:

Significant impairment in intellectual functioning which is defined as a Full-Scale IQ score of 75 or lower, and;
Significant limitations in adaptive behaviour as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical

adaptive skills. This is defined as performance that is at least 2 standard deviations below the mean of, either:

One of the following 3 types of adaptive behaviour: conceptual, social, or practical skills
An overall score on a standardised measure of conceptual, social and practical skills, and;
Intellectual disability must be evident during the developmental period, which is from conception to 22 years of age

Athletes must meet all 3 elements of the criteria to be eligible for consideration for intellectual disability sport

How do I complete my Eligibility Application?

If you have any questions or need help completing the form, then please contact Sport Inclusion Australia on 03 5762 7494 or mail@siasport.org

2027 Ivor Burge Trials

Registrations are now open for athletes keen to represent South Australia at the highest level of inclusive basketball.

Successful athletes will earn the chance to compete at the 2027 Ivor Burge Nationals, held January 27 to January 31 in Ballarat, Victoria. Don’t miss your chance to showcase your skills and take the next step on your basketball journey.