A Forest Glen facility “made by ballers for ballers” has Pride Performance owner Josh Walters excited about the future of the sport in the region.
The 28-year-old previously ran his training programs out of Maroochydore Basketball Stadium but decided to open his own hub on his birthday in August to further grow the game.
It boasts several training areas, but the recent completion of a polished wooden floor put a stylish and more practical finishing touch on the venue.
“We’ve been really busy,” Mr Walters said.
“We’ve got four trainers who work here, and the numbers (of people training) are getting larger every week, just through word of mouth.”
Walters was inspired to provide basketballers, particularly juniors, with greater opportunities.
“It’s really good for the kids on the Coast, a place where they can come and work out,” he said.
“I wanted a building that was specific for skill development, where kids from all over can come and train.
“I grew up in the States for most of my childhood so there were no issues getting on courts there and finding a place to work out.
“Whereas here it’s a mission. It’s a hard place to find a court that is free or available.”
Walters enjoys developing his skills and helping others further game.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve never been the quickest or most athletic, so I knew I had to work on my game to be good,” he said.
“It’s my favourite part (of basketball) and even when I finish playing, I’ll continue to do it.
“I love that side of it, training personally and also teaching other people as well.
“I can help teach kids the right skills but also teach them how to train by themselves.”
Like stories about Sunshine Coast people doing great things? Help us deliver more by subscribing to our free daily news feed: Go to SUBSCRIBE at top of this article to register
Pride Performance trainers include Walters, Josh Tueta, Chris Daniel and Tyler Allen and they work with more than 200 clients.
The facility is highlighted by two shooting stations with ball returning machines, a vertical jump and speed training system and the new wooden court.
“The floor is the big calling card. We wanted to have something similar to what basketballers actually play games on,” Walters said.
“We’ve got a synthetic floor at the back with our two shooting stations, but we wanted to have a proper polished wood floor (for the court) and that kind of sets us apart from other training facilities.”
Walters spent four years in the States as a teenager, developing his game at Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas, in a Texas Association of Private and Public Schools league.
He was selected for the All-State First Team three years in succession and played against the likes of Julius Randle, who now plays for the New York Knicks.
He also played with the Dallas Heroes in an American Athletic Union league and he made the most of a basketball skills facility in Dallas, where he received expert tuition and trained with the likes of Emmanuel Mudlay (now Utah Jazz), Clint Capella (Atlanta Hawks) and Rudy Gobert (Jazz).
When he returned to Australia, he played in the Queensland league, most notably for several seasons at Sunshine Coast Phoenix.
He’s also played a season in Germany, with Hanover Korbjager, where he led the league in three-point percentages.
Walters hasn’t yet announced which team he will play for in 2021.
