ALL FOR one
By Joe Novella Photos Gary Sissons
P
hoebe McShane is the founder and director of Ausome Hoops - a basketball program specifically designed for young people with autism. A remarkable achievement indeed for the Mornington local, made even more remarkable considering Phoebe is just 19 years of age.
Ausome Hoops is currently based at various locations in Mornington and has just recently announced a program starting in Nunawading with plans to run programs in Bulleen and Diamond Valley in the near future. Phoebe started the program in 2019, with a vision of delivering, "school holiday camps and weekly programs to kids on the spectrum, providing a safe, inclusive space, where they
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16 | PENINSULA
can learn how to play basketball free from the judgement of others that may be present in mainstream sport programs." Phoebe was inspired by her brother in the creation of Ausome Hoops. "My brother was diagnosed with autism when he was four. He found it incredibly difficult to find a sport/activity he really enjoyed due to the lack of knowledge and understanding from the coaches, staff, and his peers. At the time, there wasn’t any autismspecific programs offered in Victoria (and I’m pretty sure nationwide!), and I thought about creating a program for young people on the spectrum, where there would be no judgement about their needs from anyone, and they could learn new basketball skills in a safe and inclusive environment." continued page 18 ...
October 2022