A grassroots community initiative that has quietly kept Illawarra's public basketball courts in playable condition is now at a crossroads, with its founder calling for a local successor to take the reins.
The Net Project's Origin Story
For over two and a half years, Grant Cresswell served as an unofficial guardian of the region's outdoor hoops. The 29-year-old swim and basketball coach, who spent 18 years in the Illawarra, noticed a recurring plea on social media: nets were torn, rims were bent, and community courts were falling into disrepair. What began as informal acts of kindness evolved into a formal mission in 2023.
"I'd always done it socially, and then I thought, this is something I could really run with," Cresswell explained. He even pitched the concept to the Illawarra Hawks, where he was involved from 2015 to 2018, but found no institutional takers. Undeterred, he launched a GoFundMe in May 2024 and began the work himself, often replacing a net within a day of hearing it was needed.
A Growing Need and a Reluctant Departure
The project's success has been tangible. The fundraiser has secured enough money for 54 new nets, servicing courts from Woonona to Gerringong. However, Cresswell's personal journey took an unexpected turn. In January 2025, he and his wife relocated to the Central Coast, leaving a passionate volunteer project behind.
"I love basketball down there, and I miss it," Cresswell admitted. "I keep seeing these empty hoops and I'm like, man, I just hope someone can pick it up." For the past 11 months, the pace of repairs has slowed significantly, leaving dozens of nets across 42 locations waiting for attention.
The Call for a Community Champion
Cresswell's plea is simple: he needs one or more volunteers to handle the physical installation of nets using the funds already raised. He has a successor lined up initially, but life commitments intervened. He now envisions ideally having a coordinator for the South Illawarra, North Illawarra, and Lake Illawarra regions.
"It's a passion project, a volunteer project, community service," he stressed. The logistical groundwork is complete. Cresswell maintains detailed spreadsheets tracking which courts have been updated, holds all necessary contacts, and manages the active GoFundMe. The successor's role would be purely hands-on.
"I'm hating it at the moment, how no one is able to help," he said, reflecting on the constant private messages he still receives from the community. While he still dreams of an organisation like the Hawks adopting the project, he acknowledges that for now, a dedicated individual is the most realistic solution.
How to Get Involved: Cresswell urges anyone interested to join the 'Illawarra Ballers' community page on Facebook and send him a private message. No prior organisation is needed—just a willingness to help install nets and maintain this vital piece of community infrastructure.
