Isabel Chambers, a 13-year-old basketball player, has taken 30 flights this year between Karratha and Perth to pursue her passion for the sport. This commitment has her traveling over 45,000 kilometers to compete at an elite level. Isabel is among several talented junior basketball players in Karratha, a mining city located 1,500 kilometers north of Perth. Balancing travel, school, and participation in three different basketball teams is a significant challenge for Isabel. "Sometimes I haven't really wanted to go down. I've wanted to stay here with my family," she said. "But once I get down there, I'm fine and I'm happy to play with my team." Isabel has been selected to represent Western Australia at a national competition in Melbourne in January. She is also on a pathway to the NBL1 West, the state basketball league, playing for the Cockburn Cougars' development squad. Her father, Aaron Chambers, acknowledged the difficulties of balancing travel and family life. "Emotions sometimes fly high with all the travel and you know, lack of sleep and social sacrifices," he said. "But I think it's all been worth it with everything that she's achieved." Year 12 students Cale Buzzard and Ethan Wood-Hill are also dedicated to basketball. They train, play, referee, or coach daily while managing their ATAR exams and part-time jobs. The duo has made over 10 trips to Perth this year for tryouts and training with the Perth Redbacks, aspiring to join the NBL1 in the future. Cale noted the difference in training quality, saying, "The way they train — the knowledge the coaches have is just so high compared to what we know up here. Obviously, our coaches are amazing, but the level down there is just different, and I feel like we could really use that to help develop up here." Both Cale and Ethan plan to move to Perth in 2026 to access better NBL1 West programs and development opportunities. The Karratha Basketball Association (KBA) is working to establish itself as the newest NBL1 West team, which would make it the most remote state team in Australia by nearly 1,000 kilometers. Basketball is a popular sport in Karratha, with over 2,000 junior and senior players. In 2023, the Karratha Leisureplex hosted an exhibition game between the Geraldton Buccaneers and Perth Redbacks, marking the first state league basketball game in the northwest. The event attracted a sell-out crowd, generating excitement for more high-level basketball in the area. Former KBA president Jodie Swaffer remarked, "It really created a great hype that people wanted to see that sort of level here more often. If other regional locations can make it happen, it kind of gave us that spark to go, we can do it too." However, the KBA faces significant challenges due to Karratha's remote location and infrastructure limitations. Currently, basketball is played on three indoor courts at the Karratha Leisureplex, which also accommodates other sports and local high school activities. KBA president Nathaniel Kett stated, "We are absolutely maxed out — every … minute that is available to us on court we are taking." The city has plans to invest in additional courts to meet demand, but the KBA acknowledges that without a new stadium or major upgrades, hosting state games is not feasible. The distance from Perth, where most clubs are based, adds to the challenges, as flights can cost up to $1,000 per person each way. The NBL1 West currently includes four clubs outside the Perth region: Bunbury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, and Mandurah. The league is open to expansion but emphasizes maintaining high competition standards. A new procedure will be released next month to help clubs assess their eligibility for joining the league, which includes requirements for venue standards and the establishment of both men's and women's teams. Basketball WA chief basketball officer Tyrone Thwaites stated, "It is a complex process, it's a long process. That's because running an NBL1 program is not a cheap exercise — it's a fulfilling one and we want to make sure that clubs that join do so in a way that is sustainable and makes sense. It's not something that we do on a whim." The KBA has not yet submitted a formal application to join NBL1 West but hopes to do so within the next three to five years.