Let's help Bailey get to the USA to represent Australia

15-year old Bilpin boy and basketballer Bailey Carle has just been selected to represent Australia in basketball and travel to the USA in July this year with the AUSA Hoops under 18s Australian Schoolboys basketball team.

This selection will see Bailey travel to the USA with the team to take part in an intensive coaching and development program staying on US college campus’ in Memphis and Wichita, learning from the best in the world and getting a taste for US college basketball life.

With a mad love for basketball and dreams of playing professionally, securing a spot on this team from a pool of over 250,000 potential schoolboy basketballers is a massive achievement and one big step towards Bailey’s basketball dream becoming a reality.

How can you help?

Right now Bailey’s dad, Darryl is funding this tour on his own and also hoping to save enough money to travel with Bailey to the USA to see him play - but at a tour cost of over $20,000 for Bailey, plus his own airfare and accommodation, he needs to save over $25,000.

By sharing Bailey’s basketball story here, we are hoping his friends, family and communities can come together to raise some money.

Bailey’s Basketball Story

Training seven days a week, playing five games a week, and coaching two younger teams, Bailey lives and breathes basketball. Between the Western Sydney Eagles and the Castle Hill Komodo Dragons, Bailey plays for the under 16s, under 17s, under 18s, under 21s, and the men’s open teams. Living in rural NSW, with the nearest basketball court over 40 kms away, Bailey and his dad travel over 600 km each week to fulfil this massive basketball schedule.

At 6’2”, with a smile on his face and a basketball tucked under his arm, Bailey is always ready for a game. He’s good at it too - skilled and motivated and able to play anywhere on the court.

He loves the skills and the games and being part of a team, but for Bailey, its more than just a sport. Over the last few years basketball has given Bailey a place to grow and develop into the player and person he wants to be. The more Bailey has thrown himself into basketball, the more it has given back and has helped him face some really big challenges.

The year Bailey fell in love with basketball was the year he lost his mum, Deb, when she passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Boxing Day in 2022 leaving Bailey, his dad, Darryl, and his big sister Malory to come together and learn to navigate the world without her love and guidance.

Although Deb never got to see Bailey take to the court, she saw his love for basketball ignite and grow that year, watching him shoot hoops every afternoon with an old soccer ball next to the Richmond Pool and listening to him talking nonstop about his favourite players at home, she knew basketball was becoming something special for Bailey and signed him up to play for a real team, starting him on his path to where he is now. Today Bailey proudly wears the number 65 on his jersey honouring his mum whenever he plays.

From the first time Bailey took to the court, to his selection in this years’ Australian schoolboys team, Bailey’s dad, and biggest supporter, Darryl has done everything he can to help Bailey reach his goals. We are asking for your help with this one so they can continue this basketball journey together and see how far they can go.

Anything you can contribute, no matter how small, will get them one step closer and all money raised will go directly from Gofundme into Darryl’s bank account.

Thank you!