Basketball Ireland SOCIA-Ball programme takes prize at 2025 Irish Sport Industry Awards

Basketball Ireland picked up the prize for 'Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity' at the 2025 Irish Sport Industry Awards on Tuesday. The ceremony, which was hosted by the Federation of Irish Sport, also saw Basketball Ireland shortlisted for the NGB of the Year.

SOCIA-Ball is one of Basketball Ireland’s most successful Women in Sport initiatives and is a key part of Basketball Ireland’s ‘Women In Basketball Strategic Plan 2023-2027’. SOCIA-Ball was launched in July 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic as a pilot programme, with five clubs involved in an outdoor setting. It has since grown dramatically - there are now 84 clubs in 27 counties across Ireland, with further expansion planned, targeting areas without a SOCIA-Ball club.

There are currently over 1000 registered players engaging regularly in SOCIA-Ball. The programme is aimed at females aged over 18, with all abilities welcome, whether you’re a beginner, or someone who wants to re-connect with the sport. The emphasis is on fun and playing in a non-competitive environment. It is a social outlet, where participants have a chance to meet new people and it’s a safe space for women to keep fit and active.

Basketball Ireland has hosted several marquee events, most recently at the National Basketball Arena in November 2024, which saw 14 teams take part and over 160 players involved. As part of the 2025 Women in Sport Week, Basketball Ireland ran a showcase regional SOCIA-Ball event at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in conjunction Donegal Local Sports Partnership, where seven teams took part, with 60 players.  

You can learn more about how your club can run a SOCIA-Ball programme here. 

Basketball Ireland Women In Sport Lead Louise O'Loughlin said: "It's fantastic for SOCIA-Ball to be acknowledged with such a prestigious award and I'd like to thank the judges and the Federation of Irish Sport. Active participation of women at all levels of the game is a key pillar of the Basketball Ireland's Women in Sport Strategy 2023-2027 and we are seeing the benefits of the emphasis on this pillar across basketball on the island. 47% of our current membership are women, 24,077 girls are playing schools basketball and more than 5,000 of those are also engaging with their clubs. There's been a 16% growth in the number of girls schools engaging with our competitions and a programme such as SOCIA-Ball is a huge part of making that growth sustainable for all."   

 Basketball Ireland COO and Women In Sport Lead Louise O'Loughlin collects the award for Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport and Physical Activity.'

"SOCIA-Ball is a hugely important programme for Basketball Ireland," added Basketball Ireland CEO John Feehan. "I'm delighted to see the amazing work being done by Louise (O'Loughlin), our Development Officers, volunteers and clubs on the ground in making this a fun, safe outlet for women and girls to engage with our sport in a non-competitive way - recognised this evening. It's another illustration of Basketball Ireland's emphasis on inclusivity and continued upward trajectory of recent years."