That is why popular Warrnambool basketball personality Bobby Cunningham is trying to implement an alternate routine for his training groups during self-isolation.

Cunningham's two basketball programs - Training with Bobby and Bobby's Budding Ballers - have been out of action since March.

But the former Seahawk is making sure his squads, which feature a total close to 100 kids, are staying connected in some way.

"We're trying to help these kids make sense of this time," he said. "They need some support and I feel like they have their parents but at the same time I want them to know there is somebody else thinking about them too.

"We hop onto Zoom every Sunday and the chat doesn't necessarily need to be about sport. I try to let one of the young ballers run the meetings each week too.

"For instance, in Mitch Bonham's Zoom last week he asked 'if we weren't in COVID-19 right now, what is your Easter tradition?'.

"We have nine to 10 kids on call at a time and each had a chance to talk and it's a really good way to chat and it doesn't have to be about basketball, it can be any topic."

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One Zoom meeting players talked about a top-level basketballer, who Cunningham thought had similar attributes to that individual.

Other times it's just about opening up and getting things off their chest or having a general chat to stay connected.

Cunningham said skills were still worked on by both groups. The older ones are encouraged to do it on their own while the younger ones have been unable to get on Zoom outside due to bad weather.

The popular south-west personality said the coronavirus-forced lockdown had taught him something new about his groups.

"They definitely are full of courage," he said.

"Whether they make sense of it all or not when they're on Zoom for 40-45 minute, they aren't worried about anything else for that time.

"Our whole group is showing a lot of courage and showing they really are courageous kids."

Zoom chats and basketball skills have not been the only thing Cunningham's groups have been doing in isolation.

Inspired by an idea from Michelle Hynes, they created a seven-minute video showing off their passing, shooting and dribbling skills.

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The video also features Cunningham's son AJ, who is currently in the United States studying and self-isolating at Central Maine Community College, in a special cameo appearance.

"It's sensational," Cunningham said of the video.

"Michelle Hynes decided we should so it after she saw it on another basketball Facebook page.

"She wanted to get as many kids as we could and do a huge video and I said 'that sounds great'. Michelle is so clever and everything she touches blossoms.

"I think Warrnambool basketball should feel very proud and lucky she is involved with the association and I am pleased and proud she is with my group too."

Cunningham said the credit for getting AJ involved also went to Hynes.

"She said to me 'I want to get AJ involved and I want you to make it like you are doing a very big throw'," he said.

"I replied back jokingly saying 'you will make me throw my shoulder out.' But it worked out that I heaved the ball and it cut to AJ like it was coming down and it never came down."

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