Saturday 25th November saw over 60 First Nations athletes and their parents invited to Netball Central for the annual First Nations Talent Camp.
These athletes were Talent Identified at the various Koori Gala Days carried out across the state over the year and at the Koori Tournament that was held in Charlestown.
Both the parents and athletes were welcomed at the start with special guest Dean Widders, former professional rugby league player and current NRL indigenous pathways manager.
Here Wilders spoke to the group about the opportunities sports can provide and what they can do off court to make their day to day life easier.
The parents and guardians were also able to hear from Brooke Elers. She is the mother of a current First Nations athletes and spoke about the challenges and triumphs that her daughter has experienced throughout her journey so far.
All athletes got the opportunity to display their skills on court and were put through their paces by leading NSW’s coaches, who delivered specific skills sessions. Match play rounded out the day and it allowed the athletes to put into practice what they had learned.
In 2023, Netball NSW extended the invitation to accredited coaches who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders to come and observe how the sessions are delivered in Netball NSW pathway programs. They were also provided with resources to take learnings back to their teams and Associations.
Netball NSW would like to thank everyone who made the Camp possible, especially the wonderful parents and guardians who allowed these athletes to attend and participate in the day.
