Netball NSW’s First Nations Netball Camps are growing, with the 2025 program expanding to four locations across New South Wales — the most extensive delivery of the initiative to date.
For the first time, the camps will run concurrently in both metropolitan and regional areas, reflecting Netball NSW’s ongoing commitment to providing more opportunities for First Nations athletes, coaches and umpires across the state.
Camps will be held in Dubbo, Maitland, Coffs Harbour and Sydney (Netball Central), each bringing together around 40 First Nations athletes aged 11–13 for a weekend of skill development, connection and cultural celebration.
The camps, occurring on Saturday 29 November and then again in February 2026, aim to foster a love of netball among young First Nations netball athletes while supporting their pathways to high performance, alongside development opportunities for First Nations coaches and umpires.
Netball athletes were identified through the Koori Netball Tournament and Netball NSW Koori Gala Days, which have become key opportunities for talent identification and community engagement across the state.
“The First Nations Camps are all about providing opportunities — for our young athletes to fall in love with the game, for coaches and umpires to develop, and for communities to come together through netball,” said Courtney Goolagong, First Nations Program Manager at Netball NSW.
“We’ve seen so many of our current First Nations State Team members, the Waradas, come through these camps. It’s where their journey started, and that shows just how powerful and important these opportunities are.”
Each camp features a cultural component guided by local Elders, including yarning circles and community activities that celebrate culture alongside the sport.
“We want our young players to see that netball is for them — that there’s a place for their voices, their stories and their excellence in our sport,” Goolagong said.
“It’s about belonging, representation and creating clear pathways for our First Nations netballers, coaches and umpires right across NSW.”
Since the first camp in 2019, held at Netball Central with around 30 athletes, the program has grown to four camp locations for up to 120 athletes and continued to evolve in response to community needs. With Koori Gala Days now held in all regions, Netball NSW has been able to identify and support more First Nations participants than ever before.
In addition to the coaching and cultural activities, athletes will have the chance to meet and train alongside members of the Waradas, including Lili Walker at the Sydney Camp and Acacia Ellers at the Maitland Camp.
The First Nations Camps form part of Netball NSW’s commitment to increasing participation and representation of First Nations peoples across all levels of the game, led by the organisation’s First Nations Program and Reconciliation Action Plan.
Frances Cordaro, Netball NSW
