Sixers helping young Aboriginal women Shoot for the Stars

The Adelaide 36ers have shared leadership and basketball lessons with a group of promising young women from regional South Australia.

A group of students from Whyalla visited Adelaide this week for a leadership camp run by the Shooting Stars Program, which supports social and emotional wellbeing and educational engagement for Aboriginal girls and young women in South Australia and Western Australia.

As part of their visit to Adelaide, and thanks to the club’s partnership with BHP, eight young women took part in a basketball clinic run by Adelaide 36ers assistant coach Kerry Williams and players Ben Griscti and Deonte Williams.

Both Kerry Williams (Gugu Yalanji and Taribelang Bunda) and Deonte Williams (Worimi and Kamilaroi) are proud of their respective First Nations heritage, and along with Griscti and WNBL basketballer Ashlee Strawbridge they spoke to the group about leadership, culture, community, and of course basketball.

“It was a really special opportunity for Kerry and our players to spend time with the Shooting Stars participants,” said Adelaide 36ers Chief of External Relations & Community Strategy, Ross Wait.

“The young women were in Adelaide for a leadership camp, and while I’m sure they took something away from the experience, Ben and Deonte also learnt a lot from them.

“Shooting Stars is doing incredible work engaging and inspiring Aboriginal students in regional areas and we are proud to have played a part, thanks to BHP who connected us with the program.”

Shooting Stars operates in four government schools in Whyalla and has been achieving strong educational outcomes for Aboriginal girls and young women by empowering them to achieve greater connection to their school and community.

The program works collaboratively with the local community, schools and service providers to make sure programs are site-specific and meet the needs and expectations of the girls and their communities.

More than 150 students between years 3 and 12 have progressed through the program since its arrival in South Australia in 2021.

The Adelaide 36ers have been delivering meaningful community programs in regional centres thanks to the support of an ongoing partnership with BHP.

As part of that partnership the 36ers will spend time with the wider Shooting Stars program 130-person cohort and visit several schools in Whyalla next month.