The National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia (NASCA) conducted its fourth annual state Indigenous Netball Development Camp at the Sydney Academy of Sport on August 30 and September 1.
The camp involved indigenous girls aged 14 to 19 years from throughout NSW including areas such as Armidale, Wagga Wagga, Sydney, Dareton, Dubbo, Kempsey, Lightning Ridge, Albury, Charlestown and Nyngan.
Twenty-three girls were identified from clinics and carnivals conducted by NASCA and the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) to attend the state camp which was part of NASCA's 'Casting the Net' national netball development program.
A team of 10 players was selected on the final day of the camp to represent NSW against Queensland in NASCA's State of Origin netball series to be held in Sydney later this year.
From Lightning Ridge netballer Cassie Skuthorpe was selected as one of four reserves to go on the NSW team.
Coach Carole Sykes from Sydney will be training the newly formed team.
During the two-day camp the girls were exposed to elite coaching, through the involvement of specialist coaches such as former Australian player and program co-ordinator Sharon Finnan, former Australian representative Nicole Cusack and former state player, National League coach and recently appointed selector for the Australian Open Netball Team Carol Sykes.
The program also included a lecture from Mark Gribble, a sports psychologist from the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS), and a session with Dean Robinson, also from NSWIS who put the squad through a series of warm up drills and weight training activities.
Jane Wood from the Australian Training Company (ATC) spoke to the girls about opportunities for employment through traineeships and Sue Harris from Netball NSW attended on the final day and talked to the girls about trailing for state under 17, 19 and 21 teams.
Indigenous health worker and Sharon's mum, Irene Finnan, spoke to the group about past and present cultural issues, indigenous health issues, and cultural pride and how the Stolen Generation issue affected her.
Meanwhile, Sharon Finnan spoke to the girls about her netball career and racism in sport, and encouraged them to go as far as they could in netball to promote more indigenous role models in women's sport.
"The thing that surprised me the most when discussing racial issues with the girls, is how much racism there still is at school, in the sporting arena, within netball associations and clubs and in everyday life", Ms Finnan said.
"These girls are experiencing racism almost every day of their life and it really affects their self esteem and confidence and it's just not on as far as I'm concerned.
"Netball clubs and associations should be encouraging participation of all people regardless of cultural background, this creates harmony and mutual respect and it will also help to boost netball numbers and registered players throughout the country giving Indigenous players equal opportunity to go further in the sport," Ms Finnan said.
"NASCA will be working with Netball Australia in developing a cultural awareness program to be delivered to identified netball associations."
Any girls wanting to trial for the NSW indigenous netball squad for 2003 should attend the NSW Koori Women's Netball Tournament to be held at the Charlestown Netball Association courts on October 18 and 19, which is open to all ages.
This event is being held in partnership with NASCA, NSW Department of Sport and Recreation and Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council.
For further information on this tournament, contact DSR's Newcastle office on 4926 1633.
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