UC Capitals uphold commitment to inclusivity with fourth Indigenous Round

In line with the league-wide Indigenous Round, the University of Canberra Capitals will put on the Indigenous strip and undertake a range of educational and community-based activities.

The WNBL will officially hold their Indigenous Round during Round 13, but since the UC Capitals will be on the road that week, the team will involve the community and wear the Indigenous uniform for our last home game on February 27.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the UC Capitals have collaborated with the University of Canberra in organising the Indigenous Round, upholding a mutual commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and access.

The aim of the Round is to create opportunities that acknowledge and celebrate the Indigenous contribution to and stories within local and Australian basketball.

The uniforms will again be an adaption of the Indigenous design treatment developed in 2018 from a collaboration with the UC Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership and Strategy (OATSILS) and Lynnice Church, a Ngunnawal/ Wiradjuri/ Kamilaroi artist.

UC Associate Director and Gamilaroi woman, Kirsten Tapine, said that it’s a pleasure to collaborate for the inaugural Indigenous Round.

“The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership and Strategy at the University of Canberra has thoroughly enjoyed working in partnership with the Capitals, who have been proactive in their commitment to supporting, celebrating and educating the community on the First Nations peoples of this country.

“True reconciliation is led by the heart. It is the will to listen, and it is followed up with actions.

“Alongside the Capitals, UC is devoted to providing education, research, employment, and community engagement initiatives to create a better society where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and its rich culture is at the forefront of discussions.”

The UC Capitals have committed to the following activities to take a more season-long focus on Indigenous recognition:

• Acknowledgement of Country – “Ngunnawal Country” on our home court at the NCCC and both home and away uniforms.
• Educational session with the UC Caps squad led by special guest speaker and Wuthathi and Kenadth Zes woman, Jax Compton, who is the Cultural Manager at Team Mills Foundation and Indigenous Basketball Australia and Program Coordinator at We Got You.
• Game day activations including a Welcome to Country by a Ngunnawal Elder, Aunty Violet Sheridan, wearing Indigenous uniforms, and quarter time entertainment from the Wiradjuri Echoes
• Online mentoring series accross four sessions with Indigenous junior basketball club, the Winnunga Warriors, and Indigenous players, coaches and officials from Basketball ACT.
• Video storytelling piece covering the Indigenous Round
• Giveaway of 1000 limited edition, specially-minted commemorative Indigenous $2 coin featuring the Aboriginal Flag to the players and fans in attendance of the February 27 game at the NCCC. The Royal Australian Mint is producing the coin to mark 50 years since the first raising of the Aboriginal Flag in 1971.

UC Capitals General Manager, Lucille Bailie, said that this season’s focus on Indigenous acknowledgement has been the result of more collaboration.

“Our organisation understands the opportunity, privilege, and platform we have to lead conversations and help drive positive change, with our focus this season being to build and grow the acknowledgement and celebration of Indigenous people and culture in and around the Caps program.

“UC Caps athletes like Abby Cubillo and Kelsey Griffin are wonderful ambassadors and our season-long collaboration involving UC OATSILS, Indigenous Basketball Australia and Basketball ACT will culminate in an exciting match day with our members and fans at the NCCC this Sunday.”