Noticing an absence of basketball alternatives for Pacific islander women within the south-west of Sydney, mother-of-two Azzie Naloku took issues into her personal fingers.
The Pacifika Ballerz is a crew of gamers of Fijian, Tongan or Samoan heritage, and gives women a chance to return collectively to embrace their cultural heritage and play ball.
“We seen there was quite a lot of emphasis primarily in direction of the boys and never a lot catered in direction of the ladies when it comes to teaching and coaching and constructing that momentum,” Naloku mentioned.
Naloku is her two sports-minded youngsters’ largest supporter and has spent many hours courtside watching her daughters practice within the sport they love.
Coach and father Halo Tavana with Azzie Naloku, one of many moms who based the crew. (Siren Sport: Lyndal Irons)
It was throughout this time that Naloku seen a spot in basketball alternatives particular to Pacific islander women.
In search of an atmosphere the place the ladies’ ardour for taking part in basketball may flourish alongside their talent growth, Naloku teamed up with two different moms to create a crew of their very own.
“We had been simply a few mums who had put our women into varied native impartial golf equipment,” Naloku mentioned.
“It was all very new for us.”
With earlier makes an attempt to get the ladies into a neighborhood membership hindered by no crew availability and waitlists, the Pacifika Ballerz crew was fashioned.
In 2023, having proved their viability, they re-approached the Bankstown Bruins, a membership within the Bankstown Basketball Affiliation in Sydney’s south-west, searching for to enter the league independently.
This time they had been profitable in securing a spot.
The crew received the championship in its first season. (Siren Sport: Lyndal Irons)
“It was the primary crew launched in Bankstown as a Pacific islander crew, in order that was a distinction of variety that we introduced into the membership,” Naloku mentioned.
Regardless of being a brand new crew and navigating the strain of proving themselves, the Pacifika Ballerz went on to develop into the champions of their first season.
Cultivating wellness by means of basketball
When she just isn’t operating a basketball crew Naloku works as a counsellor and wellbeing coach.
She has witnessed the rise of psychological well being issues amongst youth in her group and believes sport can play an important function in altering the lives of kids from Pacific islander and Indigenous communities.
Gamers rejoice after a sport. (Siren Sport: Lyndal Irons)
Her motivation is pushed by extra than simply on-court growth.
“I’ve undoubtedly seen [the girls’] resilience, drive, and motivation develop,” Naloku mentioned.
“Shallowness has began to construct, which can also be nice.”
The mother and father and volunteers across the crew are driving Pacifika Ballerz with “the imaginative and prescient to make it extra instructional round psychological well being, constructing confidence but in addition upskilling the ladies within the space of basketball and the eagerness to develop,” Naloku mentioned.
The women have welcomed the chance to play collectively and are flourishing throughout the supportive atmosphere that has been constructed round them.
Retaining prices down
Constructing the Pacifika Ballerz crew was simply the beginning for Naloku.
Whereas early success on the courtroom has been thrilling, she desires to maintain the momentum going.
“Our imaginative and prescient extends past our crew; we aspire to collaborate with like-minded group organisations, together with these from Pacific Indigenous communities to additional assist the expansion of our Pacifika Ballerz crew,” Naloku mentioned.
Halo Tavana is the crew’s coach, and has earlier teaching expertise in New Zealand. (Siren Sport: Lyndal Irons)
Now the ladies are on the courtroom, Naloku hopes to alleviate the monetary obstacles households of their group face to have their youngsters take part in sport.
“Pacific islanders typically come from large households, and typically the price of sport may be troublesome,” she defined.
In search of to cut back prices, the crew is eager to create a community of volunteers, and has been lucky to search out an skilled coach, the daddy of 1 participant, Halo Tavana, who has earlier teaching expertise in New Zealand.
The Ballerz have additionally determined to solely cost competitors charges to maintain prices down.
As Naloku places it: “Alternative opens up the place we will minimise value.”
This has meant not having the ability to pay for indoor coaching services, however Naloku and different mother and father have been looking out for collaborations.
Presently, the crew trains outside at a local people basketball courtroom, whereas Charity Bounce, a not-for-profit organisation, has enabled the ladies to attend extra teaching in an indoor coaching venue, growing their on-court abilities in a weather-resistant coaching atmosphere.
Passionate mother and father need extra for his or her daughters
Constructing on an unimaginable first season, the Pacifika Ballerz crew and its squad of passionate mother and father are excited to proceed displaying the group what they will do on and off the courtroom, and are dedicated to taking part in tournaments inside Australia and internationally.
“As mother and father, all our desires and aspirations are to raised talent, develop and create pathways and alternatives for our kids,” Naloku mentioned.
“It is by no means unrewarded. I feel the rewards converse for itself; once we put our heads collectively and create the pathways for his or her future.”
Jo White is enthusiastic about amplifying the voices of women and girls and is the host and producer of Pause Past the Court docket, a podcast prioritising the wellbeing of feminine ballers on and off the courtroom.
ABC Sport has partnered with Siren Sport to raise the protection of girls and non-binary individuals in sport.
