The highly anticipated PCYC Nations of Origin is set to take Western Sydney by storm with a jam-packed week of sport, culture and community connections on 14–17 July.
Now in its 11th year, the PCYC NSW event is expected to host more than 1,000 young people at the state-of-the-art PCYC facility in Hawkesbury for basketball, netball and gymnastics and the football fields in Whalan for rugby league.
Teams consist of a 70-30 split of First Nations and non-First Nations youth, with 24 Aboriginal communities from across the state represented. All 188 teams are endorsed by local Elders and empowered to succeed in their studies. To participate, they must maintain an over 80% school attendance rate and have had no negative interactions with the police leading into the tournament.
Sixteen-year-old Harry Ryman has represented the Gamilaroi Nation in the rugby league for the last two years.
“I really enjoyed getting out with friends and playing while learning about my culture and my land – I also made heaps of new friends – you get a lot from it,” Ryman said.
He is now choosing to give back to the program and his community by coaching a Gunnedah team representing Gamilaroi.
“My PCYC manager gave me the opportunity to do it, and with how much fun I’ve had over the past two years, I couldn’t say no,” he explained.
The community impact spans beyond the four-day event, with six months of preparation beforehand fostering education, leadership, discipline and cultural pride through the guidance of Elders and PCYC employees.
“As the competition follows the celebration of NAIDOC Week, it is especially significant to honour the history, culture and achievements of young people, continuing our reconciliation journey that will benefit the rising generation,” PCYC NSW CEO Ben Hobby said.
Meanwhile, PCYC Programs Manager Cassandra Ewens said that Nations of Origin does not only positively impact participants but also strengthen community bonds through collaboration and shared cultural pride.
“The future goal would be to make it an Australia-wide program so that more young people can get involved,” Ewens noted.
Read also: Youth charity PCYC reports impact on NSW communities
Geraldine is currently the Content Producer for Third Sector, an Akolade channel. Throughout her career, she has written for various industries and international audiences. Her love for writing extends beyond the corporate world, as she also works as a volunteer writer at her local church. Aside from writing, she is also fond of joining fun runs and watching musicals.
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