PCYC reflects on life-changing Indigenous Round experience

The NBL's Indigenous Round is always one of the biggest on the Sydney Kings' calendar and this season was no different.

On Sunday, December 11, the Hoops Capital side hosted Tasmania at Qudos Bank Arena in a full game day experience, that featured numerous celebrations of Australia's Indigenous cultures.

There to witness it all were close to 70 young people from PCYC clubs across the state, PCYC NSW is a registered youth charity, whose mission is to empower young people to reach their potential through Police and community partnerships such as the one with the Hoops Capital. 

With more than 66 clubs across the state, PCYC provides quality activities and programs in a safe, fun and friendly environment.

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Their aim is to engage with and positively influence more than 70,000 youth members through mainstream sport, recreation, education, leadership and cultural programs. 

One of these clubs to attend, was the youth from the Taree PCYC club, whose club manager Donna Lumantas-Hooke, was so thankful for the Indigenous Round clash.

An event such as this gave the youth of the club memories, and the courage to strive for their dreams, and of course to hopefully make the trip to Sydney an annual event.

"There were many highlights of that weekend, starting with watching how excited all the kids were on the way to Sydney - everyone got along well and had so much laughter in both vehicles," said Lumantas-Hooke.

"Once we arrived and got to our seats, everyone started cheering for the Kings.

"They were wearing their Kings T-shirts and singlets enjoying the performance of all the players."

The attendees enjoyed the atmosphere and entertainment of the entire game, with the excitement of being featured on the big screen, an incredibly cool experience.  

Donna remembers thinking, how can this incredible experience be topped any further ?

"But after the game ended, the biggest highlight was when they all got to meet the players, smiles from ear-to-ear getting photos and autographs," she said.

All the kids that made the trip (organised through the Kings' ongoing partnership with PCYC) to the harbour city are part of the Learn To Play Basketball Program (LTPBP) after school and Lumantas-Hooke is confident this experience had made an ever-lasting impact on them all.

"There were a lot of positive things that the kids have taken away, like finding a favourite player and now wanting to keep working hard at training to be like them," Lumantas-Hooke said.

"Having the opportunity to be able to go to any NBL game, has kept the kids motivated to keep wanting to learn and play.

"All the kids are already asking if they can go again next year, which is a sign of a positive trip," she said.

PCYC fund nearly 90 per cent of its operations through club activities, contestable grants, and donations from generous people like you who care about our youth.

Help raise vital funds for PCYC's life-changing youth programs, and support vulnerable, at-risk and disadvantaged young people across NSW by visiting here.