Boab Basketball Carnival

Earlier this term, nine Yiramalay students travelled to compete in the Boab Basketball Carnival, a community event hosted in Derby. The competition involved 16 teams and engaged over 100 Indigenous students from seven different Kimberley and Pilbara schools. Our students were outstanding with Memphis Hunter winning the Most Valuable Player, Kyle Wunumurra, the Spirit Award and Kelwin Unghango won the Dunk Competition. Coen Wright, who has been engaging in remote learning off-site since Term 2, also made the trip to Derby to participate.

Contributing to this event provided many opportunities for personal development, a requirement of the Senior Years Learning Framework program that our students undertake in Year 11 and 12. In the lead up to the carnival, students participated in training sessions, they contributed to the excursion by assisting with cooking, cleaning and packing. They also engaged in a Social and Emotional Wellbeing session facilitated by Derby Aboriginal Health Service.

As with most things at Yiramalay, they are not what they seem on the surface, at this seemingly benign event our students grew in confidence and self-esteem, improved communication skills, employed teamwork and showed resilience and determination. A huge thank you to the Clontarf Foundation for allowing us to participate in this event, which used sport as a vehicle to foster positive relationships, experiences and connections. The carnival gave our students the opportunity to engage, socialise and network with Indigenous youth from all over the North West region.

Brent Simons, Student Wellbeing Coordinator