Canberra Capitals players find their voice as University of Canberra unveil Indigenous inspired uniforms

First as a player that spent seven years in the WNBL before turning her hand to a two-decade long coaching career that saw her coach in the WNBL, WNBA and the Australian Opals. Finally, she progressed to administration, where she now sits as the University of Canberra director of sport.

It's a career that has seen women's sport shift dramatically from an amateur operation to a highly-competitive, multi-million dollar industry.

Given her experience, Graf is well attuned to the challenges female athletes face as they pursue sporting careers while upholding the values they hold dear.

It's an understanding that has taken on heightened importance in the past week, as the Australian netball team took a stand against a new sponsorship deal with Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting.

After Indigenous player Donnell Wallam voiced concerns with racist comments made by Rinehart's father Lang Hancock, the team formed a united stance.

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Ultimately Rinehart pulled the $15 million deal, a move that could have significant implications for a sport struggling financially.

That's why Graf was determined to ensure UC players had a voice in the introduction of new uniforms.

The kits feature an Indigenous design and will be worn by all of the university's sporting teams, headlined by the Capitals.

"There's more of a platform for athletes to speak to various social causes or issues that are important to them," Graf said.

"As a university that operates the teams, there is a whole process that goes into doing things such as this, but certainly the athletes are engaging in various things that are important to them and this is certainly one of them."

Graf is proud to have played a role in UC's commitment to supporting Indigenous athletes moving forward.

While the Capitals are the university's showpiece team, she said individuals across all sports threw their support behind the concept.

"It's not just our Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander athletes that engaged in this. It's the entirety of our group and they're all fully supportive of the concept and take pride in wearing the jerseys for their particular team."

The Capitals were among the first teams to take the new uniforms for a spin and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

While they have worn singlets representing Aboriginal people during Indigenous rounds in the past, this year will mark the first time they are present for the entire season.

Capitals guard Gemma Potter said it was an honour to pull on the uniform for their recent pre-season clash against Sydney and she's looking forward to wearing it in next Friday's season opener against Bendigo.

"It was pretty surreal getting to put it on for a practice match, we were all pretty excited," Potter said. "This year with the Indigenous print, we're all pretty excited to represent it.

"Instead of just having the one round to wear it, we get to wear it all year long and then we'll have a special jersey for the Indigenous round. We get to represent the culture we have in our own team and the broader community, we're excited to show that.

"It's bigger than just one club, we're more than just a basketball club. It's bigger than basketball and the Caps and it's great to have UC support us."

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