ACT's 2018 Australian of the Year Dion Devow has supported young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the justice system, higher education, and health - and now he can add sports to that list.
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On Saturday, Australia's largest amateur First Nations sporting event got underway in the ACT for NAIDOC Week, and no-one could be more proud of what has been created than Devow.
"It just gives us an enormous sense of pride and we're really humbled by what it has become," Devow told The Canberra Times.
"People and culture are at the centrepiece of my basketball club, and this competition provides an opportunity for everyone to participate.
"Basketball is an expensive sport and we're all about communities celebrating reconciliation."
Running from Friday until Sunday, Devow's Warriors Basketball Club will hold its annual NAIDOC tournament, hosting over 1000 players from more than 120 teams, with the goal to celebrate reconciliation and also raise funds to make club fees less of a burden for families.
On Saturday morning, Tuggeranong Stadium welcomed players, coaches, and families from around Australia in a colourful and joyous official opening ceremony.
For Devow it was a moving moment reflecting on how much the tournament has grown since it began eight years ago when just eight teams played.
Last year the tournament's participation grew by 166 per cent and this edition is predicted to be an ever greater success.
"The reason why we started this was so kids could have more of an opportunity," Devow said.
Devow helped set up the Warriors club 10 years ago when he noticed that many Indigenous kids would play at local basketball courts, but not in organised competition.
It was never designed to be exclusively for First Nation players, though. Devow said the club is "open for everyone" in the basketball community.
"I remember putting out a call out on a random Sunday night in the middle of winter," he said.
"We said anybody who wants to come and try out for these teams can come along. We thought 10 people would turn up, but the stadium was packed."
The Warriors' set-up is now an established basketball club and even boast an NBA superstar in Dyson Daniels, who will be representing Australia at the Paris Olympics later this month.
Daniels played for the Warriors and NBA Global Academy before he moved to the USA, where he is now with the Atlanta Hawks.
"Dyson is one of our Warriors kids. He played for us before he went overseas to play in the NBA," Devow said.
"I remember when he played, we'd have so many people come just to watch him.
"Kids see people like Dyson and understand that he was Warrior. Competitions like this can only help keep that momentum of their inspiration going and give kids something to strive for."
The additional value of the basketball tournament in Tuggeranong is how it promotes Indigenous culture, especially during NAIDOC Week.
At the opening ceremony proud Wiradjuri woman Tahalia Nna performed Yilull, a song passed down through generations. For her, to share Indigenous culture is vital for education and reconciliation.
"Being able to pass this on to different audiences and connect with them is amazing," she said.
"After the age of 18 it's your choice to understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. People have a cultural responsibility, and everyone must be united."
