Our Annual DSG Basketball Carnival 

Over 90 young athletes descended upon the Cockburn ARC courts for the annual Deadly Sista Girlz (DSG) basketball carnival this month. The tournament attracted 9 standout teams from 11 schools across Perth and WA. 

Teams from St Brigid’s College, John Tonkin and Halls Head College, Fremantle College, Yule Brook College and Sevenoaks, Governor Stirling Senior High School, Clontarf Aboriginal College, North Albany Senior High School, Darling Range Sports College and Katanning Senior High School joined the competition, with SEDA College refereeing and scoring games.  

The teams took part in an intense round robin contest for 7 games over 3 hours, with several tightly fought contests decided by a single point.  

And while the competition was fierce, it was professional and respectful, with players bringing their best game and sportswomanship in the spirit of solidarity and friendly rivalry. 

During each team’s bye round, the players had the opportunity to chat with the Telethon Kids Institute about some of the work they do and the ways they can get involved. They also had the chance to win some fun prizes in their Spin the Wheel game! 

After a brief break for lunch, the teams met for the finals while their peers, parents, families and mentors watched on. Even after three hours of play, all teams brought their A-game. 

On the first court, we had John Tonkin College/Halls Head and Katanning Senior High School, who put up a fierce competition, with John Tonkin/Halls Head going through to the grand final.  

The next court saw Clontarf Aboriginal College and Darling Range Sports College battle it out, with Clontarf securing their place in the final.  

For the final showdown, the teams from John Tonkin/Halls Head and Clontarf put on a clinic of first-class basketball with rapid-fire defense, deft playmaking and solid offense.  

By halftime, it was neck and neck with John Tonkin/Halls Head leading by just one point! But the Clontarf team fought their way to take the lead, securing the win as the clock hit zero.  

Congratulations to our winners, Clontarf Aboriginal College, and all of the Deadly Sista Girlz who took part in this year’s carnival, as well as the team who helped put it all together.  

Our DSG program holds engagement events, like the Basketball Carnival, across the year for students to build connections across our schools.   

Speaking on the day, Molly from Darling Range Sports College said, “Events like today are so important for us to come together as one girl group and be strong, learning how to be a team together and building confidence.”  

Deadly Sista Girlz is a holistic education, empowerment and healthy lifestyle program for Indigenous girls operating in 18 schools across Australia. DSG is funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, with support from corporate partners. Find out more.