Our Story
Upcoming and Past Events
Nov. 18-22, 2024
9th National Men's and Women's Basketball Championship
Blacktown Leisure Centre
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Nov. 18-22, 2013
8th Annual Australian National Indigenous Basketball Championship
Australian Institute of Sport
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Nov. 12-16, 2012
7th Annual Australian National Indigenous Basketball Championship
Kingsborough Sports Centre
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Our Story: The Beginning
It was a wet rainy night in a small townhouse in Woodcroft Estates in Blacktown shire; Stephen Ridgeway Jr decided to write a business plan to create Australia’s first National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Basketball Association entirely operated & owned by blackfullas.
After writing everything up on his old put together computer from parts thrown out by his neighbours, he went to his parents house that afternoon to talk to his mother, Dianne Ridgeway, first about the new venture; & later that afternoon, his father, Stephen Ridgeway Snr, walked in the house, sat down & they talked about it in length; Dianne & Stephen Snr said it was a great idea.
A few hours went by & Nikita Ridgeway, Stephen Jr’s sister, walked in the front door from university studying Graphic Design & said what you fullas up to; there was a pause & Dianne, Stephen Snr & Stephen Jr looked up & said, sit down your brother has a great idea.
Connecting Communities
Nikita said I’ll design the logo; next, Stephen Jr asked them all to help in new roles. Nikita was the new Design & Communications Community Engagement Officer & Co-Founder. The new logo helped launch Nikita’s successful business, Boss Lady Design and Communications Agency, running for 15 years & still in operation today.
Dianne Ridgeway was the new first Female Elder Ambassador & Stephen Ridgeway Snr was the new first Male Elder Ambassador to connect with community Elders all over Australia.
The first event NATSIBA produced in 2006 was the 1st NSW State Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Basketball Championships at the NSW States Sports Center in Homebush for A Grade Men, A Grade Women, U18’s Boys, U18 Girls, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U12 Boys, U12 Girls over 1 day, its was a success.
The First Annual National Championships
A few months later, in 2006, NATSIBA presented the 1st Annual National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Basketball Championships for A Grade Men, A Grade Women, U18’s Boys, U18 Girls, U16 Boys, U16 Girls, U12 Boys and U12 Girls at NSW States Sports Centre in Homebush, Sydney to be held Annually in a different state, allowing every community the chance to Host the event and bringing communities (MOB) together from Sydney (2006), Melbourne (2010), Adelaide (2011), Perth (2007), Darwin (2008), Cairns (2009), Hobart (2012) and Canberra (2013).
The players say the highlights are connecting with Mob from all over & the A Grade Men, A Grade Women 3 Pointer Shootout & Men’s Dunk Competition are deadly.
Our Vision.
1. To foster better cultural understanding between the basketball industry & Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities.
2. To create long-term scholarship positions for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities in the basketball industry.
WHAT WE DO
Pathways
NATSIBA 5 On 5 Basketball Championships →
NATSIBA Deadly 3 On 3 Basketball Tournaments →
NATSIBA Community Visits →
Performance of Function
Our 20-Year Mission (2006-2026)
The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Basketball Association Pathways Program has been increasing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples basketball participation since 2006 by engaging, promoting & delivering a range of Culturally appropriate inclusive sports & physical activities throughout Australia, Sydney, Perth, Darwin, Cairns, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra, for better outcomes in physical & mental health, Culture for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.
The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Basketball Association is committed to promoting Cultural immersion & creating safe pathways that is culturally safe environment for all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia.