Twenty Indigenous students from the South West were given a taste of what is possible in basketball when they joined the Perth Wildcats for an exclusive experience in Bunbury on Friday night.
The Follow The Dream Bunbury students, from Australind and Dalyellup, attended a pre-game question and answer session with Wildcats players before watching the club’s pre-season intra-club game at Eaton Recreation Centre.
The event was made possible through a partnership between Boom Logistics, Indigenous-owned Bunbury business Moort Boodja Industries and the Polly Farmer Foundation’s Follow The Dream program.
Moort Boodja Industries managing director Renee Harslett said the opportunity was about showing local Indigenous students the pathways available to them, both in basketball and beyond.
“I think it’s really important that they see that they’re not just pigeonholed into one thing, and that they’ve got so many opportunities out there,” she said.
“There are kids their age doing amazing things, which leads to them thinking that I can do amazing things.”
Harslett said the Wildcats visit was a chance for local children to experience opportunities they may not normally have access to in the South West.
“They need to see that it’s all available to them,” she said.
“It’s not just kids that go to college in America or kids that are from America that have these opportunities, but they’re part of that, which is really good.”
The students were given complimentary tickets to the game and took part in a Q&A with Wildcats players Jaron Rillie and Marley Sam.
For Harslett, the event also reflected the wider community work being undertaken through Moort Boodja Industries, which has supported local basketball through sponsorship of the South West Slammers and junior team uniforms for Aces Basketball Association.
She said the partnership with Boom had been crucial in bringing the Wildcats experience together.
“It’s really exciting, and it’s been really exciting to organise,” she said.
“We’ve been lucky enough that we’ve had Boom support and obviously Follow The Dream.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for the kids and the community all round.”
This article originally appeared on The West Australian’s webpage on the 17th of August, 2026. It is republished here with permission. You can view the original article here.