This article is an adaptation of the Indigenous Student Services monthly newsletter – August edition.
Every year the Indigenous Nationals brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students from all corners of Australia for a jam-packed week of sport, culture and good vibes. This time, the University of Western Australia in Perth hosted on Whadjuk Noongar Country from June 23 to 27 with basketball, netball, touch football and volleyball serving up the action and a whole lot of friendly competition.
For Lachie, stepping into his first Indigenous Nationals was a leap into the unknown but what he found was more than just competition, it was community.
“As it was my first games, I did not know what to expect. Though what got me through was how great the team was together. The support, banter and [the] want to be around one another is what made us stand out amongst the rest I feel,” Lachie said.
“I felt I was at home and slotted in well to the sports I was there to play, touch and netball.”
The Indigenous Nationals 2025 was a successful one for Team La Trobe who came away with two wins and one draw. Lachie noticed something special about the atmosphere.
“Even the other universities back you and give you their full support when you verse them. It just seems to be a thing at BlackFella tournaments. We just want mob to thrive no matter if it is our opposition, something I haven’t seen in other types of comps.”
Of course, every great experience has its standout moments. For Lachie, one of those was sharing a room with his teammate.
“I gotta say, my roomie Benny Cooper was a standout player. Got a mad step on him too.”
The Indigenous Nationals are more than a tournament. They are a celebration of culture, connection and collective pride.
His advice to future participants? “Coming from someone who hadn’t played in the games before, I would just say get on the field and give everything a go.”
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