Stars come out in rainy Woolloomooloo
A remarkable coalition of agencies is working with Woolloomooloo kids to teach them basketball skills and a more important lesson: that there are constructive ways to be cool.
You could see it working when Senior Constable Wayne Sonter arrived to high fives from members of the team. He has been based at the newly renovated local PCYC for five years, on a brief to work with young offenders and at-risk children from one of Sydney’s most heritage-rich but gritty suburbs. Woolloomooloo children co-exist in a public housing enclave with a large, shifting population of marginalised street people where drug abuse, mental illness and antisocial behaviour are on daily display.
On April 29 the rain might have washed out planned games against Glebe and Redfern but volunteers from AMP donned their ponchos and kept barbequeing in the rain while the crowd took shelter in the Juanita Neilson Community Centre for an awards ceremony.
Each player from the Woolloomooloo Allstars received an award for completing a 12-week training program run by Cesar Bassi, ex-pro player and hip-hop performer. Helped by Nacho Pop, choreographer from Network Ten’s So you think you can dance, a juniors and seniors team learn the three- and five-person weave, lay-ups (strictly no dunking!), defensive drills and throwing skills.
The program is made possible by the Police, Better Futures (a state program based at Waverley Council), the City of Sydney, United Way Sydney and corporate volunteer support from AMP and Zurich.
Maggie Brown from Better Futures said such interventions were the most cost-effective way to steer disadvantaged children into a fulfilling life and to reduce crime rates.
