Sharon Finnan-White First Nations Academy of Excellence

We’re heading to Sarina and Townsville thanks to Aurizon!🏐

Young netballers aged 5–17 years can join us for a FREE 90-minute clinic, with skills and drills focused on passing, defence, agility and shooting.

And it doesn’t stop there! Stick around after the clinic to meet the players, grab a photo and get an autograph 📸✍️

📍 Sarina (23 Sept) & Townsville (30 Sept)
🏐 Community Clinic: 10am–11:30am | Ages 5–17
📸 Signing & photos: 11:30am–12pm

Spots will fill quickly so register now!
🔗 https://firebirds.net.au/aurizon-regional-tours

✨ SHOW UP + TAKE UP SPACE ✨

What a special experience for our FNAE Townsville athletes to spend time together watching The Long Run and, more importantly, hearing from an incredible woman, Arika Appleby willing to share her story, experiences and wisdom. 🙏🏽

The message was simple, but powerful: 💪🏽

Back yourself. Use your voice. Know that you belong. And never make yourself smaller for anyone.

At the First Nations Academy of Excellence, our pathway is about so much more than netball. We want our young women to grow into confident, strong and proud leaders who know their worth, embrace every opportunity and have the courage to take up space — on the court, in the classroom, in the workplace and in their communities.

Having strong First Nations women take the time to connect with our athletes, share their journeys and genuinely invest in the next generation is incredibly valuable.

Thank you Arika for seeing the potential in our young women and reminding them that their voices matter and their dreams deserve space.
🖤💛❤️💚💙🤍

We’re incredibly proud of the young women they are today — and even more excited about the women and leaders they are becoming.

Show up. Take up space. Back yourself. You belong. ✨

The Long Run is an inspiring 2026 Australian documentary following 12 Indigenous Marathon Project runners and featuring Arika! Mentored by sporting legends Johnathan Thurston and Lance "Buddy" Franklin, the squad undertakes a grueling six-month journey to tackle the New York City Marathon. It premiered on June 28, 2026, and is available to stream on 9Now and Stan.



Blackroo Community Indigenous Corporation
Netball Queensland
Tribal Sport
Cubic Defence Australia & New Zealand
Netball Australia
SportsMed NQ
Siren: A Women in Sport Collective
fans

🔥 OUR FNAE PATHWAY IS MAKING AN IMPACT! 🔥

We are incredibly proud to celebrate 8 FNAE athletes who have been selected in the Netball Queensland 23U First Nations State Squad!
🖤💛❤️💙💚💚🤍

This is an exciting achievement for our athletes and another strong indication that the FNAE pathway is creating genuine opportunities for First Nations athletes to develop, be seen and progress to the next level.

A huge congratulations to:

⭐ Shakira Koskela – FNAE Townsville
⭐ Savanna Beale – FNAE Townsville
⭐ Ella O’Neil – FNAE Brisbane
⭐ Lily Tschuna – FNAE Brisbane
⭐ Shakiah Stafford – FNAE Brisbane
⭐ Lacy Triffett – FNAE Brisbane
⭐ Georgia Keating - FNAE Cairns
⭐ Layla Tabuai - FNAE Sunshine Coast

We are incredibly proud to see our athletes continuing to step up, challenge themselves and earn opportunities at the next level.

This is what pathway development looks like — creating opportunities, developing talent and empowering our young women to see what is possible. 💫

Congratulations to all eight athletes on this well-deserved recognition. We can’t wait to see what comes next!

👀 Stay tuned — the final Queensland team announcement is coming soon!

NQ names First Nations selection camp squad Selected athletes will participate in the two-day camp at Nissan Arena on August 8 and 9 before a final selection is made for the Queensland team to compete at the Netball Australia First Nations Tournament in Victoria this September.Queensland Under 23 First Nations train-on squadMaryke Babia (Mabu...

Tune into the livestream on NetballQ TV to watch our Vicki Wilson Cup team on show court at Nissan Arena 8am!

🏐💜 THAT’S A WRAP! FNAE BRISBANE 💜✨

What an incredible journey it has been through the Live Life Whole program!

Over a six week period, our FNAE Brisbane athletes participated in a combination of online and face-to-face sessions, embracing every opportunity to learn, grow and connect. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with our young women sharing just how much they valued the meaningful content and the safe, supportive environment that was created throughout the program.

The program empowered our athletes to ask questions, build confidence and have open conversations about topics that are so important to their health, wellbeing and personal development. These are life skills that will support them both on and off the court for years to come.

At the First Nations Academy of Excellence, we are committed to developing the whole athlete, not just their netball ability, but their overall health, wellbeing, leadership and personal growth. Programs like Live Life Whole play a vital role in helping our athletes become strong, healthy and confident young women.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved for your passion, professionalism and genuine care for our athletes. A special thank you to our Head Coach Camille Dowling and Manager Bronwyn Mapusua for helping coordinate the program and ensuring our athletes could access such an enriching experience in a culturally safe environment.

Also a shout out to Laura Sherian for bringing this program to our academy!

Together, we’re creating opportunities, building confidence and empowering the next generation of First Nations women.
🖤💛❤️💚💙🤍



Blackroo Community Indigenous Corporation
Tribal Sport
Netball Queensland
Cubic Defence Australia & New Zealand
Siren: A Women in Sport Collective
Netball Australia
SportsMed NQ
fans

More Than a Sponsor – Part of the FNAE Family
🩵🖤💜

A huge thank you to Ayisha Lewis from Cubic Defence for taking the time to join us at our Premier League match and show her support for our athletes, the First Nations Academy of Excellence family. 🙏🏽

As one of our valued long-term major partners, Cubic Defence has been with us on our journey, helping us create meaningful opportunities for First Nations athletes to thrive both on and off the court. 🏐🤩

Partnerships like this go far beyond financial support. They help us deliver programs, strengthen pathways, and invest in the development of our players, coaches and umpires, empowering them to achieve their full potential while staying connected to culture and community. ❤️🖤💛💙💚🤍

Thank you for believing in our vision and for standing alongside us as we continue to create opportunities and inspire the next generation. We are truly grateful for Cubic Defence’s ongoing commitment and support. 🙏🏽✨

Cubic Defence Australia & New Zealand
Blackroo Community Indigenous Corporation
Netball Queensland
Tribal Sport
Siren: A Women in Sport Collective
Netball Australia
SportsMed NQ

👏 A huge thank you to Adam Baillie MP for taking time out of his busy schedule to visit our First Nations Academy of Excellence premier league athletes in Townsville.

It was fantastic to share the work we’re doing to create strong, culturally safe pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes across Queensland.

Adam even had the opportunity to learn from the best as our athletes put him through his paces on the netball court! 🏐😄

We’re also excited to see the Play On! Sports Vouchers initiative supporting families by helping reduce the cost of participation in community sport. Every young person deserves the opportunity to play, grow, and chase their dreams.

Thank you, Adam, for your genuine interest in our athletes and your ongoing support of grassroots sport in Townsville. We look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen opportunities for our young people.

🖤💛❤️💚💙🤍

Blackroo Community Indigenous Corporation
Tribal Sport
Cubic Defence Australia & New Zealand
Netball Queensland
Siren: A Women in Sport Collective
Netball Australia
SportsMed NQ
Townsville Bulletin

🎉 PLAY ON TOWNSVILLE! 🎉

Applications are now open for up to $200 to help eligible families get kids aged 5–17 involved into local sport! 🏉

This is real cost-of-living relief that helps more young people get active, build confidence, make mates, and chase their sporting dreams.

With the 2032 Games on the horizon, there's never been a better time to back the next generation of North Queensland champions!

Apply now and get your kids in the game using the link in the comments! 👇

🤩 EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣