Empowering First Nations youth through basketball: Jida’s journey

At Melbourne United, we are committed to using basketball to help inspire the next generation of hoopers across, regardless their background.

Through this commitment, we have been privileged enough to partner with the Koorie Academy, who work tirelessly to provide opportunities within the sport to force a pathway for young Indigenous children.

One of the people helping to do this is Jida Cooper, a talented young basketballer in his own right working to assist those within his community to achieve great things.

Ahead of our Indigenous Round contest against the Sydney Kings on Monday 3 November, Jida spoke to Melbourne United Media about why he is so passionate when it comes to using the power of basketball in a positive way.

“Having basketball there as a support system is amazing. It’s allowed me to do very special things, and I hope that it does the same for the next generation,” he explained.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities throughout my childhood, so I know how impactful getting those opportunities can be to make our community stronger.

“If I can help someone make the most of their chances in basketball, I know it can make a difference.

“It’s really rewarding to see the kids out on the court because some of them have come from pretty difficult backgrounds, so to be able to provide a bit of joy on the court is really rewarding.”

Recently, Jida, along with Ricky Baldwin and a collection of other members and athletes from the Koorie Academy were able to showcase their culture to the Melbourne United team.

He said seeing the players and staff at the club engage with his culture only makes him more excited to see them wear the Indigenous Uniforms once again on Monday.

“To have buy-in from the guys also makes it feel special, and not just like they’re ticking a box. 

“All the players were asking questions, wanting to learn more and acknowledging culture, and that is a really big step in moving forward as well.

“It’s always significant to see our culture on display on such a massive scale, especially given what we’ve been through across our history.

“It means a lot, it makes me feel proud to be Aboriginal, it makes me feel seen and I’m sure it touches a lot of kids' hearts.”

The only way to lock in your seat to see our full Indigenous Round showcase on Monday evening is by heading to ticketek.com.au now.

‍