InspireHER Story: Rosie Fadljevic

One of the major goals of our United for Her program is to help establish a pathway for young women to enjoy the game in a safe and welcoming environment.

This is something Rosie Fadljevic is passionate about, and it shows through her work as the Venue Manager at Hoop City Cheltenham.

The youngest of four kids in a sports-obsessed family, Fadljevic was always wherever her older siblings were competing.

She was always interested in whatever they were playing, however ultimately basketball was what commanded her love and attention the most, first picking up a ball at one of their training sessions when she was around eight years old.

She would ultimately hit the court for the Dandenong Rangers and Endeavour Hills Panthers throughout her juniors, honing her craft and paving her way to the WNBL, where she played five seasons and won a Championship in 2015.

A decade later, Fadljevic is thrilled to be helping the next generation of girls fall in love with the game.

“Sport is incredible for kids,” she said.

“It can really bring the best out of them in a way that’s different to school, and even different to having a job when they get older.

“That’s why initiatives like the United for Her program are great. It’s so special to bring young girls into the sport and give them exposure.

“They may fall in love with it and may not, which is totally fine, but being able to have 30 or 40 girls walk in and feel safe, invited and encouraged to do something in sport is incredible.”

Fadljevic further elaborated on how the sport can be a sanctuary for young people, speaking about her own experience as a young woman trying to fit in.

“Growing up I was pretty tall and had a bit of a different build to a lot of the girls around me, so I always felt different, except when I was on the basketball court.

“Playing basketball, I was just accepted for who I was and didn’t have to feel weird. I was just part of a team working towards a common goal while doing something I really enjoyed.

“I was lucky that a lot of the girls I played with lived in a similar area to me, so we developed really close relationships and they’re still people I see all the time playing to this day.”

Looking forward, Fadljevic hopes that even more young girls can find their own acceptance and joy within basketball.

“One of the most special things I get to experience is when a girl comes into a program or class for the first time, and they might be a bit unsure, but over the course of the session or day, they just become more and more comfortable.

“You can see the shift within them and they start to think ‘I really like this, I want to come back and do it again’ and that is really cool.”

If you’re interested in getting involved in United for Her, click here to find out more.

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