United & Trojan continue to support community basketball through Indigenous Round

Melbourne United and Trojan are proud to team up again this season to bring 50 young Indigenous basketball players and their families from Bairnsdale to enjoy an exclusive gameday experience on Sunday 26th of October.

Thanks to Trojan and United, the young basketballers from the Gunai Kurnai mob will travel to Melbourne for the experience, beginning with a pre-game clinic on the John Cain Arena Court before enjoying all the excitement of a United home game.

Following the game, the group will have the opportunity to meet Melbourne United players and take part in an exclusive Q&A session.

This initiative, delivered by Trojan Tools and Melbourne United in collaboration with Ricky Baldwin and the Koorie Basketball Academy, aims to inspire and empower young Indigenous basketballers to realise their potential.

Baldwin said the initiative has the potential to make a lasting impact on the young players involved.

"It's very close to my heart having a group of Gunai Kurnai kids come to Melbourne United's game this Sunday.

"My family are from the Lake Tyers Mission, so it's extra special to have these kids come up together on the bus from Gunai Kurnai Country. For many of the kids, this will be their first time going to an NBL game and they can't wait.

"At the Koorie Academy we are very grateful to help give these opportunities to young Koorie kids from across Victoria.

"Thank you to Nigel Pearce for working with me on this, as well as Nick Truelson and Nicola Parkinson from Melbourne United for helping make this happen. To the team at Trojan Tools, we appreciate you sponsoring the day."

Following the success of last season’s initiative with a group of young players from Shepparton, Trojan Tools Brand & Sponsorship Manager, Genevieve Bolzon, said it was an easy decision to bring the experience back for NBL26.

“Having the opportunity to champion community initiatives like this one is integral to what we do at Trojan and reflects our strong value of giving back to local communities. Seeing the gratitude and inspiration from last season’s group was incredibly rewarding,” Bolzon said.

“We knew it was something we wanted to make ongoing. Together with United, we’re proud to bring this special experience to life again in NBL26, and for seasons to come.

“This initiative highlights what’s possible when value-aligned partners work together to make a genuine impact in local communities. We’re looking forward to seeing plenty of smiles and excitement at Sunday’s game.”

Melbourne United CEO, Nick Truelson, echoed Bolzon’s sentiments, reaffirming the club’s commitment to creating positive change on and off the court.

“Our purpose at Melbourne United is to use the power of basketball to inspire, entertain and enrich people’s lives, and we believe initiatives like this help us live that purpose,” Truelson said.

“This round provides an amazing opportunity to showcase Indigenous culture, which young Indigenous athletes like the Gunai Kurnai mob can connect with and use as inspiration to achieve their own goals and dreams.”

Click the links to learn more about Trojan Tools and the Koorie Academy.

‍