22 March 2026
Sarah Addis
Dandenong, Victoria - More than 100 young athletes from diverse cultural backgrounds took to the court at Dandenong Basketball Stadium for the second annual African Australian & Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Community Pathways Camp, hosted by Basketball Victoria.
Designed to provide meaningful exposure to high-performance environments, the camp gave participants the opportunity to showcase their skills under the guidance of Basketball Victoria’s High Performance coaches, alongside experienced coaches from community programs.
For the first time, the 2026 camp also included a dedicated female athletes’ program, marking a significant step forward in creating inclusive and accessible pathways across the sport for women and girls.
Basketball Victoria General Manager – Pathways, Dom Linossier, said the camp was a powerful reflection of basketball’s ability to connect communities and open doors for aspiring athletes.
“We are extremely proud of every athlete, club, association, family member and coach who contributed to making this camp possible,” Linossier said.
“As we continue to strengthen our connection with all communities, opportunities like this allow us to learn, listen and collaborate in more meaningful ways.”
Linossier said the camp now plays an important role within the broader Basketball Victoria Pathways framework.
“Pathways are rarely linear. By creating more opportunities to meet athletes and coaches where they are, we can ensure more participants benefit from our high-performance programs,” he said.
“We’re already looking ahead to how this camp can continue to grow and evolve in the future.”
Basketball Victoria’s Multicultural, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Nya Lok added -
"This camp is bigger than basketball. It’s about creating real pathways for young athletes from African Australian and culturally diverse communities to feel seen, supported, and believed in. Being part of something that opens doors like this is powerful, not just for today, but for the future of the game.
The camp itself was extraordinary. As a junior athlete, I often found myself as the only person of colour, and a female in many rooms. Seeing how far we’ve come in intentionally creating space for diverse cultures is powerful, and it truly reflects Australia as a multicultural country.
The energy from the athletes was felt from the moment they arrived. They came ready to compete and seize the opportunity. Having a female camp for the first time was surreal, and a really special step forward for the game.''
Expanding on the concept, Basketball Victoria will be hosting an First Nations Community Pathways Camp in Bendigo in June to provide those same opportunities to young athletes from another important group in our community.
For a unique insight into last weekend’s camp, hear from Fernando Rios-Rodriguez (State Development Coach – Country, Basketball Victoria), Manny Berberi (President, Longhorns Basketball Club) and Nya Lok (Multicultural, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Basketball Victoria) in the clip below.
