Exciting opportunity for First Nations athletes

The 2024 program concluded with a cultural connection camp at the AIS in Canberra.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is calling on First Nations athletes who are eager to strengthen their cultural connections to put their name forward for the 2025 AIS Share a Yarn Program.

The program connects elite athletes with mentors including Australian Olympic hurdler Kyle Vander-Kuyp and two-time touch rugby World Champion Bo de la Cruz who have experience navigating the sport system as Indigenous athletes.

"I didn’t have the option of a mentor, and I know I would have really benefited...having someone who could relate to the same things would have been key,” de la Cruz said.

“As mentors we offer another shoulder to lean on, we celebrate your successes and are there for you during the hard times. We can relate to you not just as an athlete but also as an Indigenous person.”

Heading into its sixth year, the program offers athletes the chance to join a supportive network who together learn more about their cultural identity and the positive influence they can have in sport.

Australian Wheelchair Basketballer Clarence ‘CJ’ McCarthy-Grogan who’s a proud Yanyuwa, Garrawa, Kuku-Yalanji man from Darwin joined the program in 2024.

“It’s allowed me to be part of a network that’s much bigger than our own sporting code,”  McCarthy-Grogan said.

After being the second Indigenous athlete to represent Australia in wheelchair basketball,  McCarthy-Grogan hopes to pass on his learnings to the next generation.

“Coming from a small city, there just weren’t enough opportunities for kids with disabilities, especially Indigenous kids…and I wanted to be part of something that was bigger than myself and show: hey, anything is possible!.I’ve been a big advocate for that,” McCarthy-Grogan said.

The 2025 program will see athletes connect with their mentors online, take part in bimonthly group activities and attend a cultural connection camp at the AIS in Canberra.

With most athletes returning to the program year-on-year, it’s clear yarning is proving valuable.

“Get involved because it’s a wonderful thing to be a part of…you meet people from all over the country and you might end up having a life-long friendship with them,”  McCarthy-Grogan said.

This initiative aligns with Australian high performance sports’ commitment to enhance meaningful connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, histories, communities, and cultures and is underpinned by the Connection to Country Action Plan of Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy.

Expressions of interest are now open until Friday March 7.

For more information, click here: Share a Yarn | Australian Institute of Sport