Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA), in partnership with Fair Game, will this week embark on a powerful new chapter of Reconciliation with the launch of two brand-new initiatives: Footprints in Culture and Pathways to Play.
Aligned with CGA’s newly launched Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), these programs take a reimagined approach to RAP initiatives, alumni engagement and community connection.
Over a week-long journey through the Pilbara region of Western Australia, CGA alumni will visit the remote and widely dispersed communities of Yandeyarra, Strelley, Warralong, Marble Bar, and Port Hedland. Set across rugged, often inaccessible terrain, these locations highlight the scale, challenge, and significance of a journey to some of Australia’s most isolated communities.
Joining the visit are proud Worimi and Yuin man and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kyle Vander-Kuyp, as well as four-time Commonwealth Games medallists Anabelle Smith and Shayna Jack OAM, who together will share their experience, stories and passion to connect with and inspire local children.
Guided by Fair Game, the WA-based not-for-profit that has spent over 15 years supporting remote communities, CGA worked with the five Pilbara communities to identify the specific sporting needs local children needed to stay active and engaged in sport.
This collaborative groundwork shaped Pathways to Play, with CGA reaching out to its Sport Members, partners, and networks to source targeted donations of new and gently used equipment and apparel, ensuring every contribution directly supports the needs of local children and their access to sport.
Donations have been generously provided by Australian Commonwealth Games Team partner Valour Sport, Basketball Australia, Boxing Australia, Table Tennis Victoria, and Volleyball Australia, with CGA complementing the donations with additional apparel and equipment.
CGA is grateful for the contributions and commitment to advancing reconciliation through sport, in what is hoped to be the first of many iterations of these programs.
Vander-Kuyp, who doubles as the Chair of the CGA Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Group, said the visit represents a meaningful next step in bringing the organisation’s reconciliation commitments to life.
“This trip is about genuine connection, sharing experiences through sport while visiting communities to spend time with them and learn from them,” Vander-Kuyp said.
“Alongside my fellow alumni, I am looking forward to listening, learning, and building relationships while engaging in a way that reflects the respect and reciprocity at the heart of our partnership with Fair Game.
“The generosity of our partners in providing equipment and apparel ensures we’re not just bringing goodwill, but real, practical support that will continue to make a difference long after we’ve gone.”
Fair Game CEO Nicki Bardwell said the collaboration demonstrates what can be achieved when sport is used as a vehicle for social change.
“Having Commonwealth Games alumni engage directly with local communities adds a powerful dimension to the work we do,” Bardwell said.
“It’s about creating shared experiences that build understanding and trust, while inspiring young people to see what’s possible through sport.
“The donations from Valour, Basketball Australia, Boxing Australia Table Tennis Victoria and Volleyball Australia will help us continue breaking down barriers to participation, making sure every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to play, belong and thrive.”
The initiative aligns with CGA’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, which seeks to deepen engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and embed their voices and perspectives across all aspects of the organisation.
About Footprints in Culture
Footprints in Culture is a remote experience program where CGA alumni immerse themselves in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, experiencing local culture while contributing to sports and health promotion programs in partnership with Fair Game, a WA based NFP that has nurtured strong relationships with these remote communities over the last 15 years while supporting them to lead healthy active lives.
About Pathways to Play
Pathways to Play is a sports equipment drive collecting new and gently used equipment from CGA Sport Members, partners and networks for distribution to remote communities. This initiative is guided by direct requests from each community, ensuring children receive the equipment they need to keep playing the sports they love.
