Deadly Choices AO Tennis January 2025
- Community
- Deadly Choices
Deadly Choices is a preventative health program of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH). It aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. including quitting smoking or vaping, eating nutritious food, and being physically active.
Deadly Choices at the AO
Deadly Choices is a preventative health program of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH). It aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. including quitting smoking or vaping, eating nutritious food, and being physically active. In partner with local Community Controlled Health Services (CCHS), Deadly Choices encourages mob to complete a regular 715 Health Check and receive a Deadly Choices health check shirt as an incentive. Find out more at https://deadlychoices.com.au/
When I did my annual 715 Health Check at Winnunga I had no idea it would lead to the Australian Open!!! I do my 715 annually, as something new health wise always shows up. The reception mob at Winnunga said “Do you like tennis? Do you want to be in the running for the Deadly Choices competition?” well of course!!! My cousin Samia said, “cuzzo if you win, I’m coming as your plus one!” Well that was that and life went on, work, family and complex health conditions don’t stop for no-one or nothing!!
When I got the call from Julie (CEO Winnunga) just before Christmas I had no idea…..I screamed down the phone with excitement. After a pretty hellish 2024 this was just the lift I needed. I rang Samia, “Cuz you sitting down? You ready to come to the tennis?” I think she screamed as well!!!! My son when I told him said “what about me?” well get your 715 health check done bub!!!
We had no idea what to expect, I knew that flights, accommodation and the day at the tennis were included but wow the experience was beyond anything we dreamed of, it was absolutely incredible!! Meeting up with other Deadly Choices winners from partner Aboriginal Medical Services in Tasmania, NSW, Queensland and Victoria, as well as Deadly Choices staff, who were inspiring themselves, and Ambassadors was just too deadly!! There were about 50 of us all up! We went from not really knowing each other to yarning up, laughing up and becoming a family over the time we spent together! The shared experiences and stories of our communities and families bonded us and definitely gave me strength and filled my cup. My cuz was a bit tentative, due to her health, age and mobility issues, but after the Deadly Choices team reassured us both, she did come and reckons she will now push to do more, this was lifechanging!!
The actual Deadly Choices Australian Open experience at the Yvonne Goolagong Cawley Day was next level! We were all up at out of the accommodation at 6am for a day full of culture, connection, pride and of course tennis!! Initially we were split into two groups (younger mob and their parents) and the older mob. We ended up on one of the AO Courts to have a hit out with a Victorian coach. Was too much fun!!! All us mob balancing tennis balls, hitting balls over nets, “control, consistency, concentration” the coach kept saying, as we laughed and joked our way through the session. My cousin Samia said she was inspired to getting accessible and adaptive tennis in Canberra (like they do in Victoria) for mob like her with mobility, or other complex health issues, to start something up and create safe spaces for mob who may think they are not able to do activities, like tennis. We then joined up with the younger mob on the Margaret Court Arena for photos and a quick yarn with the incredible and inspirational Yvonne Goolagong Cawley!!!!
Next up we were invited to go on a tour of the AO complex through a cultural lens of Country, history and story with the Koorie Heritage Trust, some of the Elders stayed behind and were treated to time in the International Eight Lounge, a space reserved for any local or international tennis player who has been in a quarter final of any Grand Slam. It was impressive!!! Then off to the Welcome Ceremony!
The day had already been mind-blowing and it was only 10am!!!! The Welcome Ceremony was held on steps displaying the artwork of Bobbi Lockyer (Noongar artist), the honouring of Country was beautiful with Aunty Joy Murphy leading the Welcome with a smoking, a calling up of Country, the Wurundjeri Welcome itself and dancers (local and also Torres Strait) and then the incredible voice of Dan Sultan!! Yvonne Goolagong Cawley was there and Pat Cash was invited up as well. We were blown away, the respect and honouring of our cultures, the celebration of the inspirational achievements of Yvonne Goolagong Cawley and deep honouring of Country made our hearts sing!
Free time to explore the AO event and the activities as part of the Yvonne Goolagong Cawley Day, included a new space Top Court specifically for younger people (but anyone), the activities included entertainment, pickle ball, basketball, weaving, ochre face painting, continuous table tennis and chill out spaces. In fact the whole of the AO complex had chill out spaces, it was like a festival and the atmosphere was electric! The Elders, and older people were invited to the First Nations Elders Room – which was a corporate space overlooking a tennis court where they could relax, have a feed and watch some incredible tennis – including an unseeded player knock out the fifth women’s seed in an incredible match! The level of care shown towards Elders and older Deadly Choices participants was just beautiful. We were not just included but the experience was a rare moment of being central to everything and welcomed into the AO by everyone! There were lots of yarns about Deadly Choices, everyone really wanted to know. Some of the Deadly Choices group had tickets for the Day Matches, Samia and I had tickets to the night matches in the Rob Laver Arena. And WOW!!!!!!! The night matches were incredible, the light show before the matches started and the entertainment was deadly!! Two young people from the Deadly Choices winners were able to toss the coin before the men’s and women’s matches and it just filled us with so much pride seeing the younger generation step forward!!! And then the matches, the atmosphere was electric!!! Seeing matches live was unlike anything else.
This was a once in a lifetime experience, it felt like a week packed into one day!! The honouring and celebration of our mob, the joy, being with each other, sharing stories and laughs filled my cup. I’ve come home re-energised, feeling strong and with connections that will continue beyond the experience. The Deadly Choices mob were so supportive, and ready to assist at every stage, always checking in and making sure everyone was ok. My cuz is going to now try and get something happening with adaptive and accessible tennis, it can happen!! And we can do more about our health and wellbeing in culturally safe, creative and grounded ways; Deadly Choices showed us we can do it and have fun!! Shout out to the Deadly Choices mob and the partnership with Winnunga! And here’s to having 715 Health Checks and building our strength through cultural pride, our resilience and resistance!
In partner with local Community Controlled Health Services (CCHS), Deadly Choices encourages mob to complete a regular 715 Health Check and receive a Deadly Choices health check shirt as an incentive. Find out more at https://deadlychoices.com.au/
Winnunga also offers a range of regular programs such as:
- No More Boondah
- Women’s Group
- Men’s Group
- Healthy Cooking classes
- Healthy Cooking group
- Youth Diversion Program
- Road to Recovery
- Wellbeing Group
The Social Health Team also runs health promotion campaigns and community activities. One of their main aims is to promote pride in Aboriginal culture.
Who to contact:
For more information on the Social Health Team,
or to access their services,
please call (02) 6284 6222.
