Youth Leaders - Cassandra Wilson

focus_contributor. th LEADERS

with CASSANDRA WILSON

FROM BECOMING U PROJECT

Hi Scout! VERY EXCITED TO BE CHATTING TO YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE

POSITIVE IMPACT YOU ARE HAVING on the young people in our community!

Before we hear more about that, can you tell us about yourself?

I am 24 years old and have been living in Coffs Harbour since I was about two years old. I went to Kororo primary school and then onto Jetty for my high school years. I played netball but quickly moved across to basketball as I loved the pace, fi erce competition, and intensity of the game. You would fi nd me at Sportz Central most afternoons and weekends.

At 15 I started working at OOSH (Out of School Hours care) and fell in love with the job and the kids. I also went on to study a Certifi cate IV in school education and care and worked as a teacher’s aide. I am now leading the OOSH team at Coffs Harbour and fi nd it so rewarding as I help play a part in shaping these young people into great humans.

You have been at OOSH for nearly 10 years what makes it so special?

The kids! I love building relationships with them and their families. I really enjoy being part of their life and fi nding out their interests, what siblings they have, where they like to go on holidays. Being at OOSH I get to encourage creative play, have fun, let the kids explore new and different experiences and create an environment where kids can be kids. I love watching them grow into independent, resilient, and connected young people.

You mentioned connection – how do you help them with this important skill?

I usually start an activity or game and use this to bring the kids together to start forming friendships. I see who is playing together and then reference this game the next time they are together to create a talking point. I use these activities to teach the kids about involving others, accepting each other as they are and being respectful. I do love how OOSH has kids from all different schools coming each afternoon as it helps widen their friendship circles, encourages connection with different kinds of kids and forms support groups that will be so benefi cial when they reach high school.

What is another skill you try to encourage in these young people?

Youth Leadership is an important skill that I try to nurture. There are roles that the young people can try at OOSH to help them with this. There are junior group leaders, helpers, and line leaders. This is where they learn about caring for those younger than them, taking on responsibility and understanding what being a positive mentor means. I have

Being at OOSH I seen so many of the kids start with us when get to encourage they are in kindergarten and they are nervous, creative play, have fun, anxious, or shy, and through taking on extra let the kids explore responsibilities under my guidance, now new and di erent have the confi dence to put they hand up for experiences and create captain and peer support mentors at their an environment where schools. kids can be kids. I love Leadership is also a skill that you have watching them grow learnt in your role, how have you found into independent, that? resilient, and connected It has been a big learning curve as I went young people. from a peer to now a leader of those peers which can be tricky. But I have found that being honest and transparent, and giving feedback in a positive and respectful way helps. I love working with my team and giving them opportunities to grow themselves, whether that is through leading the mat chats in the afternoon, to creating their own activities and building their relationships with the families.

Thanks Scout.

focus_interview

COFFS COAST U15'S NETBALL Tea

Kayla Gage, Marene Greyvenstein and Madison Parkes are three young locals who play Netball together as part of the U15’s Co s Harbour Representative team. e team has had a very successful year, recently winning the Senior State Titles.

Hi girls. Can you introduce yourselves to us and tell us about the team you’re all a part of?

Kayla: I’m Kayla Gage and I am a player and the captain of the U15’s Coffs Harbour Representative team.

Marene: Hello my name is Marene Greyvenstein, I play GS for the Under 15 Rep Coffs Harbour team. I moved to Coffs Harbour at the beginning of the year. The girls made me feel very welcome – they are kind, motivators and support one another after a bad day or game.

Madison: My name is Madison Parkes, I am a part of the Coffs Harbour under 15s Rep team.

How long have you all been playing netball for and what do you love about it?

Kayla: I started playing netball at the age

of eight. What I love about netball is the amazing support from my teammates and coaches to help guide me into a better player. I love learning new skills to incorporate into my game and meeting new people which has created so many different friendships outside of netball. Marene: I started playing netball at the age of seven, when I was still living in South Africa. I moved to Australia in 2017, and my passion for netball is year has just grew and grew. I been a love netball, because it’s successful year for a great team sport and a us girls including place where I make new being undefeated 3 friends. I love the passion out of 5 carnivals we that each coach has have a ended, and towards players and helps finally proudly them improve to the best coming home to of their abilities. Your winning all State Age team is like your second Games. family, because you spend so much time together. Madison: I have been playing netball since I was 11 years old, I am a very active person who loves all sports, but netball is my favourite

because I am always learning new skills, playing within a team, and it’s also lots of fun.

How often do you train and play during the season?

Kayla: During the netball season I play for two different club teams and a representative team. I train two times a week with my team and do extra training on days I’m not occupied. I play two games each week not including the five different representative carnivals this year and the 3-day State Age Titles.

Marene: The season starts in January and ends in September. To be a Rep player, you also need to represent a club team within your association. Therefore I play for South Netball Club. Our club teams usually train once a week and play a game on a Saturday. The Coffs Rep Team trains on a Monday and Wednesday for 2 hours. We have a practice game against the Under 17’s Rep team on Wednesday nights. Throughout the Rep season we have various carnivals to attend in our region. The season ends with Senior State Titles in Sydney.

Madison: We train a few nights a week, one night consisting of fitness, the other night skills and game play.

Your team, the Coffs Harbour U15’s Rep team, has had a successful year, can you tell us about your achievements?

Kayla: This year has been a successful year for us girls including being undefeated three out of five carnivals we have attended, and finally proudly coming home to winning all State Age Games.

Marene: We competed in various carnivals during the season and were undefeated for most of them. Cessnock was our most competitive opponent. Our biggest achievement was winning the Senior State titles for Division 3 as undefeated champions.

Madison: Yes we all played amazing throughout the season, and the highest achievement was winning State Titles, going through undefeated.

What did it feel like when you won the

State Titles?

Kayla: When we had won State Titles I was completely proud and excited for the team and myself because each one of us girls trained so hard leading up to State Age. I remember being full of joy when the last buzzer went and my teammates and I all ran to each other. There were many joyful tears shared on that day and I was extremely thrilled to win State Titles

Marene: Winning was something that every girl on the team wanted to reach and reaching it together was something special. With a team that just started playing together this season for the first time, winning the State Titles was something unreal. All our hard work, training and commitment from each girl paid off. Having coaches and parents believing in us and cheering from the sideline at each game was inspiring.

Madison: I was so excited, it was a huge three days, I was so proud of the girls and our coaches, Maddie and Tracey, we all put in such hard work and it was exciting to see it all pay off.

What will it mean to attend the Netball

I was so excited, it was a huge 3 days, I was so proud of the girls and our coaches, Maddie and NSW performance session training? Tracey, we all put in Kayla: I was completely overwhelmed to such hard work and hear I had an opportunity to attend a Netball it was exciting to see NSW performance session. It meant so much it all pay o . to me to be able to improve my skills and work with talented netballers across NSW. Marene: Being part of the state performance sessions is the first step to achieving my dream. It will give me more experience and multiple ways to improve with my shooting all the way to my fitness. Madison: It is a massive honour, I get to learn top skills from NSW top coaches, and meet heaps of girls with lots of talent I can learn from.

What would be the dream for each of you when it comes to playing netball?

Kayla: My dream for me when it comes to playing netball would be to make the Suncorp league for the NSW Swifts. Marene: My dream is to play netball professionally. Playing for a club, like the Giants, would be my ultimate pathway to become a Diamond. I know it will take hard work, patience, and dedication but every dream is within your reach. The cherry on top would be to play in the 2032 Olympics where it will be the first time netball is included as an olympics sport event. Madison: My dream in the near future is to make the Netball NSW emerging talent squad. And my future dream would be to one day play in the SSN (Suncorp Super Netball), and hopefully one day for Australia.