Kadadjiny Cup draws crowd of hundreds as teams battle it out in friendly school holiday competition

Albany’s keen basketball players flocked to Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Saturday for a day of friendly competition on the courts, and connecting with community and health services from around Albany.

A total of 32 teams registered for a day of fast-paced basketball, about 150 players from across the Great Southern, travelling down to Albany from Denmark, Katanning, Tambellup and Gnowangerup to participate.

Community and health agencies including Palmerston, headspace Albany, Great Southern Aboriginal Health Service, the City of Albany, and Legal Aid set up stalls for attendees to ask questions, and collect information about services available throughout the region.

Kadadjiny chief executive officer Stuart Roberts said almost 400 people flocked to ALAC for the event, with representatives of some agencies travelling down from Perth for the weekend to set up for the event.

“The event provided an incredible holiday activity for families and local communities to attend within their own region, rather than always having to travel to Perth,” he said.

“The agencies had a great opportunity to connect with the region community members and promote their services.

“Everyone that attended can’t wait until next year’s event and are looking forward to it getting even bigger and better.”

Basketball games were played in a round-robin style throughout the day, with three-point-line and half-court shoot-out competitions during the lunchtime break another popular highlight of the day.

“The competition was an electrifying day of fast-paced basketball, high-energy teamwork, and excellent sportsmanship,” Mr Roberts said.

“The Kadadjiny Cup truly showcased the incredible talent and spirit of our regional communities.

“Beyond the thrilling wins and spectacular shots, this event achieved its core goal of promoting positive participation and strengthening community connections.

“A huge thank you to all the players, volunteers, and supporters who made the day such a resounding success—we can’t wait to see you all on the court for the next one.”