On a winter afternoon, shielded by a pink-sky dusk, kids are shaking off their day with basketball drills at Fernside Skatepark at Sydney’s Waterloo Oval. Australian National Basketball League (NBL) legend Cal Bruton is dishing the dirt on nailing a three-pointer and in return, he has the undivided attention of these kids, the beneficiaries of Eat Strong Play Strong, a sport and nutrition program launched yesterday by Sydney’s .
Ian Heininger heads up this this not-for-profit organisation – he has bounced through life as a coaching psychologist and management consultant but his main gig has been working on the frontline of youth homelessness.
The common thread in Ian’s career is basketball – not playing, but actively closing the divide between the professional basketball world and community engagement in the sport. Charity Bounce is a new entity that rose from the ashes of a restructure when he was working at Sydney Kings. “Charity Bounce is looking at partnerships with Sydney Kings but also other organisations and working with the NBL at large. The driver is to work with disadvantaged individuals and groups to create out-of-reach opportunities,” explains Ian.
The programs at Charity Bounce are delivered in partnership with professional athletes. “Most sports don’t provide that side of it [hands-on guidance] – they provide the inspiration, but we’re bridging the two together.” Ian harnesses the power of professional sport to overcome the challenges faced by indigenous and culturally diverse youth. Eat Strong Play Strong will focus on three primary issues: eating nutritious food, leading a healthy lifestyle and improving school attendance, leading to better work outcomes.
First step is to impart knowledge about nutritious food. The program’s participants work join hands-on cooking classes with renowned chef Sean Connolly at WEAVE, a community centre in the Waterloo skate park that serves the Redfern and Waterloo areas. After discussing Sean’s experience as an auction item for private dining experiences – “which was great as a fundraiser but left me connecting with only the wealthy benefactors”, Connolly says – Ian issued an invitation to cook in the unchartered waters of disenfranchised youth. Through Eat Strong Play Strong, Sean will impart healthy cooking and eating tips by introducing new foods and skills into their repertoire.
Cal Bruton talks to some of the Eat Strong Play strong participants at the program's official launch. Source: Charity Bounce
Second step is to promote a healthy lifestyle and combat truancy. Time for the pro basket ballers to work their magic. “When players come in, they talk about why education was so important to them achieving career success, and why they eat a certain way to help them play better. They also address the value of education and learning as part of a team.”
Sean Connolly’s restaurants and his food network will help build employment pathways for these youth groups. Sean notes, “Hospitality is a tough industry, so it’s not just about the kitchen opportunities, it could also be front-of-house or other hospitality opportunities.”
So how is the program implemented in schools and the community? “Charity Bounce employs youth workers to support people through the process,” explains Ian. “It could be making the connection with businesses, then supporting them in the job or the school at which they’re trying reconnect. We’re also looking at coaching programs for young people when they get into jobs.”
Sean Connolly and a program participant at the launch of Eat Strong Play Strong. Source: Charity Bounce
Eat Strong Play Strong will target both genders: “You can mix boys and girls and various ages on a court and everyone gets to participate. Basketball is a unique sport in that way, which I love philosophically in terms of running inclusiveness and diversity programs,” enthuses Ian.
And all ages? “Yes, from year three kids right up to 22-year-olds,” says Ian. “At tonight’s launch we have school leavers still looking at employment pathways. It’s about finding the biggest need – where are those schools and communities with the highest levels of disadvantage?”
First stop is Sydney’s Redfern (Charity Bounce already has youth workers in the community, including local schools, where the Eat Strong Play Strong program will be implemented.) Ian is hoping to also run Eat Strong Play Strong at schools in Parramatta and Homebush, and in Sydney’s Belmore region, then he’s travelling to Alice Springs with Sean Connolly next week to cook with Northern Territorial kids and establish a permanent iteration of the program. “We’re keen to bring more chefs on board to expand the program nationally,” says Ian.
As Sean cooks tortillas and Cal Burton runs his basketball clinic, the pink sky turns dark but these kids’ futures are much brighter for the introduction of this program. Looking on from the bench, Ian reflects, “We want them to think bigger about themselves and bigger about their lives.” And that’s a slam dunk.
On court action at the launch: athletes will play a key role in the program. Source: Charity Bounce
