A group of Indigenous teens are preparing to rub shoulders with professional basketballers through a partnership between the Perth Wildcats, an engineering firm and Indigenous-owned industrial supplier.
The collaboration between the Perth NBL franchise, Boom Logistics and Moort Boodja Industries will see 20 Indigenous teens from Western Australia's South-West attend an exclusive pre-game question and answer with Wildcats players — including Jesse Wagstaff, Dylan Windler and Kristian Doolittle — before attending the team' NBL27 pre-season intrasquad game.
The initiative came about after Boom Industries connected with the Wildcats and Moort Boodja Industries to explore ways to get local young people involved in Friday's Wildcats fixture.
Moort Boodja Industries (MBI) is an Indigenous-owned business supplying on-hire services to the local Bunbury area.
Run by managing director Renee Harslett, MBI has been in partnership with Boom Logistics since 2025.
Through MBI, Ms Harslett and her husband Mark have supported the local community by sponsoring the South West Slammers, providing junior team uniforms for Aces Basketball Association, and are expanding an existing bursary that assists an Indigenous Carey Park Primary School student transitioning to high school to also include a student at Dalyellup Primary School.
Ms Harslett said she's passionate about creating opportunities to support students and strengthen their learning.
"While some changes are hard to make from inside the classroom, I'm excited to create that impact through my business instead," the Noongar woman said.
"We're passionate about basketball and fostering the positive effects of team sport participation in kids.
"Boom Logistics' Wildcats partnership is pivotal to the development of this opportunity, and we're thrilled to be able to provide these kids from Follow the Dream Bunbury with this experience."
Boom Logistics is a leading provider of cranage and lifting services. Boom operates from 17 locations across Australia, providing specialised equipment, engineering services and skilled workforce solutions to a diversified range of industry projects.
Boom is involved in supporting Australia's infrastructure development, renewable energy transition and natural resource sectors, delivering technically innovative outcomes with a strong focus on safety, customer value, operational efficiency and sustainability.
Boom Logistice CEO, Lester Fernandez said the company was proud to partner with MBI and the Wildcats for the benefit of Indigenous youth.
"Boom Logistics is committed to supporting the creation of opportunities with Indigenous children, and we're proud to be able to help bring these students together from regional communities and foster their shared passion for sport," he said.
Polly Farmer Foundation's Follow The Dream Bunbury Program, which supports the aspirations of Indigenous students to successfully complete their primary and secondary schooling, is also involved in the initiative.
