Sport: a celebration of culture, acceptance and friendship

Sport: a celebration of culture, acceptance and friendship

By Jye Campbell

RICHARD ATTIAS ONCE SAID, “SPORT IS A GREAT EQUALISER THAT CAN BUILD BRIDGES, TRANSCEND BORDERS AND CULTURES, AND RENDER EVEN THE FIERCEST CONFLICTS TEMPORARILY IRRELEVANT”.

In an incredibly diverse institution such as Western Sydney University, sport provides an avenue for all students to unite as one and celebrate our multiculturalism.

Take Jasper Rentoy for example. An Australian-Filipino representative basketball player, Jasper knows the unifying power of sport better than anyone. He has spent time living both here and overseas, feeling somewhat like an “outsider” because of his multicultural heritage.

But through sport, he has been able to fnd ways to feel at home all over the world. “Being a Filipino and growing up here in Australia, basketball has played a vital role in helping me connect with people from different cultures,” Jasper said. “I’ve never felt uncomfortable wherever I have been

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because I know that regardless of my ethnicity, basketball is the common ground that can bring myself and other people together.”

Jasper, who now represents Penrith Panthers in the NSW Waratah League, recently spent time playing college basketball in the Philippines. Moving overseas after growing up in Australia was a hefty adjustment, made all the easier by sport bridging the gap between himself and others.

“Although I am Filipino, I was defnitely considered an outsider over there because I was born and raised in Sydney,” he said.

“But because of sport, I was able to connect with people and build strong relationships with others who were raised overseas, in countries like New Zealand, United States, Italy, Canada and Netherlands. While sport was the initial driving factor in these friendships, they developed and went way past the hardwood of the basketball court.” Western Sydney University offers more than 40 different sports for student participation, over 20 student sporting clubs to join and the opportunity to represent the University at UniSport Nationals. The sports on offer range from the usual suspects like basketball, football, cricket and netball, to more niche activities such as cheerleading, e-sports and badminton.

University Sports Coordinator Brendan Hoey encouraged all students to get involved in some sport this semester as a way to connect with others. “Western Sydney University offers a huge range of sporting opportunities all throughout the year to engage with, catering for all interests and skill levels,” said Sports Coordinator Brendan Hoey.

“Getting involved in sport at Western will provide you the opportunity to make lifelong friends, stay physically and mentally ft and healthy and also help you develop your soft skills like communication, leadership and teamwork.” Jasper echoed these calls, especially for students with multicultural heritage. “I cannot recommend sport participation enough,” he said. “I believe sport is a place where culture can be celebrated. It’s a place where everyone can come together and share their passions, be free and share who you are with others.”

Not sure how to get involved in sport at Western Sydney University? Here’s how! Head to WESTERNLife (life.westernsydney.edu.au) and join the Sport group to discover everything Western has to offer. You can also follow the Western Sydney University – Sport page and respective clubs on Facebook and Instagram!

Credit for images: WSU Sports Department. Some of the sports on offer to students at Western Sydney include OzTag, soccer, netball, rugby league and basketball