University UBL team name unveiled

AU Sport & Fitness and The University of Adelaide are excited to unveil the official name of the newly formed high performance Basketball team, The Adelaide University Waatu's.

The word 'Waatu' means Coming Together in Kaurna language, which was officially named by Adelaide University Sport and Uncle Rod O'Brien, Cultural Advisor, University of Adelaide’s Indigenous Education unit.

"Waatu brings a community together, in partnership with one another and to play as one team. It is important to use language as it provides a better connection to country and strength to a community, which we hope it will give the Waatu's this season," Uncle Rod said.

General Manager of Adelaide University Sport & Fitness Michelle Wilson said, "we worked closely with Uncle Rod O'Brien and the Wirtlu Yarlu Aboriginal Education team to establish a club name and visual identity that is linked to the traditional owners of the North Terrace Campus, the Kaurna People. We hope that it will spark a conversation when we travel interstate to explain what the name means and celebrate our First Nations People."

As well as the name, the Adelaide University Waatu's home and away jersey will have a distinct design which was also created in collaboration with the Wirtlu Yarlu Aboriginal Education team.

Mai-Sie Crawford-Owers, Marketing and Communications Officer (Indigenous Engagement), Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education, has led the design of the teams uniform, which is set to be released in the coming months.

"The team name 'Waatu' inspired this design, with the flow of the artwork creating a journey, similar to the river, creating a place to come together and meet." she said

The Waatu's will enter their debut season of the University Basketball League (UBL) this coming March, with High Performance Coordinator Mick Nelson saying he can't wait to see both teams out on the court.

"We see our UBL Teams as a great way to connect our Adelaide University community, as we get to host rounds in April which will be a highlight for our players, coaches and volunteers" he said.

The UBL is a National Home and Away league for University students, which will see Adelaide University represent South Australia across the competition. Both the men's and women's team will travel around the nation, competing against other universities in a unique intervarsity opportunity.

Michelle Wilson said, "teams will be supported through Adelaide University Sport & Fitness funding, as well as access to strength and conditioning training through the Fitness Hub."

"We want our players, coaches and volunteers to use this experience as a stepping stone to a great sporting and professional career" Mick Nelson said. The UBL program will engage students both on and off the court, through playing and coaching, as well internship opportunities for careers such as marketing and physiotherapy.

"We expect to create an environment where the University community can come together to support our teams whether they are playing at home or supporting them virtually online", Michelle Wilson said.

The Waatu's hit the court for their first game on Wednesday, 23 March in a double header with both the men's and women's team taking on The University of Western Australia.

If you would like to know more about the UBL program and the Adelaide University Waatu's, you can attend our info session by registering here.