Mary’s Story

“Regardless of your background, everyone should have the opportunity to play sport. Without Pushing Barriers, I would never been able to afford to play basketball and probably wouldn’t be the talkative and confident person I am today”.

I moved to Australia from Sudan in 2014 and had never played any sport before. I thought basketball was for boys.

Pushing Barriers started supporting me to play at a club in 2018. It has helped me to form new friends and gave me a belief that I could apply for school captain and pursue another passion, public speaking.

As the 2021 vice-captain of St James College in Brisbane, I enjoy the challenge of balancing my year 12 studies and playing basketball for both school and club. I mentor younger grades in my spare time and hope to combine my passion for writing and creativity when applying for university this year.

I am so grateful for Pushing Barriers and want to see the organization continue to grow in future years, helping more people like me play sport