How culture ignited Turner’s spark

By Stephanie Smarrelli 
 

Sitting on the sidelines at last year’s PacificAus Sports Netball Series, Kaurna netballer Nasyah Turner longed to be on the court beside her sister Aaleya. 

Though proud of her sister, the 22-year-old confessed she was ‘a little jealous’ of Aaleya. 

But this year, she’ll have the opportunity to stand on court with her, having been named in the First Nations Invitational national team, the Black Swans which came as a huge surprise.

“I couldn't believe it because I haven't played netball for a bit,” Nasyah said. 

“I last played at the First Nations Tournament when we went to Melbourne in September. 

"I was surprised but excited to try something new, meet new girls and play for my community and my mob.”  

The goaler is most looking forward to playing alongside her sister. 

"I very much look up to her,” she said. 

“Which is weird because she's younger than me but she's had an amazing netball journey and she's still going well." 

The series will be a pivotal moment for Nasyah who gave netball up having lost her passion before she returned to the sport again. 

“It's not just your local club you get to play for but it's an Australian team,” she said. 

“It's special and something I will continue to hold onto for the rest of my life.  

“I get to play with my sister who has been with me for my netball journey and now we're playing for Australia together which is amazing.”  

As she prepares to step onto the netball court at the PacificAus Sports Netball Series, Nasyah is ready to bring everything she’s got. 

“There's lots of strong teams out there but I think our skills will come together,” she said. 

“We'll bring that deadly spark. 

“I'm excited to see how that goes, working with the girls and matching up against different players.”  

There’s one team Nasyah hopes she will match up against, a team she has been discussing in depth with her sister. 

“We're really excited to play against Tonga,” Nasyah said. 

“They'll be very good competition; those girls are amazing and have great connections with each other.” 

She first started playing netball alongside her sister when she was seven. 

The duo started at Croweaters Netball Club before their mother Kate moved them to play at a club in the city. 

Nasyah hopped between a few different South Australian netball clubs including the Metro Jets and Tango. 

But while she was playing netball she felt drawn to another sport. 

"I was really interested in how footy worked,” she said. 

“I took a break from netball because I lost my passion and was no longer having fun on court.” 

Two key people were the catalyst for Nasyah’s netball return and neither of them were her sister. 

The first was netball coach Kelly Wilson who encouraged her to join Nunga Netball. 

“I went out there and I knew a lot of the Aboriginal girls there,” Nasyah said.  

“I enjoyed hanging out with those girls both on the court and outside of netball.” 

The other influence, a family member close to home. 

“My mum, she really pushed not just me but my sister throughout life and told us never to give up,” she said. 

“When I lost my passion for netball, she was the one who said, ‘Go out, go with your mob, enjoy it, do it for you and your family’.” 

“I was happy she pushed me to go do it because I don't think I'd be here if it wasn’t for her pushing me.” 

Nasyah’s passion for netball re-ignited on the court, playing alongside First Nations athletes like herself. 

The goaler, calling out a handful of reasons why she thrives most when she’s alongside her First Nations teammates.  

"Being able to communicate with them on food, culture and connection but also doing something we all enjoy in netball and being on court working together while doing it for our community,” she said. 

Looking back on her time away from netball, Nasyah believes playing footy made her a better netballer. 

"I was very timid and didn't want to touch my player,” she said. 

“I wasn't very aggressive compared to my sister who was. 

“But when I went into footy I became a ruck, and I learnt a whole heap of new skills.” 

Nasyah’s favourite netball memory has been one she experienced after her return. 

“We were playing for our local Nunga Aboriginal team against all the Nunga teams in South Australia,” she said. 

“We all came together before the game, we were talking about doing it for our community, our mob and our family,” she said. 

“We had a lot of little Aboriginal girls, sitting on the sidelines cheering our names. 

 “I lost my passion for netball but then coming back and seeing those little girls look up to us was amazing.” 

“As was playing on court with the girls I've grown up with and we won that final.” 

While her connection to her culture is strong on the court, it’s just as strong off the court. 

Nasyah is passionate about bringing her Kaurna culture to life. 

"Me, my dad and my grandma used to paint together before my grandma passed away,” she said. 

“She taught me all these different techniques within my painting, I continue to paint today, and I've sold the pieces to universities and organisations. 

While she enjoys painting, it’s the time spent with family Nasyah enjoys the most. 

“Sitting there with my dad, he teaches me about our culture, our history and things Aboriginal people have been through,” she said. 

“It's a bit of working together but also creating memories of us sitting there painting and doing an art piece.  

“Then looking back at that piece of art and remembering those things and the journey we've been through.” 

At 22-years-old, Nasyah has a bright future ahead of her and she’s got a couple of goals in mind. 

“I want to continue to work on my skills and become the best version of myself I can with my netball,” she said. 

“Even if that's only for my local club, I want to see how far I can go in my netball journey and not give up. 

“I work for Southern Cultural Immersion, which is a family business, we run a whole heap of cultural experiences for the next generation coming through.  

“I want to continue to spread my culture and share my knowledge with my community.” 

 

The First Nations Invitational national team, the Black Swans are proudly supported by the Confident Girls Foundation.