Why connection is key for Cubby

By Sophie Taylor

Hailing from a Goodooga, a tiny Indigenous community in north-west New South Wales, Murrawari woman Lily Cubby has experienced no shortage of support throughout her netball journey.

The small community boasts a population of roughly 250 people, something Cubby is proud to be a part of.

"I spent the first few years of my life down there,” Cubby said.

“It's a very connected community… there's not too many people from down there so most of the mob in that community are family.”

Participating in the 2024 Pacific Netball Series, the inaugural First Nations Black Swans team is made up of 12 First Nations pathways players from around the country.

Cubby is one of three Queensland athletes selected, having played much of her netball in the Queensland state pathway despite being born in NSW.

Cubby said the initial process was “pretty stressful” after getting back into the high performance state pathways program at the beginning of the year.

“I did have word that I was being looked at for selection but never knew if I was actually going to be selected, so getting that phone call really made it sink in,” Cubby said.

“For me to be one of 12 athletes, it's pretty special, that it's the whole country, and not just based on one state.

“It was a stressful process, I'm not going to lie, but quite happy now that it's all out there!”

The phone call from First Nations Black Swans head coach Ali Tucker-Munro was a pinch-me moment for Cubby, who had received some other good netball news earlier that day.

“I was at work when I got the call, and I actually got a call from Jess Whitfort, the Future Firebirds coach to let me know that I had made that squad,” she said.

“Then half an hour later, I got the phone call from Ali to let me know that I'd been selected."

A smooth-moving goaler, Cubby said it was surreal to find out she had made both teams in a short period. 

“I was over the moon, I got goosebumps straightaway,” she said.

“When I found out about the Black Swans it hit close to home, being able to represent my community and my family back home.

“It's quite special and really such an opportunity that every athlete in our team takes with two hands and think they all want to do everyone proud back home.

“I know I certainly do.”

Cubby’s excitement for the competition is about more than just her own selection in the team.

"We’re 12 different athletes from all different mobs coming together as one… it’s pretty exciting,” Cubby said.

“This tournament and this team here gives (First Nations communities) the shining light at the end of the tunnel that we've got this competition for them to tune into.

“The sense that we are being represented and are being given that opportunity to show what we've got on a big stage.”

Despite living in Brisbane now after attending boarding school in the city, Cubby still feels a great connection to Goodooga.

“Being able to represent them is such a privilege,” Cubby said.

"The connectedness of everyone and the amount of support that you get from everyone back home, it's quite special.

“For all the girls and myself, all our mob will be - if not tuning in - be there in person.

“I know a lot of girls have heaps of family coming up so it will be pretty special to run out in that dress, to represent all of our communities together as one.”

Cubby says her selection to the Black Swans is especially special because she has an opportunity to represent her dad, who passed away when she was six years old.

“My dad is who I get my Indigenous side from and my connection to my Indigenous life back home,” Cubby said.

“(My mum) lets me know that he's always here watching over me and that I'm always doing him proud. That's also what's so special about this moment - being able to represent him.”

Cubby says her mum is a great source of inspiration, explaining that her mum’s strength and support are what’s kept her in the sport.

“She has been there since day dot,” Cubby said.

“She took me to the netball courts to do Woolworths NetSetGO when I was six years old in Dubbo.

“She just has a shining light for me and is someone I can look up to.

“Having her as that support for me from when I was that six-year-old all the way until now, she still comes every single game.”

When it comes to influences, former Queensland Firebird Beryl Friday has been a great source of support for Cubby throughout her netball journey.

“She was a great role model for me as a young Indigenous girl coming through the ranks, she really nurtured me and looked after me,” she explained.

“I was coming up knowing not really many people and not many other Indigenous girls but her being the role model for me that she was, it's made me want to be the role model for those young girls coming through.”

Friday’s support went further than being a familiar face in the training environment.

"Beryl would rock up for training with some home cooked meals for me,” Cubby laughed.

“She really looked after me because I was a picky eater and didn't like the food that the (boarding school) chef wanted to give me!”

Despite only meeting much of the group face-to-face upon arrival for the Pacific Netball Series, Cubby says the environment has been comfortable from the very first team video call.

“They’ve made it feel very welcoming and a culturally safe environment,” Cubby explained.

“It’s an environment that not many of us have had the opportunity to be part of, especially in a First Nations team all together.

“I'm really looking forward to us girls being given an opportunity to show our talent, I don't really think it's been able to be showcased in the past.

“Not only myself, but everyone else is just excited to be given the opportunity to really showcase what we have to give and what we bring to the court.”

Cubby says the environment is particularly special because of the supportive nature of the team.

“Everyone's very inviting and everyone's backing each other. We're not there just individually, but we're there to lift each other up as well,” she explained.

“Really set the standard for future years to come, and set an example for younger kids coming through to show them that they actually have something to work towards and hopefully inspire the next generation of young Indigenous girls.

Cubby said she’s grateful for the work that Ali Tucker-Munro has done since joining the fold at Netball Australia as the First Nations Engagement Lead.

“I'm very grateful for Ali and the work that she had done to really push this with Netball Australia to give girls like us the opportunity to showcase our talent,” she said.

“It is a step in the right direction. We're not there yet, but just giving us these opportunities to show we can do it and we have the pathways to do it as well, it's pretty special.”

The Pacific Netball Series will take place at Nissan Arena between June 10-15.