tibetan community come together at eagle stadium
Members of the Tibetan community from across Australia gathered at Eagle Stadium in Melbourne’s west over the four-day Easter weekend to celebrate their culture and play the basketball event that forms part of the annual Tibetan Unity Cup.
The sports tournament, known as the Tibetan Unity (Chigdril) Games, is in its 11th year and is recognised as the premier sporting event for Tibetan young people in Australia and a prime example of the unifying power of sport.
The 2023 Unity Cup has been dedicated to women’s empowerment and includes basketball and football (held at The Grange Community Centre) together with a range of community activities aimed at creating moments of joy and togetherness for a community that has been impacted by experiences of dislocation and exile.
Between 200 and 300 young Tibetans aged from 16 to 35 from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and ACT participated in the 2023 Unity Cup competitions at Eagle Stadium each day, with that crowd boosted by many spectators from the Victorian Tibetan community.
WynActive Stadium Programs Officer, Paul Lacchiana, provided support for the event and noted that the event’s theme of empowering women in sport, came through well throughout the successful tournament.
He commented “there was a lot happening and a strong sense of community across the event with the efforts and participation of women honoured throughout.
“It was a successful and happy community event centred on the Tibetan culture and its history.”
Lacchiana worked in conjunction with Tibetan community organisers including Sonam Choeden and Tamdin Tsering who donated money set aside for volunteering back to the community to funding to run the event in 2024. Teams that received cash as prizes also donated these winnings to next year’s effort with the event fully funded from donations and sponsorship.
Among other highlights of this year’s event was the participation of the Tibetan Community of Australia’s Football Team before it leaves for India to participate in the prestigious Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup.
The tournament provides an opportunity for young Tibetans to come together to play sport, build self-esteem and social networks and is recognised as the premier Tibetan sporting event in Australia.
Images: Tibetan Unity Cup basketball winners celebrate (top), the WynActive managed Eagle Stadium (middle) and 2023 Tibetan Cup event organiser Sonam Choeden (below).
THE WYNKIDS CREW
TERM 1 HOLIDAYS
WynKids Holiday Sports aims to provide a fun and supportive environment for kids to learn new skills and improve their physical abilities. The program includes activities such as basketball, soccer, and creative sports. The activities are led by dedicated program leaders, ensuring that each child has a positive and enjoyable experience.
In addition to the sports activities, WynKids Holiday Sports also offers other recreational activities and games to keep the children engaged and active throughout the session. This program is a great way for kids to make new friends, try new things, and keep active during the school holidays.
The success of this program could not come about without the dedication of program leaders Isabelle, Olivia, Maddison and LeChe, led by the Programs Officer, Paul.
WynKids Holiday Sports is a fantastic program that promotes physical activity and healthy habits in children, while also providing a fun and engaging experience for all involved.
Eagle Gym takes flight
Eagle Stadium holds pride in being known as an iconic community facility, with many people attending the Stadium to build healthier lifestyles through recreation and sports.
Eagle Stadium is known as the place for sports and simply put, there is also a gym! A whole new world inside this Stadium that offers a full service, ranging from group fitness, functional training, mind and body, personal training and child care. Check out the window transformation!
WynActive members also have quick and convenient access into Eagle Gym via the new member’s entrance! The double glass doors that have served as a gym exit point only, will now provide you with direct and speedy access into Eagle Gym.
Eagle Stadium to "LED" the way
Eagle Stadium is a widely used spaces throughout the year and require an adequate type of lighting, capable of guaranteeing a reduction in energy and maintenance costs. In the winter months, for example, the flow of natural lighting is significantly reduced and this can cause shaded and dark areas. The Assets and Environment team at Eagle Stadium found it essential to use LED lighting fixtures for all 12 courts (16 – 20 lights per court), to ensure visual comfort for players and spectators with uniform lighting of all areas of the structure, increasing the gaming experience and reducing energy costs and maintenance of the structure.
The LED lights that replace all the old style globes are produced to have minimal fading over time, therefore a much longer life span. The “old style” globes saw an increased number of broken lights that need to replaced which meant more broken globes ended up in landfills, and more down time on courts due to lighting inconsistencies.
The recent upgrade in the lighting system will see:
- Uniform illumination: Reduction in shadow areas and high visual comfort.
- Cost reduction: Efficient LED system with reduced maintenance.
- Increase the experience: Hosting more official sporting competitions in a safe and cutting-edge environment.
WynActive scores double at ARV awards.
WynActive team members were successful in two categories and highly commended in another at the 2022 Aquatics and Recreation Victoria (ARV) awards on Friday 2 September.
The Membership Sales Award was won by Jenna Smith while Caitlin McGraw took home the Pool Lifeguard Award. WynActive was also highly commended in the Watch Around Water Award category, a space in which the organisation has dominated over the last six years.
WynActive CEO, Alison Dixon, said the ARV award success was due recognition for theorganisation’s focus on providing the City of Wyndham community with the highest level ofservice and safety through its three recreation facilities.
“I am incredibly proud and inspired by the dedication of our entire staff team to provide our patrons with the best possible experience every time they visit one of our centres,” she said. “The award success again acknowledges our leadership in the industry and I congratulate Jenna and Caitlin, together with all our award nominees.”
Victoria – Duty Manager (far left)
Paul – Most Valuable Employee (left), Alex – Emerging Leader (right)
Jenna, Alison (CEO) and Caitlin
Kat – Group Fitness Instructor (front)
Liz – Customer Service (right)
Jenna – Membership Sales (left), Caitlin – Pool lifeguard (right)