KARRATHA, Australia — The Perth Wildcats and Rio Tinto are expanding the Rio Tinto Perth Wildcats Academy into the Pilbara, giving young basketballers and coaches across the region greater access to elite development pathways closer to home.
The announcement was made today at the Perth Wildcats’ historic pre-season game against the Cairns Taipans in Karratha, the first official NBL game to be played in the Pilbara.
Beginning in 2027, the expanded Academy will bring Wildcats’ coaching expertise, player development programs and high-performance knowledge to young local athletes and coaches through four annual visits, helping build stronger pathways for regional basketball.
This is the first time the Academy has been expanded to regional Western Australia.
The Academy will also send select Pilbara athletes to Perth for an immersive “Pro Week” experience, giving them first-hand exposure to elite training environments and a clearer understanding of the pathway to higher levels of the game.
The long-term vision is to establish a dedicated Pilbara Academy program that develops local talent and creates opportunities for athletes to progress alongside the broader Perth Wildcats Academy.
The Academy expansion builds on the success of the Perth Wildcats and Rio Tinto’s partnership in the region, which has already engaged more than 1,500 children through basketball clinics across the Pilbara. A further 500 young people will take part in clinics this week, alongside coach education sessions designed to strengthen local coaching capability.
Perth Wildcats Owner Mark Arena said expanding the academy into the Pilbara would help ensure talented young athletes had greater access to quality coaching and development opportunities, regardless of where they lived.
“We want every young basketballer to believe they have a pathway to succeed. Expanding the academy into the Pilbara is an exciting step towards making those opportunities more accessible for regional athletes and coaches.”
Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Matthew Holcz said the opportunity to bring the academy to Pilbara basketballers reflected the company’s long-standing commitment to supporting healthy, connected communities across the region.
“Rio Tinto has been part of the Pilbara for 60 years, and partnerships like this are one way we can continue supporting the communities that have helped shape our story.
“By investing in young people and supporting local coaches, we are able to help strengthen grassroots sport in the communities where our people live and work and provide opportunities for talented basketballers to experience elite training programs.”
The historic Karratha NBL game coincides with Rio Tinto’s 60th anniversary celebrations in Western Australia, commemorating first iron ore exports from the Pilbara on 22 August 1966. For six decades, Rio Tinto has worked alongside communities across the state, supporting local employment, regional development and initiatives that help communities thrive.
The Karratha pre-season game and the expansion of the Rio Tinto Perth Wildcats Academy represent another milestone in the partnership, celebrating the role sport can play in bringing communities together while creating lasting opportunities for future generations.
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