The fledgling junior basketball organisation has rapidly gone from strength to strength since its 2023 inception, taking in a cohort of more than 90 per cent First Nations players among its five underage teams.
The club has been unafraid of geography, making the long trips to Melbourne and surrounds to compete in tournaments frequently.
It was a body formed of humble beginnings, but Turtles president Percy Dryden has seen a rapid evolution under his watch.
“Some of these kids started a bit over a year ago and had never picked up a basketball, but they’ve been winning tournaments with their natural talent,” Dryden said.
“Some of them are playing Gators and rep level and that all comes from the Turtles.
“There were three kids who were bored and said they liked basketball. I was a basketballer when I was a kid, so I passed on my knowledge.
“It’s changed their lives and mine also. It’s changed my mental health and fitness and it’s helped with my social anxiety.
“We have all the stuff in place to try and facilitate the boys and girls as best we can, but we’re still learning day by day.”
It’s a project born out of cultural identity, of course.
However, it hasn’t come without its challenges of getting out of first gear.
“Not every kid has money for jerseys or registration fees, so I try to cater to that and cover that as best I can,” Dryden said.
“There’s a lot of talent up there, we’ve done a lot in the north end of Shepparton, but the families don’t have money to cover it.
“We’re Yorta Yorta people from this area and we wear our jerseys with pride.
“We travel all around Victoria with our 16th tournament in 14 months coming up in April.
“What our girls have achieved over the last year is incredible.”
On-court success has galvanised everyone involved and understandably so as the upward trajectory remains meteoric.
Meanwhile, this is despite no formal association with Greater Shepparton Basketball Association, where the Turtles have instead gone it alone and carved their own path.
However, facilities are another matter, on that same point.
That brings Dryden to the main point he advocates for on behalf of his high-achieving squad — a place to call home.
“We want a spot for these kids,” Dryden said.
“There’s probably 50 Indigenous kids who get together once, twice or three times a week at Guthrie Street Primary School or Bouchier Street Primary School.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s bucketing down rain or steaming hot, because they’re there training their guts out.
“We want an undercover area because these kids deserve it. We were happy doing it this way at first, but it’s getting too much for the families.
“Some of the kids are going home sick if it’s really cold out and we just need somewhere it can be safer.”
