Renee Rockliff and Alex Winwood named Share a Yarn Ambassadors

WAIS athletes Renee Rockliff and Alex Winwood named as Share a Yarn Ambassadors.

The program is an Australian Institute of Sport initiative connecting athletes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Hockey pathway athlete Rockliff spent a week in Wiluna with the Wirrpanda Foundation at the end of 2020. Following her experience, she was eager to be involved in Share a Yarn, with an aim to continue to develop her knowledge of indigenous culture and bring about great inclusion and connection with the communities.

“I feel very privileged to be a part of such a great new initiative. To me it’s only a small step in the right direction but I hope I can do my part to learn, teach and grow this powerful movement of identity and inclusion,” Rockliff said.

“I actually wasn’t aware of the program until very late, but after my trip up to Wiluna last year I thought this was a great opportunity to further my knowledge of indigenous culture and community.”

“I want to be a catalyst for change and stimulate conversation to build better relationships,” she concluded.

Winwood, a proud Noongar man, has qualified for his Olympic debut in boxing at the Tokyo Games. His grandfather, Primus Ugle, was a celebrated Aboriginal painter with works featured in the National Art Gallery.

“My pop owned an Indigenous art gallery so I’ve done a lot of traditional dance and things like that, but living in Perth is different to how others live in the country and stories have been lost,” said Winwood. 

“I’m more than proud to represent Australia and my Indigenous heritage, there shouldn’t be a divide between the two. We should make each other stronger.”

Former scholarship holder Brad Scott, who was part of a Champions to Country Tour last year to the Pilbara has also been named as an ambassador.