After a two-year hiatus, PCYC flagship event, Nations of Origin, returns for 2022

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are proud to once again host the 2022 PCYC Nations of Origin on Worimi and Awabakal country. 

2022 marks the eighth Nations of Origin event. With more than 156 teams and more than 1300 young people have registered across five different events, Nations of Origin continues to grow from strength to strength, and we are thrilled to see it return.

PCYC NSW was established in 1937 as a partnership between NSW Police and the Community to empower young people reach their potential. PCYC provides support and safety for young people to share their voices, and and shape the programs and activities we run in our clubs.

PCYC Nations of Origin is a multifaceted sport, cultural, education and leadership program, which culminates around NAIDOC week annually.
The program has four main components: reconciliation, education, cultural identity and sport. The last two years' events disappointingly have had to be called off due to the pandemic, but now for the eighth year, the tournament is returning to NSW, and promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Nations of Origin is PCYC NSW at its life changing best – a cultural reconciliation, education, leadership and sporting program that brings together nearly 1,500 young people from all around New South Wales. These young people represent their families, communities, and Indigenous Nations with pride, in Rugby League, Football 5s, Netball, Basketball and, planned for the first time in 2022, Gymnastics.

The PCYC Nations of Origin program requires behavioural and school attendance standards, and culminates in the multi sports tournament, traditionally held around NAIDOC Week.

The concept of the tournament was initiated after consultation with Aboriginal Communities across NSW and young people, and motivates youth to celebrate Australia’s diverse indigenous culture and its deep impact on our history and their stories.

Over the past 7 years, the event has seen huge success. The last tournament that ran in 2019 saw the engagement of over 1,400 Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people from across NSW participating in the multi-faceted program. Teams representing their Aboriginal Nations participated in netball, rugby league and football fives tournaments. 1,400 players and over 180 event and team volunteers, between the ages of 10 and 21, came together from across NSW to support the event. Teams were supported by over 300 volunteer supervisors, managers, coaches and trainers, who worked with teams in the lead up to, and during the events.

PCYC Nations of Origin will be back this year between 12th - 15th July 2022, at venues across Salamander Bay, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle and Nelson Bay.

Dominic Teakle, PCYC NSW CEO, said of this year's program:

"I would like to respect and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s first people and the world's most ancient living culture. I pay my respects to elders, past present and emerging recognise their deep connection to the land, air sea and waterways of Australia.

Each year I am impressed by this amazing celebration of Australia’s indigenous culture and its deep impact on our nation. In participating and representing their country, each team epitomises the themes of Reconciliation Australia to Be Brave and Make Change. This event is life changing, as it reinforces the objectives of our strategy by bringing together PCYC, Police and the community to play hard and fair, and to pay our respect to the elders whose custodianship of the land and culture gave us the legacy we enjoy today.

I wish all of this year's participants every success in your sport, as you represent your Nation with pride. Play hard, play fair and demonstrate the PCYC values of commitment, resilience, respect, integrity and citizenship."

We thank the Federal and State Government for their support and recognise the contributions of sponsors Snowy Hydro and Red Energy.

Read more and view the full tournament timetable