Savannah Pride is a sport for development based organisation that aims to skill, educate and mentor youth through Basketball in Western Sydney.
Founded in 2006, Savannah Pride was originally established by a small group of coaches and students from South
Sudanese backgrounds to assist youth through their settlement journey and provide a positive outlet. Savannah Pride has
grown to be an all-inclusive organisation that attracts young people from all walks of life regardless of race, ethnicity or
gender.
Savannah Pride provides a positive outlet for young people to channel their energy and grow, through well-rounded
basketball programs, educational programs, homework support, mentoring and cultural guidance.
Savannah Pride takes a holistic approach to sport for development and works closely with families, schools and local
police. Much like the Savannah tree, Savannah Pride believes that developing these deep roots and strong branches means
our communities can take shade under the Savannah tree.
Our Program
Savannah Pride is a sport for development based organisation dedicated to inspiring Australian youth with a focus on community and competitive sport participation, education and mentoring.
Basketball
Our basketball programs range from community and competitive basketball to more specialised training focused on elite pathways for young players. We have dedicated programs for both boys and girls. Throughout all over our programs, our focus is to develop not only the technical skill and ability of our players, but to also build their life skills.
Education
We consider the education of our players just as important as their basketball skill development. For young people falling behind or struggling in school, they are expected to commit to a tuition program that assists them with their schoolwork. If they don’t study, they simply are not allowed to play.
We'd love to hear from you
For registration, any questions and/or inquiries, please fill in the form below, and our team will get back to your shortly.
Latest News
Click through below to read up on the latest news outside of our scheduled programs.
Play: A feature on Coach Mayor Chagai
Boys are running in rows of three down the court. Legs, shouts, the smack of bouncing balls. As one boy passes to another, the third fans out to take the next pass, then he leaps and dunks. Some boys are already in flight and soaring towards the basket when they take the ball, almost delicately, then slam it through the hoop.
Read MoreLaw and Order, Com4Unity: A feature on our Chair Mark Wright
From the early to mid-2000s, South Sudanese refugees began arriving in large numbers in Blacktown, where public and low-cost housing was available. Soon, groups of young, tall, black men could be seen hanging around the Blacktown shops.
Blacktown, An Australian Affair: Pages 68-77
In the years that followed, wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and parts of Africa scattered people from these countries all over the globe. China and India joined the fast lane of the global economy, producing ambitious, mobile middle classes just as a once-in-acentury mining boom drove Australia to undertake a huge expansion of its migration program.
Coach Mayor Wins Harmony Medal
Savannah Pride’s founder Mayor Chagai has been honoured with a prestigious Harmony Medal at the NSW Premier’s 2020 Multicultural Community Medals announced in Sydney last night. Mayor was recognised for his inspiration and commitment to fostering community harmony through Savannah Pride’s youth basketball and welfare programs in his adopted Western Sydney region.
NRMA Insurance Feature Savannah Pride
Mayor Chagai knows the life-changing effect of receiving help. Aged six, he escaped war and famine in South Sudan, leaving behind his family and all that he knew. But, during his arduous journey to freedom, his years in refugee camps and then in a new life in Australia, Mayor found support and compassion from others, something he has never forgotten.
Complex Feature Savannah Pride
West Sydney is known for a lot of things: Australian drill, hectic lads, flares, and football codes. But deep in the westward sprawl, in the suburb of Blacktown, you’ll also find Savannah Pride – a community basketball initiative that was started as a means of creating social engagement, and is now responsible for sending ballers to the US and sending young men to private school on scholarships. Savannah Pride founder Mayor Chagai tells Complex AU the story of how he used basketball to create, and enrich, a community.
Converse Feature Savannah Pride
All The Stories Are True. Not only on your own, but together. In fact, often the stories are even better when there is a friend or two along for the ride. Crews around the world remind us of that when we are independent enough not to follow and be true to ourselves. No matter where you come from or what your interests are; you are never alone.
ABC Australian Story - Coach Mayor Chagai
When Mayor Chagai was six years old he fled civil war in South Sudan, becoming one of Africa's "lost boys". In 2006 he came to Australia as a refugee, 19 years old and penniless. A decade later he is a community leader in Western Sydney, drawing on his love of basketball to change the lives of young Sudanese men.
Our Board
Lorraine Landon
Secretary
A life time involvement in all levels of basketball both in Sydney and Australia and internationally. An accomplished sports administrator well-versed in sports leadership from club to international level; General Manager of the Sydney Kings between 1988 and 1998; Competition Manager for basketball for the Sydney Olympics and Paralympics, was responsible for the delivery of the Olympic basketball competition and the wheelchair basketball, Awarded the IOC Golden Olympic Rings in recognition of services to basketball.
Awarded the FIBA Merit Award in November 2000 in recognition of management of the basketball competition in the Olympics. Appointed by FIBA in 2002 as the Commissioner for Women’s basketball. Was also awarded the IOC Women in Sport award in 2004 for contribution to basketball globally. Returned to the NBL and the Sydney Kings in 2012 and is General Manager, Operations.
Awarded an OAM in the Australia Day Honours in January 2011 and was inducted in the Sport of Australia Hall of Fame in October 2011.
Life Member of Basketball Australia, Basketball NSW and Bankstown Basketball and a member of Australian Basketball Hall of Fame and Basketball NSW’s Hall of Fame.
Pascal Adolphe
Director
A versatile Media Professional with more than 26 years experience in a variety of roles across a range of media. Able to adapt his considerable storytelling skills to television production, newspapers, digital media, public relations and radio.
Demonstrated core strengths include writing for creative, factual, website or social media; generating original story ideas; researching; interviewing; taking the initiative and leading by example; operating video camera and sound; assembly editing.
Able to work effectively and cohesively within a team but also able to lead or operate independently to achieve results expected of an audience, client or senior manager.
David Brettell
Director
David has held high level management roles in sales and marketing, fundraising, and major international sports events.
Dedicated supporter of Savannah Pride since 2016. Director of Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Hospital since 2014; Director Basketball NSW since 2015; CEO of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation 2003-2014; CEO of Multiple Sclerosis Australia 2011-2003; Manager Volunteer Program 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games Life Member Basketball NSW and Apex Australia.
Mark Wright
Chairman
Former Senior NSW Police Commander, with 39 years’ experience across a broad range of duty in Field, Specialist and Corporate areas; Respected leader who has been recognised for community engagement initiatives, particularly amongst diverse cultural groups in the Western Sydney area; In 2010 he received a Humanitarian award by the Refugee Council of Australia and in 2012 received The Leadership Award from the Australian Institute of Public Administration. He has been actively involved with Savannah Pride for over ten years and is a current member of the Greater Western Sydney (GIANTS) AFL Integrity Committee.
