Claude Williams (basketball, born 1952) facts for kids
Claude Williams (born in 1952) is an amazing Aboriginal Australian athlete. He played both rugby league and basketball for his home state of New South Wales. Later, he made history by becoming the first Aboriginal basketball coach in Australia.
Early Life
Claude Williams was born in 1952 in Sydney, a big city in New South Wales. His birthplace was a suburb called Camperdown. Claude's dad, Claude "Candy" Williams, was a country musician. Claude is also the first cousin of Harry Williams. Harry was the first Indigenous soccer player to play for Australia in the World Cup in 1974.
Sports Journey
Claude Williams started his sports journey playing cricket. He played for the Sydney Cricket Club. After that, the New South Wales Tennis Association chose him for their special training program.
Later, Claude became very interested in rugby league. He played 12 games for the South Sydney Rabbitohs team in 1972 and 1973. He also played basketball during this time.
Basketball Career
Claude Williams was a talented basketball player. He played for New South Wales in 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1981. He also played in many big competitions like the National Titles.
From 1979 to 1986, he played 101 games in the National Basketball League. He played for two teams: the City of Sydney Astronauts and the Sydney Supersonics.
After playing, Claude became a coach. He was an assistant coach for the Supersonics in 1986 and 1987. Then, he became the head coach of the Sydney Kings. This was a very special moment. Claude Williams became the first and only Aboriginal basketball coach in Australia. In 1989 and 1990, he also helped coach the Newcastle Falcons.
In 2015, Claude worked with kids in an after-school program. This program was at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern.
Other Activities
In 2010, Claude Williams hosted a radio show called The Sweet Science. It was on Koori Radio every week. The show talked about the history of Indigenous boxing and related topics. It even won an award for its great work in Indigenous broadcasting.
Claude also helped organize a fun event called "Vibe 3on3". This was a two-day festival for young people. It included basketball, music, dancing, art, and other cultural activities. The festival traveled to different Aboriginal communities across Australia.
Achievements
Claude Williams has received important recognition for his contributions:
- 1994: He was added to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Hall of Fame.
- 2021: The Sydney Kings basketball team created a special award in his honor. It's called the Claude Williams Most Valuable Player award. It's given to the best player during their yearly Indigenous Round.
