Elizabeth Cook has won the 2023 NAIDOC Ball Design competition for her netball design which represents the coming together of First Nations Peoples on their lands.
The NAIDOC Ball Design competition, now in its fourth year, once again received more than 50 entries with Elizabeth’s design scoring full marks in the design and context categories from all three judges. One judge remarked: “The design and her story were by far the standout.”
Elizabeth, who is involved with the St Francis Xavier Netball in Geraldton, designed a ball which included the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to represent the First Nations Peoples of Australia.
The ball design also has meeting circles representing the coming together and co-operation of First Nations Peoples to create a brighter future for First Nations Peoples and the background represents all the colours of their lands.
The hands depicted on the ball are all the hands that are working towards shaping a better future for First Nations Peoples. While the footprints and paths represent the journey people are all on to better their communities.
Elizabeth said she was stunned when told she had won the competition.
“I am totally blown away and stunned that my design has won the 2023 NAIDOC Ball Design competition," Elizabeth said.
“I am extremely happy and humble and cannot wait to see the balls when they are ready and to see them on the local courts here in Geraldton.”
Elizabeth’s design has been sent to Netball WA's exclusive ball supplier Gilbert who will start production on the ball for release by mid-2023.
The Insurance Commission of WA proudly support the bespoke NAIDOC Netball each year to put the Belt Up message directly in the hands of NAIDOC Carnival participants.
