It Doesn’t Just Happen

Hello,

My name is James Sticher, and I’m 13 years old. Basketball isn’t just something I play—it’s a huge part of who I am.

I currently play Division 1 for the Logan Thunder Under 14 Boys, and last year my team won both the State championships and National championships. That meant travelling from Brisbane to Townsville and Perth. This year I’ve already been to Melbourne to compete in Southern Cross Challenge representing Queensland, and we’re aiming for the state finals in Cairns.

I play for five different basketball teams, which means training, coaching or playing most days of the week, juggling schoolwork, keeping up with homework, lots of travelling, and still making time for family.

It takes a lot of dedication, but I love every minute of it. When I’m not at training or playing games, you’ll usually find me outside shooting hoops—people say my basketball is an extension of my body.

My goal is to represent Australia at the Olympics, and I’m working as hard as I can to make that happen. My family are my biggest supporters, and I couldn’t do any of this without them.

But travelling for coaching and training, games and competitions, uniforms, shoes, training fees, and everything else adds up really fast. The financial pressure is enormous, and my parents work incredibly hard.

My grandad always says that champions don’t just happen—they’re the product of entire villages of people training, coaching, playing, advising, feeding, clothing, and supporting young athletes.

I’m inviting you to be part of my village.

Every donation, big or small, helps me get to the competitions I need to attend so I can keep my goal in sight.