Ambah Kowcun the star guest coach at Timmy Duggan’s Hoops 4 Health clinic at Malak courts

AMBAH Kowcun only arrived back in Darwin on Sunday after plying her impressive skills for Forestville Eagles in the NBL1 Central competition in Adelaide.But already today she was back among her home community teaching kids about life goals and passing on her impressive basketball skills at Timmy Duggan’s Hoops 4 Health clinic in Malak.

Star Darwin born-and-bred basketball player Ambah Kowcun joined respected youth mentor Timmy Duggan at a Hoops 4 Health clinic in Malak. Picture: CHE CHORLEY

AMBAH Kowcun only arrived back in Darwin on Sunday after plying her impressive skills for Forestville Eagles in the NBL1 Central competition in Adelaide.

And she is supposed to be getting ready to fly to the US to take up a dream scholarship at North Dakota State College – to study a Liberal Arts degree – which was meant to begin next month.

That has been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic which has devastated America.

But, ever-positive at just 19, Kowcun is taking advantage of the opportunities which have come her way back in her home city.

And that includes giving back to her community.

Today, the South Australian and Northern Territory representative was a star guest coach at respected mentor Timmy Duggan’s Hoops 4 Health clinic in Malak.

Kowcun has built an incredible amount of resilience and discipline for someone so young – she made her Darwin Basketball top league debut for Uni Rebels at just 12.

Which was why a group of 10-16 year olds listened so intently to her life advice – as well as her on-court skills tips – today.

“I’m very excited to do this. This is a very important program for kids because it helps keep them off the streets,” Kowcun told the NT News.

“For me personally I don’t know where I’d be without basketball.

“Timmy actually coached me at Rebels in the women’s League when I was 12, and he’s friends with my uncle (Damien Clark).”

Duggan was delighted to have the shooting guard/forward help him.

“It’s a big thing to have Ambah involved,” he said.

“She’s a born-and-bred Darwin girl, comes from the northern suburbs, and is a young indigenous woman who left home at a young age and has already achieved a lot in the game.

“She only got back from South Australia (on Sunday) and wants to help – that’s the type of person she is.”

Duggan’s Hoops 4 Health program has been running for 20 years, and he is confident he can secure more funding from the NT Government so it can continue to prosper in the future.

“Hoops 4 Health gives our young people something to look forward to each week in a supportive learning environment,” he said.