Indigenous Sport Month: Danny Morseu Q&A on life in basketball

Danny Morseu never took his eyes off his basketball dream – but while he fought hard for everything he achieved, the detractors were always there.

From being told “you don’t belong here” due to the colour of his skin to requiring court approval to leave his homeland Thursday Island, Danny Morseu overcame countless setbacks to become the first Torres Strait Islander to represent Australia at the Olympic Games in basketball in Moscow in 1980.

After years of being forced to remain in his mission in the Torres Strait Islands, Morseu took the leap and moved to Melbourne via Cairns at 17 to pursue his hoops dreams at the St Kilda Basketball Club.

The transition from island life to the mainland was confronting, but Morseu was determined to rise above the challenges.

“But it was frightening because I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out,” Morseu said.

“I had a mentality where I was concerned the authorities were going to come and get me and take me back to where I grew up.

“That sort of stuff becomes part of your psyche, and it has an impact on you, but I never regret making the decision to move from the Torres Strait. It was just a part of my journey through basketball.”

Danny Morseu spoke to Matt Logue for Indigenous Sport Month.

What Indigenous Nation/s are you connected with?

The Kemer Kemer Meriam Nation from the Torres Strait.

What does your heritage/culture mean to you?

It means a hell of a lot to me. It is about making people aware of our culture, traditional dance, and our storytelling. It is so important. And to ensure that we communicate that through mainstream Australia to make people aware of some of the challenges for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people since colonisation in this country.

As part of reconciliation, it is about reform, working together and our communities making a partnership with people to create pathways and opportunities for our people.

My favourite custom from my heritage is ...

The language and dance because it is important to keep it alive. A lot of languages and traditional dance in Aboriginal society has been eliminated through colonisation of the country, but the Torres Strait still has a strong and proud language, culture and dance and it is about telling our stories through that. I’d like to see things change around telling the truth and the story through reconciliation and the historical nature of what has happened to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country, even though it is challenging and hard for people to talk about it. But the only way we can move forward is through acceptance and trust.

Something not many people know about me is.......

My background and how strong my culture and values are to me. It’s why I want to make the Australian community aware how important our culture is. There are two Indigenous cultures in Australia – the Aboriginal culture and the Torres Strait culture, plus historically there are over 500 different mobs of Aboriginal people in this country and a lot of what they’ve had previously has been taken away from them. So, how can Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people thrive through economic, cultural, and social opportunity.

My earliest memory is.......

Understanding how my people have been treated was when I was a kid. I jumped on a boat on Thursday Island wanting to go and visit our family on the outer islands. I recall vividly sitting at the front of the boat and looking down to see the bottom of the ocean. I then recall a priest calling out my name, saying: Is that Danny Morseu? I said, ‘yeah, that is me’ and he said, ‘look, Danny you didn’t get permission to travel’ for the outer islands. I told him I did get permission from my mother, and he said no, not that type of permission. You must go to the courthouse and get approval from the chief administrator before you are allowed to travel to the outer islands. That was my first experience of what has happened to us as a nation of people living in this country.

One piece of advice I would give my teenage self....

Keep focused and work hard to achieve your dreams and aspirations. You can be anything you want to be. Life is about risk and sometimes you must make decisions about where you want to go, and it is part of risk taking. It was a risk for me to go to Melbourne. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make the Australian team, but I was committed, passionate and that I just focused on my goals and aspirations.

Brisbane Bullets coach Brian Kerle (L) gives his players a pep talk before the semifinal against Illawara - (L-R) Kerle, Larry Sengstock, Dave Ingham, Darren Perry, Ron Radliff, Robert Sibley, Leroy Loggins Shane Edwards, Emery Atkinson and Danny Morseu.

The best advice I was ever given......

Stay focused on education and that is what I did. I went from high school, TAFE and then to university, where I graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Arts and Recreation.

If I wasn’t in sport I would be ....

I probably would have been locked up (laughs). I’m only joking. No, I don’t know. I can’t answer that question. Sport has been a vehicle that has created opportunities and pathways for me. It is about being disciplined, focused, and having the right attitude. You need to have the fire burning in your stomach to continue to excel and achieve.

A common misconception made about me is......

There is a perception from people that don’t know, and they make statements about me that are untrue.

I’m in the media a lot and people from my community sometimes call me, ‘Up Town’. It is common and it is about the Tall Poppy syndrome in Australia, and we have it everywhere throughout the country now.

When I cop abuse I .......

Oh, I just take it on the chin. I’ve copped abuse a lot, especially in the area I work in through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. It is challenging, but it is like everything you do in life. You’ll get knocked down, but you must get back up again and move on. That is what it is all about.

Yvonne Goolagong-Cawley and Danny Morseu. Picture: Alan Pryke

When people see me I hope they think....

That I’m a great role model for my community. That I’m here to support our community and build their capacity to do well and to step up to another level.

Family means......

Family is everything. It is the most important thing that keeps the unit together and always keeps my feet on the ground and not think that I’m something special. Family is also the key to success through its love and support.

A word or phrase I use too much.......

I’m a leader, but I’m okay with using that word all the time.

My weird sporting superstition is ….

I’ve got to make sure that I wear double socks every time I play a game. I’ve also got to make sure that I do my preparation the same way each time I play. I’ve got to eat at the right time, rest up before the game and prepare myself mentally for a game or training.

My sporting hero is ....

Oh, I’ve got a few but my hero is Michael Ah Matt, who played basketball for Australia. Michael came up to my community to conduct a basketball clinic and he told me his story and he taught me how to do a layup. I couldn’t play basketball for a bar of soap, but Michael told me his story and that stuck in my mind of the journey he went on and how he played for Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Michael was my role model, and I was grateful that he came to my community and his messages of support really stuck in my mind. Michael was my inspiration for better things to happen in your life. My grandfather and mother were also my role models as well.

Danny Morseu coaching the Toowoomba Mountaineers.

Which sporting moment carried the most significance for you?

Winning back-to-back NBL championships with St Kilda Basketball Club in 1979 and 1980. Playing for St Kilda and being Australian champions was one of my career highlights. Moving to Melbourne at 17 wasn’t easy, but thankfully I had the support of the St Kilda basketball club at the time.

What is it like being an Indigenous athlete today?

I think the athletes should be proud of themselves and their heritage. We’ve come a long way and the athletes today can use their sport and voice to become role models for the future generations, just like I did coming through the ranks.

Have you encountered racism or unconscious bias against you in your career?

Oh yeah, absolutely. It has always been there. People made comments, but I just ignored it because I had a vision, a dream and I knew where I was going. But people on the mainland would say, ‘you don’t belong here’ and ‘you are not part of the establishment’.

How do we improve support networks for Indigenous athletes coming through the ranks of professional sport?

It is about continuing to engage with the community. It’s important because there are a lot of kids out there who could become a great champion and play for Australia in multiple sports, but it is about those kids being given an opportunity to engage.

Danny Morseu, Cairns's first male baskertballer to play for Australia.

Danny Morseu in 1979.

Reflections of your career highlights....

The 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games. It is just about being proud wearing the green and gold for Australia. You had to have a work ethic to get there.

Who put you on your pathway to achieve your sporting dream ...

Respected Australian coach Brian Kerle. St Kilda Basketball Club has always done a tour of Queensland basketball through development programs, and they travelled right up to North Queensland to play against local teams. I happened to play against St Kilda in Mackay and Cairns, and it was Brian who noticed me and gave me an opportunity to go and play basketball in Melbourne. I jumped at the opportunity and never looked back. Brian is still my mentor today and we regularly talk.

Who is your inspiration...

My grandfather and my mother because they always emphasised education.

What is the key priority to improve player and leadership opportunities for the next generation of Indigenous athletes ...

I think opportunities need to be created for young athletes, whether they are in an urban or a regional area. A lot of Aboriginal people live in remote areas of Australia that are talented, but aren’t given the opportunity.

Originally published as Indigenous Sport Month: Danny Morseu Q&A on life in basketball