It was around the year 2000 when a young man migrated from his African home to Perth, Western Australia, with his family. 24 years later, Sunday Dech finds himself with the world at his fingertips the colour of that world being orange, the circumference 70cm and the weight around 600 grams. 

Sunday Dech is quickly becoming a household name among the young and old engaged in the basketball scene. He began his career playing for the East Perth Falcons alongside our own faculty member Mr. John Taylor. As JT pursued his teaching career of Ellenbrook Christian College is benefiting from, Sunday went on to play for the Perth Wildcats. He played College Basketball in the USA and now plays for the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL.

On Friday, 17 May, Sunday visited the college during the morning assembly. With a heart to inspire young people, and a special fondness towards the African-Aussie youth within the Australian community, Sunday brought an inspiring life story, giving a glimpse into his journey, which has been anchored in his Christian faith, which he deeply holds.

His challenges have no doubt been real, which, up until now, he has taken as opportunities to bring about his best. He was able to share the importance of commitment to hard work and dedication, a word timely for this generation. He says of it, “Winning is hard, and it takes a lot of hard work.” His tone carried beyond the realms of a sporting game and into the avenues of his life experiences.

South Sudan is currently number 1 on a number of the world’s poorest nations lists, having the world’s lowest GDP, according to Global Finance Magazine as of May 2024. Though a proud Australian, Sunday is excited to be selected to represent his birth nation at the 2024 Olympics, taking place in Paris, France, in a few months.
As a friend of the college, we wish him all the best.