Our people. Our stories. Our history: Rachel Frazer

One game was all it took for the Frazer family to become full-time members of the Red Army, signing up for the 2014/15 season shortly after moving back to Perth from the country and attending a game with their eldest son.

They bought tickets, made their way to seats high in the stands and were immediately drawn into everything The Jungle had to offer.

“We’d just moved back to Perth and I remember coming home from the game and saying to my husband, ‘We’re going to be members,’” Rachel said.

“In disbelief after a single game he said, ‘No, we’re not,’ but I bought a family membership that night.”

“It was such a great atmosphere, there was entertainment everywhere you looked, but it was also very family-oriented, which is what we loved. It wasn’t just basketball, it was the whole experience.”

More than a decade later, Wildcats games have become a permanent fixture in the family calendar.

Rachel’s mum and sister soon joined through the family membership, turning game night into a regular chance for several generations of the Frazer family to spend time together.

Depending on the fixture, they drive or catch the train into the city, meet for dinner beforehand and continue the night over a drink after the final buzzer.

Her eldest son still attends when he can, while Rachel’s four-year-old has now taken one of the tickets and begun making his own connection with the club.

“It’s guaranteed family time, whether the game is on a Friday, Wednesday or Sunday,” Rachel said.

“The Wildcats have always been the thing that connects us.”

With Rachel’s mum and sister both having played basketball at a high level, there is rarely any shortage of confidence in the post-game assessment.

“We all think we’re experts,” Rachel said.

Rebounding is one of the family’s favourite topics, with a shared belief that controlling the boards often determines the result.

That appreciation for effort and defence has also shaped the players they have gravitated towards over the years.

Rachel and her sister are big Dylan Windler fans because of his work on the glass, while Shawn Redhage remains one of Rachel’s favourites from an earlier era because of his consistency and reliability at the free-throw line.

Jesse Wagstaff has been another constant throughout their membership and another family favourite for his ability to lift the intensity and find a way to bring the team back into the fight.

“We call him the grunt who comes off the bench because when the team looks like it’s in a funk, he gives them a lift and brings some emotion into the game,” she said.

“He might be the sixth or seventh man, but when we’re down by 10 or 12, he can come onto the court and turn the game around,” Rachel said.

“You can’t coach that.”

Rachel’s passion for basketball has never prevented her from appreciating the broader appeal of a Wildcats home game.

She believes the experience works because people can enjoy it regardless of how closely they understand the tactical side of things.

Some supporters might be studying offensive sets or defensive coverages, while others are simply waiting for the next three-pointer, drive or dunk.

Either way, everyone can become part of the night. That sense of belonging also extends to the supporters sitting around Rachel.

After years in the same section, many of the familiar faces nearby have become their own Wildcats family, with a group selfie taken before every home game.

Rachel’s phone now holds years game day selfies, spanning regular-season contests, finals campaigns and the changing lives of the people in them.

One supporter seated behind the group appears so often that they joke about comparing the earliest photos with the present day to see how much less hair he has now that he has kids of his own.

Once the game begins, the group know exactly who belongs in each seat.

When a regular is running late and another ticket holder spots what appears to be an opening, Rachel is quick to let them know the place is already spoken for.

“We all know who's coming and who isn’t,” she said.

“It’s a nice little Wildcats family down and we definitely feel like we've earned that spot at RAC Arena over the years,” she said jokingly.

Some of Rachel’s favourite memories have come through watching younger members of her family become part of the Wildcats experience.

She remembers taking her eldest son to the player signing tables after games, where he would stand almost speechless while handing over his hat to the players he had just watched.

By the end of the night, it would be covered in signatures that were priceless to him.

Her niece attended a school-holiday dance camp and later performed at half-time, while her nephew has served as a ball boy.

There was also the night Damian Martin came into the stands after a win and stopped for a selfie with the family.

“It’s probably not just a single favourite moment, but lots of different memories that have kept us involved and coming back,” she said.

The family expects that tradition to continue for as long as they can make their way into the arena.

When someone can't make it, the ticket is passed on so the seat remains filled and another person can share the experience.

“I think we’ll be Wildcats members for life, for as long as we can walk the stairs and get Mum to her seat,” Rachel said.

“It’s our way of connecting as a family.”