Wildcats Association Series | Kiara Hughes, Warwick Senators

Kiara Hughes has spent most of her life at the Warwick Senators. From beginning her basketball journey at the club at eight years old, to progressing through the WABL and NBL1 programs, Hughes has grown up surrounded by the people and environment that helped shape her love of the game.

Today, Hughes is the assistant to the Senators’ Open Championship Division women’s squad, attending two training sessions each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with her role involving gameplay, video footage and supporting the team.

Alongside that position, Kiara also assists the club’s Programs Officer with administration across Aussie Hoops and Senators programs, helping with registrations and enquiries.

“It’s busy! Very, very busy," Hughes said with a smile.

Having spent her childhood at the club, lifelong friendships have developed through Warwick's junior and senior pathways, with many of her closest friends still connected with the Warwick Senators.

“I think I started here when I was eight, and from then on it’s just been pretty much my whole life,” Hughes said.

“Everyone knows everyone. Being a part of the WABL programs and having lifelong friends, my best friends I’ve known since growing up here, and the NBL1 programs and senior girls are just fantastic people. It’s been really cool.”

Hughes’ connection with basketball began through her mum, who played senior domestic basketball at Warwick and encouraged her daughter into the game.

Known around the club as “Mama Erie”, she became a constant presence throughout Hughes’ time at the Senators, supporting her through her WABL years and helping her feel comfortable within the club community.

“I got into basketball because of my mum,” Hughes said.

“She was playing senior domestic here, and she pushed me through. She’s been managing me for a lot of years in WABL and everyone loves Mama Erie.

“She’s helped me in so many ways, just being comfortable here. She’s fantastic. Shout out Mama Erie.”

That support became even more important when Hughes’ playing journey was interrupted just as new opportunities were beginning to emerge.

After making the Senators’ NBL1 squad, Hughes found herself involved at a level she had not initially expected. She was grateful simply to be part of the squad, before earning the opportunity to play and then start a game.

Soon after, she suffered an ACL injury.

The setback came at a difficult time, with Hughes having only recently begun conversations with college recruiters in the United States as she worked towards a goal of playing college basketball.

“The goal was college,” Hughes said.

“I’d only just started talking to college recruiters, and that came to a halt immediately, which sucked.”

Her recovery was slow, but with the support of her mum, family and the Senators community, Hughes worked her way back onto the court.

Her comeback was then halted by a second ACL injury.

While the injuries prevented her playing journey from developing as she had hoped, the support she received reinforced how much the Senators community meant to her.

Parents of children she had coached, other coaches, former teammates and people she had not played alongside for several years all reached out.

“The amount of parents from kids that I’ve coached, other coaches, teammates and people that I hadn’t played with for a couple of years just reaching out was spectacular,” Hughes said.

“It does show the reflection of our community. It is as one. We are doing this together. It was my injury, but it hurt a lot of people around me as well.”

Hughes graduated in the same year as her first ACL injury and found herself searching for something to pursue after school.

That opportunity came through the Perth Wildcats Sport & Business Program, where she was able to volunteer with the club and gain an insight into professional basketball beyond what happens on court.

The program offered Hughes the chance to see how events, fan engagement and game-night experiences were planned and delivered behind the scenes.

“I was in a really lucky position to just put my hand up for everything, and I got to do everything that I wanted,” Hughes said.

“On-court stuff is cool, but seeing the behind the scenes, organising that, planning something, and then to see it eventuate and physically see it, and people get so excited, is fantastic.”

Hughes is now the lead in the Wildcats’ Y Fan Zone, where she helps create game-night experiences for young fans at RAC Arena.

It is a role that carries special meaning for Hughes, having grown up attending Wildcats games with her mum, who has been a member for much of her life.

As a young fan, Hughes would arrive as soon as the doors opened to watch the pre-game entertainment, including the dancers, fire show, DJ and Wilbur.

Now, she has an appreciation for the work and people required to create that same experience for others.

“Just to stand in there and watch all these little kids get so excited is awesome,” Hughes said.

“Knowing how that gets put together, making those connections with the people that run it now, I can really appreciate the whole show around it and the whole army it takes to put on a show as well. It’s cool.”

Despite the injuries that changed her pathway as a player, Hughes knew she'd never be able to simply walk away from basketball or from contributing to team success.

“I knew that I wouldn’t be able to just step away from basketball."

“I was here throughout my childhood, every night, domestic, training, WABL. I was always here. The community is my family, and I don’t think I could physically ever step away."

Catch the Warwick Senators take on the Mandurah Magic at Herb Graham Recreation Centre on Friday 29 May.

Warwick Senators v Mandurah Magic
Women: Friday 29 May, 6.30pm AWST
Men: Friday 29 May, 8.30pm AWST
Venue: Herb Graham Recreation Centre