Sunday Dech was born in Ethiopia, a country known for producing a conveyor belt of world-class long distance runners.

He is the second oldest child of seven and was six years old when his parents moved to Australia, a place that very soon became home.

“It’s a blur now, but I remember bits of life in Africa but nothing substantial.” Sunday said. “At six years old I went through the transition period of learning English, I was lucky I went to some really good schools and was able pick it up really quickly. As you know kids pick things up at a rapid rate.”

Learning the language is an important part of settling in and coping with new challenges, but it is through friendships and associations that the true sense of belonging is found. As Sunday explained sport was a key component in helping him settle into his new surroundings.  

“My love of sport became my pathway to meeting new people and making new friends, through that I was able to connect and meet some lifelong friends, and people who would help me with learning English. If you can play sport people will play with you, that was what I found as a kid and I still do to this day. Sport breaks down any social barrier of any sort, you go just go along and play.”

Sunday who has gone on to carve out a career as a professional basket-baller admitted that growing up he never had any ambitions in the sport.

“It wasn’t something I always wanted to do.” He said with a chuckle. “It’s funny I picked up basketball really late. I have always been an outdoors kid, I have skateboarded, played football, soccer. I played any sport you could name. I have given them all a crack. I picked up basketball when I was sixteen, but it was through playing all those sports as a junior I was able to pick up the skills really quickly and adapt to the game. I fell in love with it and then just threw myself into the sport.”

It is refreshing to hear that Sunday was not forced to choose one sport and focus on that as a youngster, and when basketball came along was able to find something he loves and is passionate about. Many of the great players, Michael Jordan and Steph Curry also played other sports as youngsters and have said that those other sports contributed in helping them develop in basketball. This was something Sunday was quick to agree with.

“I could not agree more. It gives you an edge because you are able to adapt quicker. I was able to pick things up along the way that I had learnt as a kid and translate it into a game of basketball. Things that may take a kid that has specialized in a sport from a young age a lot longer. They may not be used to certain movements, whereas kids who have played various sports are more able to adapt and change to the different styles of play in basketball, football (Aussie Rules) or soccer.”

Sunday played in the State Basketball League in Western Australia for the East Perth Eagles. It was while playing there that his talent was recognized and in 2013 he joined the NBL’s Perth Wildcats as a development player. That season the Wildcats won another NBL Championship, and he was part of it.

While it may appear to have been a dream come true Sunday is quick to reveal that success is the result of many things coming together, and a great deal of hard work.

“Training really hard is so important. I was lucky to get recognized along the way for my attitude and my athleticism and that gave me a lot of avenues to keep improving. But there was still a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, along with a lot of sacrifices from my family and people who have given up their time to coach me and help me improve along the way.”

“When you are given that opportunity that is when the work starts, that is when you realize I really could take this to the next level. You still enjoy the game and you play it for fun, but there are even more scheduled practice sessions and scheduled training sessions, because you want to make it to the next level. That is really when the work begins, because you have guys ahead of you and you have to reach their standard. That is the goal, which I think is great for young kids to strive to reach the goal of being as good as the stars. It gives them that drive and a competitive edge.”

After success with the Perth Wildcats Sunday headed to the United States and tested himself in their highly competitive college system attending the Metropolitan State University of Denver in Denver, Colorado and playing for the Metro State Roadrunners. He then transferred to Barry University and joined the Buccaneers for the 2017–18 season.

He then returned to Australia and was looking for a way back into the NBL. He trained with the Cairns Taipans and Brisbane Bullets but there was no contract. He returned to Western Australia and played in the State Basketball League with the Rockingham Flames. Impressive performances and his past involvement and attitude led to him being signed as the Perth Wildcats nominated replacement player; meaning he could only take to the court when rostered players were injured.

“You have to be ready for the opportunities.” Is a key piece of advice that Sunday shared. “They can come with a big gap in between or in rapid succession, and you have to be ready. I have been very fortunate. If you are not ready for that opportunity it goes to someone else the next time. You have to make sure that you have controlled every variable that you possibly can to that point, so that when you do go out there and are given that opportunity to shine you can grab it with both hands,” he paused momentarily before adding, “because if you don’t the next opportunity may be years down the track.”

“Everyone is talented when you get to the higher levels of sport, and so you have to do stuff to stand out, especially if you were in the position that I was in on the back end of a season trying to make an impact. You have to have the right attitude or the coach isn’t going to pick you. Your energy has to be paramount because if the team is lacking energy that can be something that sets you apart when you go out and you are giving it your all. That is something I have tried to carry with me on my journey. I try to make sure that I have the best attitude and am the hardest working player. I don’t leave any stone unturned when I am out there. If you can tick those boxes and win the coach’s trust, then you can go out there and showcase your talent.”

There are thousands of athletes who make it to the top, but very few will make it on their own. Everyone needs help and guidance, and Sunday is quick to admit that he has been given direction along the way, and that is why he is keen to pass on that knowledge to those coming up behind him.

“I have had mentors on every bit of my journey, some I talk to a lot. One is my older brother and in him I have probably never had a harder coach. Then coach Adam Forde who is assistant coach with the Sydney Kings who saw potential in me and helped me on my journey. I still go to them for advice. In fact I was on the phone yesterday about the next phase of my career and stuff that I need to do to keep getting better. Mentors have been really useful to me and so and that is why I am ready to give back in any way that I can. It may be coaching at the moment or zoom calls, or just text messages because I know it helped me a lot, and I know it can definitely help the next generation.”

It is that willingness to share information that will help others that meant Sunday jumped at the opportunity to be an ambassador for PANSA.

“Growing up in Perth there are an abundance of athletes but no real pathway and for mentees and mentors to connect. I see this as a great opportunity to help out where I started, and there is a huge African community that could benefit from some guidance and a bit of mentorship.”

So having made it to the top and picked up two National Basketball League Championships, and still with more goals set in his own sporting career, what advice would he give any young person with ambition to achieve in their chosen field?

“You can take everything in one of two ways, a positive or a negative. I think every situation you can make into a positive. If you do have goals and ambitions then write them down make them visible, and have a map of the steps you have to take to get there. Sometimes a lot of kids get lost because they are working hard but there is no real sense of direction. If you can get that sense of direction and clarity, and it maybe sitting down with a mentor, or sitting down with your parents and discussing where you want to get to and plotting those steps, it makes a big difference. Because when you do have some success and you start ticking off those goals you get even more motivated, and even more passionate about it because you are seeing the progress. That’s eventually what its all about, making progress and you don’t know where you will end up. If you see progress along the way, you never know you could be professional one day or reach the heights of your talent, but you will know that you gave it your best shot.”

It was the Scottish poet Robert Burns who wrote, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Sunday is well aware of that but is convinced that by setting out your goals when things don’t go as planned there is no need to be discouraged.

“That is where having goals set comes into play, because if you do see a roadblock you are not disheartened. That is because you know you are on track and capable still of achieving those goals and knocking the roadblock down.”

To talk to Sunday Dech is a lesson in positivity. It helps you to understand why he is carving out a successful career in his chosen sport. 

It therefore comes as no surprise that as we come out of the Covid-19 Pandemic he still sees the positive side of things.

“I think these times have given us a sense of togetherness. We are staying in contact through social media platforms, phone calls and messages, and if there is a positive to come out of this it will be the ability to communicate and connect. It has given me an appreciation of my friends and family, but also as an athlete appreciating my mentors and being able to pass on that knowledge and experience to the younger generation.” 

Maybe that positivity is an Ethiopian trait. After all it was double Olympic Gold medalist and four-time world champion 10,000 metre runner Haile Gebrselassie who said “Sport has been great for me, a great learning place that if you want to achieve you can, even if you are from the poorest part of Africa.” Sunday Dech is a living example of that.