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Spotlight on

Jaylen Brown

Hi Jaylen and thank you for being a part of our Spotlight On series.

So, you are a Wheelchair Basketballer, what made you pursue Basketball as your chosen sport? 

I grew up in basketball stadiums watching my Mum play a lot of basketball. That’s where my love for basketball started.

Being based regionally, how do we stack up against the city for opportunities to practice and compete? 

It’s hard for me because all of my trainings are in Melbourne. We do have a wheelchair basketball competition in Warrnambool that I play in and I do some training here on my own. There are more opportunities for me in Melbourne.

Can you explain a little about the level of training and competition that is provided locally?

There is a social competition here on a Thursday night that has 5 teams competing in it at the moment. I enjoy playing but it is only a social competition. I do all of my training on my own with Mum or Dad.

There has been a real focus in the last few years on disability inclusion, not only in Australia, but the world, what advice would you give a young kid who wants to get a start in sport, especially locally?

It’s ok to give anything a try, don’t be nervous you will really enjoy being part of a team and playing with your friends.

Wheelchair basketball looks like a very fast paced sport, what is it you love most about the game?

I like that it’s physical and fast.

What did you have to do to become involved?

I started playing in Brisbane. I was invited to a training session and from there I continued to play.

What does your training involve?

At the moment I’m training on my own a lot but when I can I go to Melbourne I train with the Victorian juniors or the NWBL Kilsyth mens team.

Can you tell us about your teammates, being a team sport and knowing very little about basketball, can you, in a basic way, explain what a game involves.

Wheelchair basketball is very similar to able bodied basketball. Most of the rules are the same except in wheelchair basketball each player has a classification, mine is a 4.0. The classifications are 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5. Classifications depend on your disability, the lower the number means the less function your body has. Each team can only have a total of 16 classification points on the court at one time. E.g. you wouldn’t be able to play 5 players on the court as once if they were all 4.0 because you would then have a total of 20 points on the court. The coach needs to know all their players classifications and what combinations of players can play together so that you don’t go over the 16 points.

How long has wheelchair basketball been your dream?

Since I started playing when I was 7.

Have you ever wanted to play any other sports?

I play AFL and able bodied Basketball.

Do you have any heroes or people you would like to be like?

Giannis Antetokounmpo (NBA Player)

What is your ultimate sporting goal?

To play for Australia.

If you could encourage someone to try your sport what would you say to them?

Come and have a go, its fast and fun. You will enjoy it.

Locally if a person wanted to get involved, would it be costly, is there specialised equipment here that they could use to try the sport, to give it a go?

It costs $5 a week to play and all of the equipment is there to use, you don’t have to bring anything.

Where do you have to go to compete?

We play at the Arc every Thursday night.

With the Paralympics becoming more widely known, is it your ultimate goal?

Yes, I want to play for Australia at the Olympics and at a World Championship.

What is the pathway you would take to make it to Paralympic level?

I would continue to represent my state at the u23 nationals each yr. I’m currently a part of the Australian u23 squad; I’m hoping to get picked to go to the u23 World Championships in 2021. I would need to start consistently playing in the National League Competition and then hopefully be invited to be a part of the mens Australian training squad to one day be selected to go to the Paralympics.

Do any of your family also play the sport?

My Mum plays Basketball and my Dad played Football.

Can you tell us more about your family, do you have siblings, if they don’t play your sport do they do other sport?

My mum is Louise, she coaches and plays basketball with the Mermaids. My Dad is Matt, he coaches Football at Merrivale and I have a little bother Tommy, his too young to play sport yet.

How long have you been involved with SWAS? What do they do to help and support your journey?

6 Months. The weekly gym sessions have really helped me build up my strength.

Is there anyone you like to thank today?

My Mum and Dad for all their support.

We would like to thank you for being a part of our series; we cannot wait to watch your journey!

Spotlight On
Jeremy Dixon

 

Hi Jeremy, this week you are our focus for the Spotlight On series. Today I’m hoping we can shine a light on our SWAS Athletics/Functional Movement Coach and learn a little bit about the man behind the starting blocks!

So Jeremy, you were born and raised in New Zealand, but have been in Australia for quite a few years now, what brought you to Australia?

Seems like such a long time ago now – 15 years in fact! A few things contributed to the move at the time as my coach retired and the athletics career had stalled. While I was also working full time I had some family living in Melbourne and was keen for something new and thought why not! I was also excited about the training opportunities to join a high performing athletics squad in Melbourne and see if I could get back to running fast… A couple of achillies and torn calves later put that back to bed.

How long have you been based in Warrnambool?

We moved down at the start of 2017. Before moving here I didn’t really know much about Warrnambool, aside from coming down once for Fun4Kids. My wife (Amy) is from Dunkeld and we thought giving our kids a regional upbringing, similar to our own, would be a good thing.

How long have you been involved in SWAS?

I have been involved as a Coach for almost 2 years and as a Board member for 1 year.

You also have your own squad, after school program and coach at the Warrnambool Little Athletics Club, what is it that made you want to coach?

I just love athletics and relished the opportunities the sport gave me.  While I had been doing coaching on and off for about 10 years, there appeared to be a strong demand and need for coaching.  This was the catalyst to fully commit after years of wanting to and make something more formal happen.  It was also an opportunity to make a difference for regional kids and a personal challenge to put athletics back on the Warrnambool agenda.

Recently you were appointed to the athletics Victoria Target Talent Squad as an Assistant Coach, giving you the chance to mentor some of our states best sprinters.
What is it about that program that made you want to be a part of it and what do you personally hope to gain from the experience?

The opportunity to be formally part of the high performance track and field environment in Victoria was an opportunity I could not pass up. Being in Warrnambool you can be very isolated, so learning from and developing relationships with other coaches can only help me improve my coaching.  Not only that, working with some of the upcoming stars of tomorrow is a great learning environment and can help sharpen my communication skills to see what works and what might not with a broader group of athletes.

You work locally at Wannon Water, how do you manage to juggle Work, SWAS, AVTTP, coaching your squad and family life, you must need to be super organised! Can you give us any hints and tips for handling the pressure of the combination of work/sport/life?

Ha yes it is very full on!  I think one of the most critical things is that you have to be passionate and love what you do.  Even though it can get busy, if you enjoy what you are doing then it certainly does not feel like work and you tend to be more energised and effective.  I am also lucky that Wannon Water have a range of flexible work practices that support employees contribution to our local community so that takes the pressure off.

Surrounding yourself with people who uplift and support you but who can also say,” hey, slow down, I think you need a break, or “you’re focusing too much in one area”, is important too.  Keeps you grounded so you don’t get to consumed by any one area….which certainly can happen.

 

You were an very accomplished Athlete at a young age, can you give us a brief rundown of what your own personal Athletics’s Career looked like?

I sort of fell into sprinting at 14 after running at the school sports and unknowingly broke a 30-year old record.  I suddenly found myself competing at regionals and then South Islands where I finished 4^th in the 200m.  Following that I started training and fell in love with the sport and won the NZ Junior Boys 200m title in 1996 and from there I started competing regularly.  I was also playing representative soccer through to the end of school before specialising in sprinting at the age of 17.  Some of the major achievements included a 3^rd and 2^nd in the Senior Men’s 200m in the early 2000s as well as Oceania silver medals in the 200m and 400m.  I must admit that as a New Zealander, it was great to also win the Senior Mens 4x100m relay at Australian nationals with our local Otago team. Some other great experiences included Arafura Games (1999), Oceanias (2000 and 2002), World University Games in Beijing (2001) and an IAAF Grand Prix meet in Japan for the NZ 4x400m relay (2003).

 

Every athlete faces disappointment at some stage of their careers, can you tell us about yours and what you did to work through it/ get past it to become the person you are today?

I tore my hamstring in Beijing warming up for competition at the biggest event of my life.  I have never been more disappointed after being lucky enough to have spent a month travelling through Canada with the NZ and Australian World champs team in preparation.  After recovering from that I then got quite sick, and the next season I found myself playing catch up and continually getting injured.  Consequently I never recovered and retired at the end of 2004 at 24yrs.  It took a long time to let go of some of the decisions I made that led to me having to retire but it sharpened my resolve and commitment to help others achieve their aspirations so good has come from it. 

What do you feel is the best advice you can give someone who is just starting out in athletics?

Definitely patience (which I lacked!). Ultimately the outcome will look after itself if you stick to the process. Listen to your coach and put yourself in an environment where you can thrive.  Also, don’t compare yourself to others. Only worry about what you can do and focus on what you can control. Step change or massive improvements can happen in an instant when you least expecting it (and often do). Finally (and most importantly) enjoy it! That’s what will bring you success however you define it.

You work with both Able Bodied and Para Athletes, what do you see as the biggest benefits of inclusion in sport?

You can’t be what you can’t see, so it’s great to have a more inclusive focus on para athletes.  It provides inspiration and something to aspire to for those who may not think there are opportunities for them.  I have also found that the determination and dedication shown by para athletes in spite of their challenges is a huge inspiration to all athletes.  Coaching para athletes has helped me to grow as a person where I have probably learned more from them than they have from me!

You are still extremely fit, are there any plans for a comeback to athletics? I’m lead to believe that you can still give your younger squad quite a run for their money on the Aths track?

Ha, I would not go as far to say “extremely” fit, but coaching the kids have inspired me to get back into a little bit of training.  Staying fit also helps me to demonstrate the techniques and skills required as verbal cues are sometimes difficult with younger athletes.  I also attempt to try new things for myself before bringing them into the coaching environment, just to see how they might feel and how we can use them.  I did put the spikes on for the first time in 12 years a couple of weeks back and survived, so you never know!  I would love to have at least one last competitive race before I die but coming back to priorities, I don’t have too much time to train for myself so we will see what happens.

Can you tell us what you think the most important benefits of the SWAS Program are?

The access to coaching and education is of course critical for our upcoming sportspeople but my view is that it is broader than that. As a regional aspiring athlete, SWAS provides recognition and support that you have been identified as having what it takes to succeed.  This does wonders for confidence, and being part of a high performance framework that is beyond an athlete’s normal sporting environment opens new perspectives, ideas and sharpens commitment and focus.  It’s a pathway that provides experiences that set up the athlete for their future aspirations.

What do you enjoy most about Coaching the SWAS Athletes?

I enjoy the opportunity to be able to also coach non track and field athletes and introduce functional speed and power considerations that can translate and improve performance in each of their own sports, whether it be agility, footwork, coordination or balance.  For many of the SWAS athletes the concepts are brand new, so working through how to do them can be fun as when athletes attempt to use their bodies in different ways, the organised chaos always results in plenty of laughs. It’s great to be able to take the SWAS athletes into this world and hopefully they enjoy it too.

Where would you like to see athletics in Warrnambool and Surrounds in say, 5 years?

Since I started coaching here in Warrnambool I have found suitable places to train are few and far between. Athletics at a senior level is somewhat non-existent and there is almost a complete drop off after Little Athletics.  It would be great if we could get a seniors competition up and running as we do have great talent here, and I would argue proportionately more than the larger centres.  We just need coaches and improved infrastructure to help nurture this talent and it will pay back in dividends not just in athletics but all sports. I would love to see an upgraded track, some form of indoor lane access for our winter months or suitable grass facilities that are safe and accessible for our athletes.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

In a coaching sense, my biggest inspiration does not necessarily come from one person, I get inspired and motivated when I see kids, athletes, coaches or recreational athletes committed and giving their all in their pursuits.  I really admire that.  The icing on the cake is seeing the excitement and joy in their faces when they do a personal best or learn and apply something new. That gives me motivation and inspires me to keep improving and be a better coach.

Where in Warrnambool and the Surrounding districts would someone go to find out more about Athletics?

Warrnambool Little Athletics Club is probably your first bet. Alternatively Athletics Victoria or SWAS can point people in the right direction.  I am always happy to help out as I have an informal role with Athletics Victoria as a Coaching Hub leader where part of the responsibility is to help grow coaches in the region.

Lastly, Do you have anyone you would like to thank or make special mention of today?

My family (Amy, Isla and Isaac) for putting up with what can be a pretty hectic schedule and SWAS and Athletics Victoria for opportunities to coach. I would also just like to recognize and thank the coaches that invested in me, specifically Trevor Bent my first coach who passed away a couple of years ago (coach for 6yrs) and Kevin Hickman (coach for 3yrs).  I did not quite appreciate what you did at the time but are forever grateful for your dedication and support that provided me with such opportunities and life experiences.

Thank you so much for being a part of our Spotlight On Series! We can’t wait to see how your athletes (and you) go in the coming year. We hope it is a very successful season.

 

Spotlight On

Eddie Worrall

Hi Eddie, Welcome to our regular Spotlight On series, which focus’ on SWAS Athletes and gives our readers a chance to get to know a little more about you, your sport and your pathway to where you are now.

So, Cycling. What made you pursue this sport In particular?

My family were right into cycling so I guess I have been watching them compete over the years and it seemed natural for me to start riding also.  When I started racing I just loved it and also because it is something I can do with my Dad and brother it makes it easier and fun to do together.

Can you explain in basic terms the different types of cycling?

Basically, I ride track (on a velodrome) in summer and Road during winter.  Road racing can have all types of events, from a road race, time trial, criterium, hill climb and much more. Track racing has even more types of events, from pursuits, Madison, points races, scratch racing and more.

What is your favourite discipline in cycling?

My favourite event would have to be the individual time trial (ITT), because it is just you against the clock with no one else to help you.

Do you compete in many events? Are there many opportunities to compete locally or is it all out of area? 

I compete as often as I can.  Just locally I race the Port Fairy and Warrnambool Cycling club races.  I also compete in all the junior events around the state, which this year is 5 Junior Tours and then the State Championships.  Most of these events are in Melbourne or central Victoria, like Wangaratta, Broadford and Eildon.  Track racing in summer is mainly in Melbourne.

Do you compete against all ages and abilities or is it specific to your age, gender etc.? 

Locally I race the junior races as well as senior, wherever the handicapper puts me.  In the Junior Tours I have been in the U17 A Grade.  I am bottom age in that age group so it is a huge challenge this year.

Do you have to travel a lot to be able to achieve your best?

Yes, just about every second weekend we are away racing somewhere in the State, and if not away we are racing in Warrnambool or Port Fairy.  The travel makes it a huge commitment for all my family, lucky they like cycling too.

Can you explain what a usual week looks like including training, school, competition and other general interests?

School always comes first which can be annoying sometimes when all you want to do is ride your bike. Monday and Friday are normally my rest day where I won’t ride my bike but instead will do a gym session. Tuesday – Thursday are training days were I will normally get up 5.15am to ride before school. On the weekend I will race either locally or at a tour, or do some longer hours on the bike to get some endurance in my legs.  I also try and swim once a week, and work whenever I am needed.

Where do you go to school, and are they supportive of your cycling?

I go to Emmanuel College, I love it because lots of the teachers are supportive because they are also cyclists and are always up for a quick chat about the local morning bunch ride or how I raced on the weekend.

Family is the backbone of all of our athletes, can you tell us a bit about your family, are any other family member cyclists too?

I’m extremely lucky to have such a supportive family that are always pushing me to do my best whether that’s at riding or my school work. Mum and Dad both run their own business which keeps them busy but somehow always find time for us kids. Everyone in the family is into cycling apart from my sister but I’m sure that will change one day, maybe.

In your cycling training, how far would you ride in an average week and what sort of fitness goals do you have to help you achieve your best?

Training varies from week to week depending on what events I have coming up but an average week ranges from 10 – 15 hours of training on the bike and then additional hours on top of that with gym and other activities.

How long have you been involved in SWAS? Do you have a favorite part of the program?

This has been my first year being a part of SWAS, my favourite part of the program would have to be the SWAS days where all the athletes from all sports or just your sport get together and train with each other or go to a big event.

Can you tell us what benefits you believe SWAS gives you, to help give you an edge over non academy cyclists?

Being a part of SWAS has given me the opportunity to work with an amazing coach, Kerry King. Kerry is very supportive and also sets me a challenging training program each week. The cycling kit and SWAS clothing is great, as well as the Training Peaks account which is where my coach puts all my training for the week. I feel I am well supported as a SWAS athlete, and the opportunities it provides.

You attended the VIS Day with other SWAS Athletes, How was it? What did you take away from the day?

It was great to see what facilities and support Victoria’s best athletes get access too. I got the most from the sports Psychologist who explained about mental battles athletes can go through and ways to best manage those battles.

If you were to speak to a younger child wanting to try cycling, what advice would you give them?

Give it a go, you either love it or you don’t but the least you can do is give it a go. Cycling can be a hard sport to get into because of the costs and equipment required. It’s not a main stream sport so only a handful of others my age are riding.  But there is a lot of support from other experienced local cyclists that have been riding for a long time with lots of knowledge about the sport and are more than happy to lend a helping hand or give advice.

Of all of your competitions so far, which has been your favorite? Can you tell us about it?

My favourite event would have to be Nationals in Bunbury (WA) last year. It was one of the biggest races I have ever competed in with so many other incredible cyclists. I was fortunate to be a part of the state team and met a lot of cyclists my age that are now friends.

Who is your sporting hero?

I don’t really have a hero; instead I look up to and admire many athletes from a variety of sports who have achieved success.

What is your ultimate long term goal?

My long term goal is be good enough to ride overseas in Europe.  To do this I will need to continue with both my Track and Road cycling as a junior for the next three years.  If I continue to train and race I would love to think I may get a ride in an NRS team in Australia, which may lead to racing overseas.

And lastly is there anyone you would like to thank today? 

I would like to thank all those people that have helped me so far with my cycling, I have been lucky to have family and friends that also love cycling and have help me to develop a love for it.  I have had a couple of coaches now which have been fantastic to me and helped me make the most of the opportunities I have had.  My parents try to do whatever they can to help me get to races and be able to do what I love whatever sport that has been.  I would like to thank South West Academy of Sport (SWAS) for allowing me to be part of their program and all those that support this program including Royal Bikes and my coach Kez.

Thank you for taking part in the Spotlight On series, we really appreciate your time and look forward to watching how you grow and succeed in the future.

Spotlight on 

Ruben de Silva-Smith

Hi and welcome Ruben, you are the focus of our spotlight on series this week! 

Today we would love to check in on how you are progressing, your success’ and we hope to learn a little more, not just about you, but your favorite sports as well. It seems you are an accomplished Triathlete as well as cyclist.

So to start with, can you tell us a little about yourself, your age? And When and how you got started in sport.

I recently moved to the area from near Bendigo and I am 16 years old. I got started in Triathlon through my old school which had a program for all athletes from different sports. I was encouraged by the triathlon to have a go at the sport and have loved it ever since.

How long have you been with SWAS? 

I have been with SWAS since mid-April this year.

What is your favorite part of the SWAS training program?

My favourite part of the SWAS program is being able to have access to great facilities and coaches. 

In your sport, what would a normal week look like for you? What does training involve?

A normal week of training is around 8 hours with a mix of swimming, cycling and running. 

At the moment I am racing my bike in various cycling races most weekends.

Are there many competitions?

In summer I will compete in Triathlons every couple of weeks. 

Where do you go to school and do they support your cycling? Is it ever hard to juggle it all? 

Sometimes is can get hard juggling training and schoolwork, being in year eleven. A training plan is essential to be sure that I keep up to date with schoolwork. 

If you could go forward 5 years, where do you see yourself? 

In five years I would love to be competing in Ironman and Half-Ironman triathlons around the world preferably professionally but would love to get a chance as an amateur as well.

What do you think you will need to do to become the best you can at your sport? 

To be the best at my sport, it takes a lot of preparation, whether that be with training, nutrition, hydration and mental preparation, it all counts as little one percenters.

Is cycling at the level you compete at hard to do when you are based so far from Melbourne? 

Being based so far from Melbourne can be difficult as it is harder to get to bigger races but it makes you appreciate being at the bigger races. Local races are still my favourite though. Melbourne races can be very loud and daunting whereas the friendly atmosphere of local races is where I like to race.

For a person wanting to get involved what would suggest is the best way for them to start out? 

The best way to get into the sport is to get down to your local club, there will always be welcoming people to help you get started and guide you through your first couple of races. Once you learn the ropes you’ll never want to

Can you tell us about your recent competitions?

Before the summer season finished I managed to win two triathlons, one with Warrnambool triathlon club and one with Portland triathlon club. More recently I have been competing in all different road cycling races locally and state level. This past weekend I raced my first junior tour in Broadford. It involved three races over Saturday and Sunday. I was going well and sitting in a top ten position overall but was involved in a crash during the last race, breaking my bike and was out of the tour.

Did you ever consider other pathways or has triathlon always been where you wanted to see yourself? 

Doing Triathlon, I get to do three sports in one. It is a lot of work but it keeps it interesting doing all the different types of training. I never thought sport could possibly get me anywhere until i got involved in triathlon. Now I see all the possibilities of pathways involved in triathlon not only competing but all aspects.

Who do you look up to? or do you have person or athlete that you aspire to be like?

Someone I look up to is Peter Sagan, I like the way he approaches events and his personality off the bike. 

What is your ultimate sporting goal?

My ultimate goal would be competing in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. 

Do you have anyone you would like to thank? 

I’d like to thank Kerry King for being such great coach and helping me with all parts of my sport. I’d like to thank Shaun King and Royal Bikes for all the help with keeping my bikes in check. Finally I’d like to thank my parents and family for investing money and time and travelling around the state for competitions.

Thank you so much for being a part of SWAS and our Spotlight on Series!

Spotlight on

Chloe Mutton

Hi Chloe, Welcome to the Spotlight On series.

You are our first gymnast to be focused on!

I would love to explore what gymnastic means to you and what being a gymnast involves.

So if I may ask, how did you get your start in gymnastics?

When I was little I had lots of energy and I kept climbing things, doing hand stands and cartwheels so mum thought gymnastics might be a good sport for me. We lived in Camperdown at the time so mum had to drive me all the way to Warrnambool once a week. When I started I moved into the competitive program and started doing more hours.

 

What is your favourite gymnastic discipline?

Uneven bars in my favourite because it feels like flying and its fun.

 

Is there any manoeuvres that are particularly difficult to execute or hard to learn?

As you go through the levels the skills get harder. A lot of people have trouble getting their kip on bars at level 5. Im level 6 and I just got my kip cast to handstand and my clear hips and toe circle to handstand. Im also learning to do giants on the wooden bar which are fun and a bit scary. A fly away off the bar is tricky too.

 

How often do you train?

I train 18 hours a week over 4 days. I do some of the training in Warrnambool and some in Geelong. I don’t go to school on Tuesdays, I train in Geelong instead and do school work at the library. I also do a ballet class at Melissas dance elements to help with my posture and artistic dance skills.

 

How often do you compete?

There are lots of different competitions around victoria. I usually do about five. Then there is also a regional Qualifier and victorian championships. This year I am also competing in the trans bass trial to see if I can qualify to represent Victoria in a national competition.

 

Do you have to travel far to compete?

Living in Warrnambool means we have to do a lot of travelling for gymnastics. Most of our competitions for level 6 are held in Melbourne or Geelong. Its fun though because we stay at different places and travel with team mates.

 

What are your long term aspirations, do you have any particular aims or big goals?

I just like to keep challenging myself with new skills. If you focus too much on scores and winning competitions it can make you really nervous. Its really important just to focus on yourself and not compare your self to others. If you work hard and never give up you will always keep on improving. My big goals are to one day represent Victoria at nationals. We have had two gymnast from warrnambool, Maddy Cook and Amy Johnstone achieve this in the last two years. Id like to follow in their footsteps. Id also like to make it to level 10 and be a coach one day.

 

Is there anyone else in your family that have done gymnastics?

No, I was the first, but my sisters do it too now. My mum also has become a coach and a judge since I started.

 

Is Warrnambool and District an easy, or hard place to pursue your training and competition?

There are two divisions in the Australian Levels program, Division 1 unlimited hours and Division 2 limited hours of training. Warrnambool Springers only offer Division 2 up to Level 6 for woman artistic gymnastics.  This division doesn’t allow you to compete with the hope of qualifying for state championships and to represent Victoria.  This is something I would like to do, so I now complete for Geelong YMCA.    I am lucky to have the support of Warrnambool Springers, Emmanuel College, my parents and my grandparents to make this happen for me because its a big commitment to travel to Geelong two times a week to train.

 

Can you tell us more about your coach/s?

I have lots of coaches because I train at two gymnastics clubs. Sian Ryan and Sam Dayman are my current coaches at  Warrnambool Springers. Tessa Dayman was also my coach at the start of the year. Fattah is my main coach in Geelong.  They are all great coaches with a lot of experience. Tessa encouraged me to pursue my dreams in Geelong. Fattah and the coaches in Geelong have been very welcoming. Sam and the warrnambool gymnastics club let me train with a different level in Warrnambool on Fridays so that I can fit more training in.

 

You’re heading to Melbourne for a VIS day, what are you hoping to learn from this experience?

I like hanging out with all of the other athletes and getting to know different people from different sports. I haven’t been to the Victorian Institute of Sport before so I am interested to see what it has to offer athletes. I also love fitness testing.

 

For someone wanting to try gymnastic in our area, who would they speak to, where should they go to give it a try?

The best place to try gymnastics if you live in Warrnambool is the Warrnambool Gymnastics Centre. There is also a really good gymnastics club in Hamilton and Portland. All of the clubs support each other and they all have great coaches and great facilities.

 

For someone who’s never done gymnastics, can you explain what a training session would be like?

Like football and netball there are different types of gymnasts based on ability.  ALP being  like A Grade, Gymstar  like B grade and recreational classes is like C grade.  Both ALP and Gymstar have a competitive program affiliated with them.  ALP is more strict with skill requirements and  Gymstar is more about joining in and getting the chance to experience competing. If you do a recreational class you will do one hour a week of gymnastics. The program changes each week so you get to do all of the apparatus. Gymstar and ALP train more hours. A training session for me usually starts with strength training. Then we spend half an hour on each apparatus either practicing skills or learning new skills. On Saturdays in Geelong we also do pilates. Every gymnastics session we do also has some flexibility exercises.

 

What has been your favourite competition so far?

Ive had lots that have been really fun. I remember when I was in level 2 I was really excited because I got a pink trophy! I also really like competing at the Victorian Championships. It feels really professional. It’s held at the Geelong arena and you march on to music. All of the best gymnasts are there so its really competitive. I like watching everybody else compete too.

 

What has been your favourite result in all of your events so far?

My favourite result was at the Victorian championships last year when I came 4th overall in my age group. I also came second on bars.

 

Can you tell us a bit about your family?

I have two sisters. They both do gymnastics too. My youngest sister Milly is 8 and is in level 2. My other sister is 9 and she is in level 3. They both compete for Warrnambool. We live with our Mum and Dad and our puppy Harley.

 

Do you have to eat special foods or do you have any specific things that you like to do before each competition?

I like to eat food that will give me energy before I compete. I actually eat like that all the time because I train so many hours. Sometimes over the summer I loose too much weight and I become lacking in energy and really moody. When that happens I eat lots of carbs and dairy and drink protein shakes after training.

 

Before and after a competition, do you have stretches or exercises that you do to keep your body and mind fit?

Before every competition our team runs through a really long warm up that we all know. We do lots of stretching, running, jumping, hopping and all of our skills. After competitions I usually stretch and I always try and stretch between apparatus because there is a lot of waiting around in gymnastics and it shard to keep your body competition ready.

 

Can you explain about how SWAS supports you in both your training and your sport?

I’ve been really enjoying being a part of SWAS. The sessions about nutrition and sports psychology have been really interesting but my favourite part is the weekly strength sessions at momentum fitness. Its a different type of training than I usually do and I like training with people from different sports. I also love the fitness testing.

 

And lastly is there anyone you would like to thank today?

I am really lucky to have a supportive family that love gymnastics as much as I do. So a big thank you to mum, dad, my grandma, my nan and poppa and my sisters for supporting me while I reach for my dreams.

I would also like to thank the coaches at Warrnambool Springers for their support and encouragement and the Warrnambool Council for letting me fit my Warrnambool training sessions around my Geelong training sessions.

I am also really lucky to have the support of my teachers at Emmanuel College in helping me catch up on school work I have missed. Id also like to thank Melissa my dance teacher and the staff at Physipole Warrnambool. I do a stretch class there with the amazing Jo and I also do an aerial class for a bit of fun when I can fit it in.

Spotlight On

Louis O’Callaghan

Hi Louis and welcome to the Spotlight On series.

This week we have some questions for you that will help us understand your journey, your training, and a little bit about your life in the cycling world.

So how long have you been cycling for?

‘Since I could first walk ‘says my dad, but actually going out on my own and training, for about 5 years now

What does an average day for you look like?

Get up at 5, leave the house at 5:15 straight onto the bike and riding for about 2 hours, then home after a coffee stop, and then getting ready for school. After school finishes homework and then getting ready for bed as this will happen all again tomorrow.

Describe a day in the life of Louis!
My day is filled with school, training, food, and fixing my bike.

For you, what traveling is involved in your cycling?  Do you have to travel far for training?

Travel is just usually for races, as around here there are so many great roads to go out and train on.

You have been competing more this year, where has your favorite competition been?

The amount of events that I’m competing in has dropped but not so much. I am mainly focusing on the main events that I would like to do well in. My favorite event for the mountain biking is the Otway Odyssey, and for the road it’s the inter schools.

Can you explain to us what a competition looks like?  Do you compete with athletes the same age as you, do you compete against country and city athletes.

Yes I do compete with other riders my age that are from all over Victoria and from other states. There have been a few races this year that I have now started racing in the open category, as this happens in under 19.

Do you have to have a specific diet or routine in the lead up to competition to help you perform your best? If you do, what is it?
Yes I do have a very specific diet routine in lead up to competition. I have quite a sensitive stomach that can get a stitch really easy. My coach Kerry and I have finally figured out a plan. First thing when I get up I have a smoothie that has a concoction of ingredients in it. And then 2 hours before I have something little, like a museli bar or a gel.

If you could have one sporting dream come true, what would it be?
To get on one of the cycling teams if it’s international or Australian.

If you could encourage someone who was thinking about joining your sport, what would you say to them to make them want to do it, want to become involved.
There is a lot of freedom that you get as you can be out in the middle of nowhere on your bike just surrounded by paddocks full of cows, it might not seem all that interesting but once you see that land you feel really connected to it.

What has SWAS done to help you improve? To help you on your journey to achieve the best you can from cycling?
It has opens my eyes up to things that I need to improve my riding but also myself as well.

Can you tell us about your achievements, any awards, special wins or events that mean a lot to you?
The Kelpie classic I just got the win in it. Also in the Otway odyssey I exceeded my time by over 15 minutes.

Can you tell us a little about your family, are they cyclists too?
Yes, my dad is into riding as well but my brothers and my mum do like it but with the other sports that they do they don’t get out as much.

Do you have anyone you would like to thank?
My parents are always a big help, my friends, my coach Kerry King, SWAS and Royal Bikes.

Thank you for being a part of the spotlight on series. We look forward to watching your journey in the future.