Media Releases

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.

Spotlight On

Kerry King 

 

Hi and welcome to our regular Spotlight On series, where we focus on understanding a little bit more about our athletes and coaches.

Today we are very happy to have you as our focus!

This year has been a very big year for you and our SWAS Royal Bikes cycling squad, can you give us a bit of a run down on what your involvement is and what big events you have been involved in this year?

It has been a crazy six months, but I feel like the year is just kicking off for junior racing. There are lots of big state level races on between now and September for the junior road riders; track, MTB and Tri season will follow on after that.

My particular involvement in the squad is to support each athlete in their own personal goals. That consists of writing their individual training programs, and making sure they are familiar with their race tactics, on-and-off the bike nutrition, recovery strategies, etc., so that they are at the top of their game for their goal races.

How many cyclist do you support and how long has the program been running?

I’m not sure how long the program has been running for; I have been helping to coach the SWAS juniors since September last year. The program selects six south west junior cyclists that are looking to improve their performance at a state level. This year we are lucky enough to have juniors from MTB, road, track, and Triathlon; it’s a wonderful mix.

What is it that you love about cycling?

So much. I love the bikes, the kits, the science, the community, the struggle, the elation. It’s a hard sport physically and mentally; but that’s the beauty of it.

If you couldn’t be involved in cycling any more do you have any other sporting passions?

I grew up playing tennis, it’s a fantastic game; it’d like to get back into it one day.

Do you have any sporting heroes, or any particularly special memories?

Personally I’ve never really had any sporting heroes, they are all just everyday people that chose to work harder than everyone else. I love to watch it when the “underdog” goes the extra mile in all of their training so that they beat the “gifted.”

Have you ever met any cycling celebrities?

It was pretty cool to have dinner with Peta Mullens earlier this year, she’s an inspiration and exceptional cyclist in both MTB and road. I’m pretty sure she would call herself a “celebrity”!

What lead you to become involved in cycling, have you always loved it?

I’ve always ridden, but mostly just casually. One of my fondest memories as a kid was racing my brother on our tricycles around the kitchen table; crit racing at its best. Dad often used to take me out before school for fitness, and then I used my bike to commute while I was in Melbourne studying. It’s only been in the last few years that I discovered racing, and while I’m off the bike my passion is to help others reach their goals.

In your career, if you could talk to your younger self, is there any advice you would give yourself?

Don’t be scared of failing, instead embrace it and see your set-backs as opportunities to learn.

Any major achievements that you are particularly proud of?

I do have various academic and sporting achievements, but what I’m most proud of is that I can be content with or without these awards. I now get my enjoyment and satisfaction from seeing others achieve their goals.

What is your favourite part about being a coach?

That I get to do life with other people, to see them through the highs and lows, and just be there for them in whatever way they need; it’s a privilege. I also love the detail and numbers behind the sport, the strategy, the analytics, the programming, the experimenting, I love finding all those areas where you can get 1% gains.

Is cycling an expensive sport to be involved in? For someone starting out, what would they need to have to be able to become a part of it?

It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. You can get fit on any backyard beat-up, but if you want to be competitive then at some point you do need to fork out for a nice rig and set of race wheels. I think we all wished we had a money tree.

How is Warrnambool in relation to other areas? What is particularly supportive OR good for local cyclists and cycling in general?

Warrnambool is a great place to live and train, it’s very easy to access country roads for training rides, and your training partners often live just around the corner. There are many groups that leave in the morning that people can join in with. Unfortunately our MTB trails are limited, and there is no velodrome in Warrnambool, and this does make it hard for some disciplines of cycling. But if there’s a will there’s a way.

Is your training and events local, or does it involve a lot of travel to become successful?

Training is predominantly local, although it can be very beneficial to make the odd trip to the Grampians to get some hill training in as it is very flat around here. Many events, especially the larger state level events do involve a lot of travelling. Aspiring road, track, and MTBers commonly have to travel to Melbourne, Geelong and Bendigo; it’s great when the juniors can car pool.

If you were trying to convince someone of the benefits of the SWAS program, what would you say that SWAS is good at providing for our younger cyclists?

It provides so much! I think it’s invaluable to be able to train and journey with like-minded people. To rock up to the start line with your training partner who you know has your back is gold. SWAS provides detailed individualised cycling programs and cycling specific strength training, as well as sports nutrition, sports psychology, race strategy, and practical workshops. It’s for juniors looking to take cycling to the next level.

And lastly is there anyone you would like to thank?

Of course, firstly Nic Kaiser for providing me with the opportunity to coach the juniors and supporting me as a coach. My husband, Shaun King, for always encouraging me and believing in me. Lastly, the cycling community in the region; you genuinely care for and support the local up-and-coming juniors. Thank you!

Thank you for being a part of our program, we wish you continued success!

 

Spotlight On

Paul White

 

Hi and welcome to our spotlight on series

 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

 

My name is Paul White, I have been living in Portland since 2007. I have a Human Movement degree with a major in Sports Coaching. I am Physical Education teacher at Portland Secondary College. I have three young children, who keep me quite busy with sport after school, which is great.

 

 

So where did your interest in surfing begin?

 

From a young age I always wanted to give it a go, but grew up inland in Ararat. The closest thing to it back then was to pick up my skateboard. Growing up I was into most sports.

 

 

Can you give our readers a quick rundown on your surf career.

 

I have been surfing very regularly since I arrived in Portland. Not much of a career really! I just love it, and find it quite addictive.

 

 

You are SWAS’s surf assistant coach and manager, can you tell us about what lead you to SWAS?

 

I saw it as a great chance for the young people in this area to have an amazing opportunity. To gain the support of SWAS and work with coaches such as Adam Robertson and Marcus Eldridge is unreal. At the same time as coaching our group, Robbo is supporting Kelly Slater, 11 time world champion! Both Adam and Marcus are still among the best surfers in the state. It’s an insane opportunity for our group!! I myself learn a great deal too.

 

 

What is it about coaching young up and coming surfers that you love the most?

 

The stoke that they get from learning, persevering and achieving something that can be quite hard.

 

 

What is your favourite thing about the ocean?

 

The sunsets. The relaxed feeling I get from being out there.

 

 

Where is your all-time favourite place locally to surf?

 

Yellow Rock. Although, whilst not exactly local – Bird Rock, at the end of last weekend’s SWAS camp was pretty fun.

 

 

Where is your favourite place in the world, or somewhere you would dream of surfing?

 

I think I’d like to hit the Maldives. I did get the chance to surf Cloudbreak a few years back, which was pretty cool. Lucky for me I hit the reef at the end of that trip!

 

 

If you could give one piece of advice to a young surfer what would it be?

 

Keep at it! Such a great sport.

 

 

If you could go back in time and talk to your young self about where surfing would take you, what would you say?

 

Listen to advice from your coaches. Don’t forget everything as soon as you hit the water!

 

 

Is surfing an expensive sport to pursue, what are the necessities that someone starting out would need to be aware of?

 

Not expensive at all.  Just need a wide/stable board that is not too long, so that you can push through the white water and is easy to learn on. A decent wetsuit will keep you warm and be more enjoyable. Sometimes these things can be a little costly, however you can’t put a price on being happy and healthy.

 

 

For someone who has never surfed before, where would you direct them to go to learn or try?

 

Your local learn to surf company, boardriders club. Or you could just go out with a few mates.

 

 

Finally who inspires you, makes you get in the water on those cold winter morning’s when most of us are tucked up warm at home?

 

To be honest, now that I am a bit older, I find it a bit hard – unless it’s perfect – as my back and hamstrings tend to wake up a little later than the rest of me. One example was this morning, when I decided it might be better off staying at home and helping get my kids out the door.

 

 

Is there anyone you would like to thank or give a shout out to?

 

Clare and Marcus Eldridge, Adam Robertson and Nic Kaiser in particular deserve more than a shout out. They have been generous with their time and efforts. Couldn’t have happened without them and I have been learning a great deal myself from these people. Very much appreciated.

 

 

Gabby Lougheed

Hi Gabby and thank you for being part of our Spotlight on series.

You have been playing volleyball now for a few years; I was privileged to see some of your very early games when you began playing on Tuesday nights with the team Omegas at the Arc in Warrnambool.

 

What has changed the most about you since then?

I’ve grown a lot more confident through playing at higher levels and gaining experience in multiple positions. I started playing as a middle blocker in my first year of being in a state team in 2016. I was able to represent Victoria at the Australian Junior Volleyball Championships and this was one of the first times I got to experience a high level of volleyball. The next year I changed to playing as a pass hitter and was fortunate enough to play in the Australian championships again in 2017 and 2018. Through my years of playing in the state team I grew better at communicating on the court. This helped me gain a place on an Australian development tour to Thailand.

 

Can you explain to our readers in a basic way, what happens in a game of volleyball and how the game works?

In indoor volleyball 2 teams of 6 players compete on opposite sides of a net and attempt to win points by landing the volleyball on the oppositions court. Players rotate through positions, serving after winning a point. The first team to win 25 points wins a set and most games are played best of 5 sets with the 5th set being only to 15 points. Rallies usually work by the ball being received from a serve or attack and being passed to a setter who sets to an attacker. The attacker aims to hit past blockers and get the ball to hit the ground before defenders can pass it.

 

What is your favourite position in the team?

My favourite position is pass hitter as you get to contribute to the game by both defense and offense. Pass hitters spend time in both the back court and front court meaning players get to pass as well as try to win points by hitting kills. I also like playing opposite as you get to hit from the right side of the court making it easier to hit sharp cross court balls.

 

You have competed at our local seaside tournament and also now at state, national and international level, do you have a favourite competition, or an event you are most proud of?

Definitely the local Seaside tournament or Country Championships. Seaside because I get to play against friends from across the state in my hometown. Country Champs because the games are played best of 5 sets whereas most tournaments are time limited. The games are a lot more intense and can go for a while. Last year Warrnambool Pirates won the women’s division 2 so hopefully this year we can back it up with another win.

 

You have just returned from a Volleyball tour in Thailand, can you tell us about this experience?

I was in Thailand for two weeks with the Australian junior development program. The first five days were a training camp at the Bangkok FIVB development centre and the other days were spent at the Thailand U21 volleyball championships. We played 4 games of the tournament and won the 1st game in 3 sets. Unfortunately we lost the next 3 games and missed out on finals. This meant that for the last few days of the trip we got to play practice matches against the other Australian team and some really skilled Thai school programs.

 

Who have you learnt the most from and why?

I’ve learnt so much from coaches who are always helping me to improve. Without all the coaches I’ve had in the past I would be nowhere near where I am today.  I’ve also learnt a lot from team mates. At all levels I’ve found it helpful to watch other players techniques and see what sort of movements they use. Last year I attended a Volleyball Australia Junior Development camp and just getting to watch some of the best junior volleyball players in Australia was really beneficial to me.

 

What is the best thing about playing a team sport like volleyball?

It’s always really supportive. I love the celebrations after winning really close points. Especially when the crowd gets really involved. In my team’s U17 girls bronze medal match at nationals last year nearly the whole Victorian state team was there cheering us on and it was a great environment to play in.

 

What is your ultimate goal in your chosen sport?

I’d love to participate in another overseas development tour. America is a country I’d love to visit as volleyball is so much bigger there than in Australia. There’s also some really good opportunities to play in US college programs that I’m interested in finding out more about.

 

How would people locally get involved in volleyball?  

Get in contact with the Warrnambool Volleyball association. There’s a great local competition on Tuesday nights at the Arc Stadium that people of all different skill levels play in. There’s 2 divisions, div 2 starts 6:30 and div 1 starts at 8. There’s also squads that train and go to tournaments across Victoria.

What advice would you give to someone just wanting to have a go?  

Just keep trying. Volleyball is a hard sport to be good at immediately. It takes a fair bit of practice to just get control of the ball and at first it can be a bit frustrating but if you keep at it you’ll improve with time.

 

How much training per week do you do, and is it local or do you travel?

I train on court once a week in Warrnambool and attend SWAS strength and conditioning sessions. I get to play 2 games on a Tuesday night in the local comp I mentioned previously.. I also play for Western Phantoms in the Volleyball Victoria state league. I usually have to travel to Melbourne or Bendigo each weekend to play a couple of games.

 

We see beach volleyball televised at the Olympics, Have you ever played beach volleyball, or only on a court?

I’ve never played beach volleyball competitively but it’s something I’d like to do. The rules do vary a lot from indoor so it would take a fair bit of getting used to.

 

Did you ever play other sports, or has volleyball always been a passion?

Throughout primary school I did a range of sports but towards the end I discovered volleyball and I’ve loved it ever since.

 

How has SWAS supported you in achieving your best in your volleyball?

SWAS has provided me with really valuable information on nutrition, recovery, sports psychology and self awareness. SWAS has been really encouraging me to keep improving both on and off court. The strength and conditioning sessions are great for developing my physical fitness. Especially in a sport like volleyball it’s important at high levels to be able to jump higher and be quicker in movements.

 

I’d there anyone in particular who you would like to mention or thank?

I’d like to thank all my friends and family for supporting me especially on my trip to Thailand. I’m especially grateful for all the driving my parents have done over the past few years. I’d like to thank all the coaches I have had over the last few years, the Warrnambool Volleyball Association, Warrnambool City Council, Dan Tehan, South West Sport and  Helloworld Travel Warrnambool who have also recently supported my trip to Thailand.