Joining the Aussie Athlete Fund Movement

Over the final weekend of May, I had the privilege of joining fellow Olympian, five-time Olympian and Olympic Gold Medallist Natalie Cook in her incredible initiative through the Aussie Athlete Fund.

As athletes, we understand firsthand the sacrifices required to pursue excellence on the international stage. While many people see the glory of representing Australia, what often goes unseen are the enormous financial pressures that athletes and their families face every day. The reality is that many of our emerging elite athletes are balancing training, travel, competition, study and work, often with very little financial support.

The Aussie Athlete Fund was established to help change that by creating opportunities for athletes through fundraising support, networking, education, personal branding and financial wellbeing initiatives.

As Natalie Cook explains:

"The Aussie Athlete Fund was born to support athletes off the field, particularly their financial wellbeing. Our job is to support athletes so they are not burdened by financial pressures while pursuing their sporting dreams."

This vision strongly resonates with me. Throughout my own Olympic journey and now through my work with student-athletes at Bishop Druitt College, I have seen the incredible sacrifices families make to support their children in chasing elite sporting pathways. Regional athletes in particular often face additional travel, accommodation and competition expenses simply because of where they live.

During the weekend, I had the opportunity to combine two passions of mine – supporting athletes and playing golf. To my surprise, I finished as the overall winner of the event and received prize money for the victory.

After reflecting on the purpose of the weekend, there was only one decision to make.

I have chosen to donate the entire winnings back to support two deserving athletes from our own High Performance Program.

On behalf of myself and the Aussie Athlete Fund, I am delighted to announce that the following athletes will each receive a $500 grant to assist with competition levies, travel and pathway costs:

Keeley Adamson – Beach and Indoor Volleyball

Keeley has established herself as one of the region's most exciting young volleyball talents and continues to progress through state and national pathways. Her dedication, commitment and willingness to embrace every opportunity make her a worthy recipient of this support.

Tehani Badke – Equestrian

Tehani is an outstanding young equestrian athlete currently competing and training in Mexico as part of her international development pathway. As the first Horizons Online student and High Performance Program student-athlete, Tehani continues to break new ground while representing our program with professionalism and determination. Her commitment to pursuing excellence on the international stage is a fantastic example of what is possible for regional athletes.

These athletes represent exactly why initiatives such as the Aussie Athlete Fund are so important. Their commitment, work ethic and dedication to their sporting dreams are inspiring, but success at this level also requires significant financial investment from families.

Having lived and worked regionally for the past seven years, I can honestly say that the commitment shown by our athletes and their families is extraordinary. They continually go above and beyond to create opportunities that athletes in metropolitan areas often take for granted.

I am incredibly proud to join Natalie Cook and the Aussie Athlete Fund on this journey over the next six years as we build towards Brisbane 2032. Together, we can help create opportunities, remove barriers and ensure that talent, dedication and hard work—not financial circumstances—determine who gets the opportunity to chase their dreams and represent Australia.

Choose Hard. Dream Big. Support Athletes