I Want To Help You On Your Journey.

Learn From Mine

• An energetic, inquisitive and kind kid born in the north of Tasmania, I am a perfectionist that loves learning and playing sport. I tried everything; football, basketball, athletics..... you name it. Born with a hereditary vision impairment, I didn't realize that swimming was going to be the sport for me until I jumped in the water for my first swimming lesson. I loved it. I didn't have to worry about fumbling a ball, smashing into other people or tripping on unforeseen obstacles. It was just me and the black line.

Known for being a hard worker willing to push the limits, I never actually had my swimming stroke and technique broken down and analyzed until I made my first Australian Team back in 2014. At this point I had been swimming for years. Sometimes we can progress without the correct advice, but given the correct information we can make significant adjustments to our technique and performance. I was so unaware of my potential for so long, I just needed to search a little bit harder. I was working so hard but within myself I had no defined purpose.

Let me take a step back a little…… I first started to swim when I was 7 years of age. I was an interesting learner at first. I asked lots of questions and often found ways to get out of the practice, although I was proficient and performed well for my age. All I wanted to do was race and had little interest in the finer aspects of swimming. To be honest and, as aforementioned, I was limited by my stroke development. My skills did not continue to evolve past the age of about 13, and for years I experienced plateau. It was frustrating, I was so confused, yet I kept persisting because I had this dream to one day represent my country. At age 18 I relocated to a high performance swimming squad consisting of multiple Paralympic medalists and elite coaching staff. With this transition I expected to ONLY improve my swimming. What also happened, however, is that my technique skyrocketed too and I adopted a whole new outlook on swimming.

As a successful junior swimmer I was a natural, although my technique wasn’t great as I developed as a teenager. My skills and body composition make me more of a natural AFL player, which makes sense given my father was a successful footballer. Given my disability and love for swimming, I enjoyed competing in the pool. I claimed multiple state junior swimming records in Tasmania, and made several junior representative teams. My progress slowed however, as I hit my early teens. I owe this to not having specific advice and guidance in relation to my stroke mechanics and physical training. In my later teens I was getting by with my own methods of training. For a teenager, this took a lot of determination and discipline. In such a situation, many others would have quit and found excuses.

Although I have a hereditary disability, I never considered Paralympic sport until my late teens. The few years prior my swimming progression came to a standstill despite daily, consistent hard work. Competitors which I previously defeated in races were now leapfrogging me. It was frustrating; not because I was getting beaten, but because I was not personally improving despite continual, relentless work.

When a family friend suggested to me that I should consider Paralympic Swimming, I didn’t second guess it nor did I look back after initiating the transition. My times as an “able-bodied” swimmer were competitive, but as a Para Swimmer I immediately qualified for my first Senior Australian Dolphins Team. I moved interstate to be coached by coaching legend; the late Jan Cameron. With Jan’s expertise, guidance and care, my skills, technique and approach towards swimming changed for the better.

Not only did my skills develop under the guidance of a champion coach, but my entire outlook on swimming has been developing since. I now understand that pushing yourself everyday without direction is like shooting an arrow in the dark. I recognize that the way we feel in the water is not necessarily the way we look. Skills have a cause and effect and the smallest change can drastically improve results. I also now appreciate the absolute importance of having a coach that has faith in you, is strict with you, and can ultimately take you to the level you want to reach.

My core values are trust, patience, enjoyment, persistence and commitment. Swimming allows me to fulfil each of these whilst challenging myself personally.

My swimming career highlight thus far has been to represent Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics where I made 2 finals (6th 400 free & 8th 200 IM). It is an incredible journey to be on; chasing a goal, however I have had many hurdles along the way. I qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Games but was not selected, and I have also missed selection for an Australian Team by a few tenths of a second.

It is these moments which enable us an opportunity to learn and grow, and I have used this as well as my experience as a coach and personal trainer to coach others to achieve their dreams as well.

I am now a face-to-face and online swimming coach & personal trainer, and take pride in seeing my clients achieve their goals whilst appreciating the journey. I would love to direct you and help you on your health & fitness journey, so that you can achieve your dreams too.