This is me

I'm born and raised in Perth, Western Australia. From as far back as I can remember, I've loved being physically active. One of my mum's favourite stories is how when I was four years old, my sister was six and she was just getting started playing minkey (the modified for young children version of field hockey). One day, she lost me down at the hockey fields and rushed around trying to find me. Turns out I had been playing hockey with some of the older kids! This was my first taste at sport, and I haven't looked back since. I've tried my hand at swimming, soccer, Aussie Rules football, rugby, karate, cricket, and even tenpin bowling.

I progressed through and focused on hockey once I turned 15. This led to me playing in a number of representative teams. My life was geared towards elite level sport, so it became a natural progression for me to go to university where I completed my Bachelor in Science (Exercise and Health). But this is where things started to go a little of the natural path...

My sister suddenly passed away at the age of 20 from a pulmonary thrombosis (a blockage between the heart and lungs). I was a wreck. I was also in the middle of my first semester of my first year exams. My way of dealing with this was to dive right into my studies head on. I powered through the Bachelor's, and not knowing what to do after without study to guide me, I jumped straight into a Graduate Diploma of Sport and Recreation Management. Once I completed this, I thought I was finally ready for the grind of a 9am-to-5pm full time job. But three months in, I'd hit my first rock bottom. I didn't feel like me, my girlfriend at the time was distant and that relationship ended, I wasn't satisfied with my life, and I thought that the only way out was to end it all. I got help from a psychologist and got onto my first lot of anti-depressants.

Feeling okay-ish and still not having any real direction, I sought the help of my only known form of direction - study. I jumped into a Masters of Exercise Science (Strength and Conditioning) and life was great again. I was working out in the gym more than ever, applying what I was learning in my studies to myself and to my personal training clients and it was amazing. I saw some astounding results, being fitter and stronger than I had personally ever been. I never wanted it to end! That's why I signed up to do my PhD, and I wanted to focus on how training and testing would change for the modified format of field hockey. But this is where I hit rock bottom number two...

I was stressed out of my mind with the amount of work I had to do, and I didn't think of myself as worthy of any form of relationship. I had never experienced more self doubt in my life. I broke up and got back together with my girlfriend at the time three times before she laid down the ultimatum that she was too old for this shit and she was in or out. That was what I needed to refocus and get back on track. I changed my psychologist and she referred me to a psychiatrist for some more 'advanced support'. I pulled out of the PhD and turned to other ways that I could support myself, and found the CHEK Institute. This is where I started to climb out of my pit of low self-esteem.

Completing their holistic lifestyle coaching level one and two courses empowered me to focus on being the best me that I can be. Not only for me, but for my girlfriend (now fiancé), my clients, my athletes, my friends and family. I now see my studies as a way of increasing my knowledge and not a coping mechanism. I am more balanced in my approach to training, nutrition and lifestyle, and I share this with my clients. I'm not at the end of my journey, no one ever is until our body perishes. But I can help you on your journey using my knowledge and experiences to get you to where you need to be.

Qualifications

  •  Master's of Exercise Science (Strength and Conditioning) - Edith Cowan University, 2015
  • Graduate Diploma of Sport and Recreation Management - University of Western Australia, 2013
  • Bachelor of Science (Exercise & Health) - University of Western Australia, 2012
  • Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 and 2 - CHEK Institute
  • Advanced Hockey Coach - Hockey Australia
  • Functional Movement Screening (FMS) Level 1 Accredited
  • Y-Balance Testing Accredited
  • Kettlebell Training Accredited Level 1 and 2
  • ASCA Accredited Coach
  • AWF Accredited Coach