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Athlete Personal Development

Beyond the Games

Recharge, reconnect, and reimagine your journey ahead.

Beyond the Games is a panel series, featuring sport experts and athletes sharing valuable insights and advice to athletes who have been part of the Paris Games cycle to reintegrate back into life and sport. This is an AIS hosted Win Well initiative in collaboration with Paralympics Australia (PA) and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

Webinars and session recordings

Event series 1: Beyond the Games
This webinar series is suitable for all athletes who competed, were reserves or missed out on selections during the Paris Games cycle.

Session 1 - Education Session: Recharging and thriving with your emotions post Games Cycle

The Games period is a unique and intense experience, often filled with emotional highs and lows. This session will explore effective strategies for managing these emotions, focusing on self-care and providing support to others during this challenging time.

Presenters:

  • David Johnson - AIS Mental Health Advisor, Psychologist, Mental Health Team
  • Eliza Stankovic-Mowle PLY AM - AIS Para Sport Wellbeing & Engagement lead, Paralympian, Paris Paralympics performance support

Emcee: Laura Hingston - VIS Elite Athlete Diver | ASC The Good Village Coordinator, AIS Sport Community Engagement | Journalist | Motivational Speaker

Download Fact sheet:  Psychological Strategies for Coping with Change

Duration: approx. 30 mins

Session 2 - Athlete panel: Recharging and thriving with your emotions post Games Cycle

Athletes will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from those who have navigated the transition from a Games Cycle multiple times. Each athlete's story is unique, offering different perspectives on processing emotions during this time. Attendees will also have the chance to ask questions and engage directly with these athletes, gaining valuable insights from their experiences.

Presenters:

  • Jemima Montag - OLY Race Walker, IOC Young Leader, Medical Student, ‘Play On’ founder
  • Chris Bond - OAM PLY, Captain of the Australian WC Rugby team and AIS Athlete Advisory Committee member
  • Josh Katz - OLY Judo athlete and Black Dog Institute Mental Fitness Program ambassador

Emcee: Laura Hingston - VIS Elite Athlete Diver | ASC The Good Village Coordinator, AIS Sport Community Engagement | Journalist | Motivational Speaker

Duration:  Approx 30min

Session 3 - Unwinding: Exploring the Impacts of Detraining

Are you taking a break or reducing your training load after a Games cycle? This session will explore the physical and psychological impacts of detraining, including the 'let-down effect', also known as ‘detraining’—where a sudden drop in stress can weaken the immune system, trigger illness, and lead to unhealthy coping behaviours. Learn about healthy strategies to manage this transition, avoid harmful habits, and support your body in de-stressing gradually.

Presenters:

  • Chelsea Hodges, Olympian swimmer, Swim Australia athlete experience design assistant, Nursing student and assistant in Nursing for Gold Coast (orthopaedics)
  • Nikki Jeacocke, AIS Senior Sports Dietitian and National Disordered Eating Initiative Lead
  • Kristine Dun, Sport Psychologist, AIS National Performance Psychology Lead
  • Steph Davies, AIS Recovery Hub, Senior Physiologist Recovery

    Emcee: Chris Bond - OAM PLY, Captain of the Australian WC Rugby team and AIS Athlete Advisory Committee member

Duration: Approx 40mins

Session 4 - Post Games Path: Making your next move through informed decision making

This session empowers athletes to navigate their 'what next' options post-Paris Games Cycle, whether continuing to compete, transitioning to a new sport, taking a break, retiring or seeking new employment opportunities. It will explore key factors influencing these decisions—physical and mental health, career achievements, values, finances, and opportunities—while addressing how to cope with decisions beyond their control. Athletes will also hear about the support available from the AIS, AOC and PA.

Presenters:

  • Michal Burian - PLY javelin, athletics coach, Project Leader
  • Emma Nedov - OLY artistic gymnast, health coach, Artium Sport brand co-founder and creator of ENbalance podcast
  • Louise Sauvage: OAM PLY wheelchair racing, National Coach Australian Wheelchair Track and Road program at NSWIS
  • Pippa Temperley - Performance Lifestyle Adviser at Victorian Institute of Sport and Para Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Manager Table Tennis, Consultant The Player Care Group


    Emcee: Laura Hingston - VIS Elite Athlete Diver | ASC The Good Village Coordinator, AIS Sport Community Engagement | Journalist | Motivational Speaker

Duration:  Approx  30mins

LIVE event Series 2. Beyond the Games - Next steps for Para-athletes.
Come join us for a series of live and interactive panels on Microsoft Teams. Suitable for all Para-athletes who competed, were reserves or missed out on selections during the Paris Paralympic cycle. Sessions 3 & 4 are also suitable for alum. Registrations are required to join these live events.

Session 1 - Para-athlete panel: What’s next: hear from an all Paralympian athlete panel on the decisions they have made to stay and compete, transfer to a new sport and retirement post Games cycle

Hear directly from an all Para panel who have navigated the 'what next' options post-Paris Games Cycle several times, whether continuing to compete, transitioning to a new sport, taking a break, retiring, or seeking new employment opportunities. It will explore key factors influencing these decisions and the experience of having made these decisions.

Presenters:

  • Josh Hose OAM PLY – Wheelchair rugby, Peer Support Coordinator, AQA, SpinChat Presenter with Independence Australia, Ambassador at Hand In Hand Ballarat.
  • Vanessa Low OAM PLY – Athletics, Keynote speaker
  • Dr. Hannah Macdougall PLY - Melbourne Football Club Player Development, Well-Being Pracademic, Keynote speaker
  • Emcee: Christie Dawes PLY – Wheelchair racer, commentator, public speaker

Duration: Approx 50mins

Session 2 - Continuing to compete: hear from an all Paralympian athlete panel and sport experts on what it takes to stay and compete and the next Games cycle sport strategy.

A Para coach and a Para -athlete will share valuable tips on how they prepared themselves to continue competing after a Games cycle. You will also hear about the High Performance Para Sport Strategy, designed to uplift Para performance heading into the next Games cycle.

Presenters:

  • Shaun Caven - Paralympic Coaching Advisor, Paralympics Australia
  • Lakeisha Patterson OAM PLY - Paralympics Australia Gratitude Officer, Epilepsy Queensland Ambassador
  • Bill Tait - Director of Performance Systems & Paralympic Partnerships, Australian Sports Commission / Paralympics Australia
  • Emcee: Chris Bond OAM PLY - Captain of the Australian WC Rugby team and AIS Athlete Advisory Committee member

Duration:  approx. 55mins

Session 3 - Talent Transfer: hear from Paralympians who have transferred to another sport and the Future Green and Gold campaign.

Have you got more to give as an athlete? This session focuses on talent transfer in Paralympic sport. Talent transfer Paralympians will share their experiences and offer insights on key differences and things to consider when transferring to a new sport. AIS and PA will explore what support is available to athletes when transferring and how to navigate this pathway.

Presenters:

  • Dani Di Toro - PLY para-table tennis
  • Ella Sabljak - PLY Wheelchair rugby, Paralympics Australia Education Manager, Founding member of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Athlete Steering Committee
  • Emilie Miller PLY - Wheelchair Rugby
  • Adeline Green - Athlete Identification & Development, Australian Institute of Sport
  • Emcee - Tim Matthews - PLY athletics, Paralympics Australia Senior Performance & Talent Advisor, Paralympics Australia

Duration:  approx. 60mins

Session 4 - Employment, Career and Retirement

LIVE session:

You will hear directly from study and employment partners about current opportunities for current and alum Para-athletes. The session will also explore Paralympics Australia’s employment and mentoring programs and the Para job opportunities in the AIS and the Para Unit technical roles in NSOs and NINs. In this session, you will hear insights on how to effectively approach employers, including how to discuss any adjustments you may require. You'll also hear directly from disability-friendly workplaces and tips on how to communicate the transferable value of the athlete experience.

Live Webinar Presenters:

  • Sarah Stewart PLY GAICD – Manager Paralympics Australia, Lead Trainer/ Research Assistant Victoria University, Director Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT, Manager Sydney Uni sport, PLY Wheelchair basketball
    sarah.stewart@paralympic.org.au
  • Toby Nolan - Elite Athlete Program Officer, University of Queensland Sport Ltd
    eliteathlete@uqsport.com.au
  • Bill Tait - Director of Performance Systems & Paralympic Partnerships, Australian Sports Commission / Paralympics Australia
    bill.tait@ausport.gov.au
  • Matthew Blake - Disability Inclusion & Confidence, Inclusion & Diversity, Learning, Development & Inclusion ATO People
    InclusionAndDiversity@ato.gov.au
  • Mitch Gourley PLY - National Manager, Sport4All
  • Shelley Matheson PLY - Inclusion Advisor at Medibank, Get Skilled Access Associate
    shelley.matheson@medibank.com.au
  • Sam Wakeham - Senior Business Development Officer, TAFE Queensland
    sam.wakeham@tafeqld.edu.au
  • Danny Rubano - Disability Employment Officer, Inclusion and Diversity / Learning & Development, ATO People
    dannyrubano@ato.gov.au
  • Karan Anand - Managing Director, HNRY
  • Meg Lemon PLY - Sports Dietitian, South Australian Sports Institute
  • Emcee: Christie Dawes PLY – Wheelchair racer, commentator, public speaker

Duration: Approx 90 mins

Links mentioned in this webinar:

PowerPoint presentations used in this webinar:

Bonus session - Employment, Career and Retirement Athlete Panel

Para athlete panel recording:

Hear from Para-athletes who are employed, have retired and in non-traditional employment and the support they have accessed that has helped them on their journey.

Athlete Panel Presenters:

  • Victoria (Tori) Pendergast - Martech Manager, Australian Olympic Committee
  • Katie Kelly OAM PLY – Para-triathlon | disability and inclusion advocate and philanthropist | founder and director of Sport Access Foundation | Disability Experience Manager at MEGT | Non-Executive Director Achieve Australia | Adjunct Industry Fellow at Griffith University’s Disability Inclusive Council| an Ambassador of the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with Disability and Ambassador of Next Sense| co-Patron of the Australian Deaf Games and co-Founder of the Casino and Armidale Fun Runs| Keynote speaker
  • Louise Sauvage OAM PLY - Wheelchair racing, National Coach Australian Wheelchair Track and Road program at NSWIS
  • Jesse Aungles PLY - Swimming, Business Manager, Department of Home Affairs
  • Emcee: Christie Dawes PLY – Wheelchair racer, commentator, public speaker

Contact us

If you would like more information, please email wellbeingandengagement@ausport.gov.au

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