In 2019, my world was turned upside down, and I reached a breaking point mentally. Since then, I have made it a priority to continue working on my mental health and developing skills to manage daily life as an athlete. Although the journey has not been perfect, it has made me stronger. The Mental Fitness Program

in 2022/23 has facilitated a passion for mental health advocacy within me. As a result, I am currently pursuing studies to become a counsellor. I am deeply committed to this program and have returned for a second year to continue sharing mental health education and my experiences.

I am excited to play a role in educating students and providing them with the tools needed to improve their mental fitness.

I am passionate about sport as a tool for mental and physical wellbeing, and think this program is a great initiative which I wish had been available to me when I was in school!

As someone with a lived experience of mental illness, The Mental Fitness program is a way for me to equip the next generation with tools that I wish I had access to when I was in high school.

I'm passionate about being part of the movement to destigmatise mental illness and support young people to grow up without shame

I wanted to be a part of the Mental Fitness program as I am passionate about youth health which is as much mental as physical. Using my experiences throughout my 18-year journey in elite sport and sharing my learnings with the next generation I am able to give back to the community for the support I have received over my career.

I'm passionate about mental well-being and I wanted to be a part of something that allowed connection with young people.

The mental fitness program helps equip youth with useful strategies to help their mental health for the rest of their lives

I want to be a part of the AIS Mental Fitness Program to share my experiences and educate the younger generation on the importance of mental fitness and help enhance individuals in their mental health and wellbeing.

I am a strong believer that mental health is a topic that should no longer be considered taboo across all ages. When I learnt about the opportunity to spread mental health awareness, and promote mental fitness, I thought that it was a perfect opportunity to be a part of. I think that through physical activity and sport, we can really improve mental health outcomes, and it's a lesson that I believe needs to be ingrained into kids at an early age.

During my Judo career, I have experienced both incredible highs and extreme lows while trying to achieve my dreams. Throughout these periods, I was very lucky to have such a strong support network that helped me bounce back, so the Mental Fitness Program is an opportunity for me to help give young people as many tools and skills as possible to tackle their own challenges head on.

I wanted to be a part of the Mental Fitness Program because I have benefitted a lot from my time in high-performance sport and this program is an excellent opportunity to pass on some of what I have learnt to those who might not have that opportunity.

Mental health is a very important topic to discuss these days as the mental pressures on young members of the community are greater than ever. It is important to use the experience I have and the knowledge I will learn from the training in this program to help wherever I can. I remember the confusion of adolescence can sometimes be very isolating, but openly discussing and destigmatising mental health can help young people feel connected to themselves and others even in tough times.

I’m really looking forward to being a part of this program and making an impact.

Throughout my vast life experiences, I have come to realise that wellbeing is of the uttermost importance and self-care plays a huge role in an athlete's performance, especially at the elite level. School, work and training commitments can also become overwhelming at times and being able to deliver management strategies to high school aged students who may be beginning their sporting careers could greatly assist with allowing them to enter the world of sport at ease and with more control over their mental fitness. Supporting young athletes in this space is something I absolutely love doing, and being a high school teacher with international sporting experience will allow me to provide highly relevant tools and information that can be applied towards all levels of sport and life in general.

I want to do this program to share my experience in the wider community but even to help one person understand a way through and that there is help out there for people with regards to mental health.

I am so excited to be part of the Mental Fitness Program as I have found that learning from other people's experiences is a great way to help tackle my own challenges in sports and life. So, I would like to try and give back, by sharing my own experiences and what 'mental fitness' means to me. I believe having mental fitness strategies in place is so important to not only performing well in elite sports, but all aspects of life.

Being a part of the Mental Fitness Program is really special to me. Sport has played a huge role in my life and has helped me through some really challenging experiences.

I have learnt that being mentally fit is key in my performance both in elite sport and in day-to-day life. When I’m at my healthiest mentally, I’m happier, I enjoy training, and I perform the best physically. The lessons you learn from sport and from pushing your body to the extreme day-in- day-out are incredible.

I love to connect with young people, share my stories, and show them that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel if you surround yourself with good people and find the things that make you happy.

I wanted to be a part of the Mental Fitness Program because it is an amazing opportunity to both learn from others and share my own experiences.

I wanted to join the mental fitness program as a way to give back to the community and use the knowledge I have gained through being an elite athlete to help young Australians' strategies to have resilience and mental fitness.

I wanted to be a part of the Mental Fitness program because I strongly believe in the message the program is sending to students. I think that gratitude, mindfulness and mental strength are key pillars in growing yourself in life.

As an elite athlete, my journey has underscored the crucial link between mental fitness and peak performance. I aspire to be a mental fitness ambassador to share how my experiences have honed my understanding, empowering others to prioritize mental well-being in pursuit of their goals.

My passion for this program stems from my own experiences facing the strains that intense training and competition can impose on mental health. I want to engage with the community to contribute to the program's goal of creating a network which encourages open dialogue around mental health.

I am passionate about promoting mental well-being and resilience and understand the significance of support networks in peoples’ lives.

Joining the Mental Fitness Program provides an avenue to help me communicate this message

For me, the Mental Fitness Program aligns with my personal “why” statement. Why I do what I do, which is to hopefully encourage someone out there to be brave and to strive for greater things.