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Where It Stops, No One Knows
While new scandals coming to light weekly, the growth of online sports betting hasn’t slowed. There are still new markets and opportunities to explore, including women’s and youth sports. In fact, it is difficult to imagine who could ever disrupt this wildly successful industry – except, of course, an industry […]
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Turning The Other Cheek… Well, Maybe Not Physically
One of the concepts most of us learn early on in life is the one about turning the other cheek. Essentially, according to the concept, if you are wronged by someone, you should not immediately retaliate against the person who wronged you as that person will eventually get their “just […]
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Where There’s Smoke? Or … Unwitting Target?
There are countless reports in the media of sexual assault cases involving famous people, certainly sports stars feature largely among them. Whether or not they are guilty is beyond the scope of this article, but one might pose the question … why, if the accusations aren’t true, are they such […]
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Will the Boomers Go Boom in Tokyo?
NBL (National Basketball League) Australian National team head coach, Brett Brown stepped aside late in 2020 amid issues of the NBA possibly delaying its 2020-2021 season which had caused uncertainty for the Tokyo Olympics campaign. There was a real concern that his sudden departure in such a climate would adversely […]
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Should Athletic Talents Build the Foundations of Education?
Many parents often start their kids in school a year later than they are actually eligible. There are often many reasons for this: size, social development, signs of delayed learning, etc. A common one, is often so their child can be bigger for sports in the future. A concept I […]
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The Value of Playing for Fun
In his book Late Bloomers, Rich Karlgaard explores the world’s “obsession” with early achievement and young talent. From the business world — think Mark Zuckerberg — to the film industry, Karlgaard argues that we seem to crave prodigies and actively seek out the same outcome for our own kids. The […]
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That’s the Way We Have Always Done It
Have you ever had a coach, teacher, parent, boss or anyone else ever tell you that “we have always done it this way”? After decades or centuries, some things really do not change. Is it because the way something is done is really the best way, or is it because […]
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The Facilitators of Abusive Cultures in Sport
For abusive cultures to survive and even prosper, the abusers need to be supported, they need facilitators. The facilitators are usually management or a funding agency with the role of facilitator varying dependent upon the individual circumstance. Some facilitators of abuse in sport will claim to have not known what […]
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Lest We Forget
April 25 is ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). On this day in 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. A great legacy has been left to the generations that followed; a legacy of great […]
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Sports Coach: The Dangers of Hubris
There is no doubt that self-confidence is an important factor regarding successful outcomes in sport, both for the coach and for the athlete. Having complete trust and confidence that a goal can be achieved is a trait found in the most effective sports coaches. It is also one that has […]
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Find Your Flow
What has gotten you through the past year? Have you taken up baking sourdough bread or nurturing a small jungle of houseplants? According to psychologist Adam Grant, many of us have been in a state of languishing. We’re not depressed or burned out, but just feeling joyless and aimless. The […]
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Shooting the Messenger? Then Remove the Ammunition!
Earlier I wrote “Sex, Lies, and Who Can Score the Most Points” about a certain lewd act in a public toilet being filmed and distributed by someone looking over the top of the stall. It seems that the person who is in the most trouble is the one who filmed […]
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Sex, Lies, and Who Can Score the Most Points?
An unnamed Parramatta NRL (National Rugby League) player has apparently been filmed having consensual sex with a woman in a public bathroom in a leaked video earlier this week. This footage was obtained by a third party allegedly present at the time. Catharine Lumby, leading gender advisor, has slammed ARL […]
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Not So Glad All Over
Sunday night’s announcement that twelve of the largest European soccer teams were pulling out of UEFA Champions League competition to form the new European Super League rocked the football world. The reaction was loud and intense. Politicians screamed. Fans of rival clubs, both in and out of the proposed new […]
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The Mindful Athlete
There are plenty of quotes and cliches about the mental aspect of sports. Mountaineer Edmund Hillary, the first to climb Mount Everest, once said: “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” Muhammad Ali stressed that the will must be stronger than the skill. And as legendary women’s basketball […]
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Negative Fan Perspectives of Athletes
Professional athletes, especially the stars, are frequently envied for their athletic abilities. Everyone has their favorite player that they try to model their game after, or go around yelling things like “Kobe!” when throwing garbage into the bin. However, there is an absurd amount of negativity that surfaces anytime one […]
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The Culture Behind Competition in Sport
For many in sport, striving to be their best and comparing their efforts against their competition is what pushes the boundaries of performance. Double Olympic Heptathlon Champion Daley Thompson once said he would train twice on Christmas day as he presumed his competitors would only train once. The word competition […]





