As a kid growing up in the suburbs of Melbourne, sport was the soundtrack for Hugh van Cuylenburg’s childhood. That deep, visceral connection to sport looks different since Hugh founded The Resilience Project, but the lessons of sport continue to inform every aspect of his life.  

“I experienced shocking burnout. I wouldn’t have got through it all without track. There’s no way. I feel like [sport is] almost petrol. I feel when my tank is empty. I go the track and I fill up and go; I’m good now,” he says. 

And the broader opportunity for sport? To be the place where neurodiverse, or people with a disability, or just the less talented can also be involved.  

Imagine walking out in front of 15,000 people, taking a deep breath, smiling and thinking: “How cool is this?” That was Ash Barty on centre court… and she still chose to leave while at the top of her game. 

Ash shares her insights into what really sits behind those trophies: the brutal Wimbledon loss that sent her back to the drawing board, the conversation with her coach that flipped her mindset, and the “why not me?” question she now shares with kids. 

Have you seen it all on the sidelines? Cheered the wins. Felt the losses. Sat through missed selections. Heard the “I don’t want to go anymore.” 

If you’re an amateur athlete, a coach, a parent, or a volunteer — this new season of Sportish is for you.