PLAY WELL: Ellie Cole on the ripple effects of making sport genuinely accessible

Playwell Series
Written By Georgie Trickett

PLAY WELL: Ellie Cole on the ripple effects of making sport genuinely accessible

PLAY WELL: Why Hugh van Cuylenburg can’t separate his life from sport

Swimmer Ellie Cole has spent most of her life adapting. Losing her leg aged three meant learning how to move differently, think differently, and push through moments most kids never face. That early resilience didn’t just make her a Paralympian - it shaped how she sees sport and who gets to take part in it. 

Ellie’s clear about one thing: inclusive sporting spaces aren’t just for athletes with disabilities. When kids grow up training beside people with different bodies and different life experiences, they learn how to work with others, how to communicate, and how to build real community. 

When more people can participate, everyone benefits. So if inclusion makes sport stronger, why not design every club that way? 

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Sportish podcast is powered by the Australian Sports Commission and produced by Deadset Studios.  

We’re spotlighting Australia’s sport participation strategy Play Well. You can find more resources at ausport.gov.au.  

Ellie Coles’ book is Felix and His Fantastic Friends.  

This episode was hosted by Libby Trickett and Georgie Trickett, produced by Luci McAfee with sound design by Melissa May. The Executive Producers are Kellie Riordan and Sarah Dabro. Ann Chesterman is the Production Manager. 

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this podcast was made. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.  We also recognise the outstanding contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make to sport and celebrate the power of sport to tell stories and promote reconciliation. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 

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PLAY WELL: Ellie Cole on the ripple effects of making sport genuinely accessible
PLAY WELL: Ellie Cole on the ripple effects of making sport genuinely accessible

Swimmer Ellie Cole has spent most of her life adapting. Losing her leg aged three meant learning how to move differently, think differently, and push through moments most kids never face. That early resilience didn’t just make her a Paralympian - it shaped how she sees sport and who gets to take part in it. 

Read More →
PLAY WELL: Why Hugh van Cuylenburg can’t separate his life from sport
PLAY WELL: Why Hugh van Cuylenburg can’t separate his life from sport

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.  

Read More →
PLAY WELL: Ash Barty on mindset, pressure, and playing sport her way
PLAY WELL: Ash Barty on mindset, pressure, and playing sport her way

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. 

Read More →

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PLAY WELL: Why Hugh van Cuylenburg can’t separate his life from sport