Where sports and pop culture collide
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.
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.
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.
Bonus: Behind the scenes of our Play Well season
Hello Sporties. Did you listen to the trailer? Are you as excited as we are?! Well, before the first episode of the new season of Sportish comes out next week, we have a little treat for you. We wanted to bring you behind the scenes and have a quick gasbag about some of the amazing guests you'll hear from this season and the things that happened on (and off) the mic. Tune in!
Move more. Laugh more. Play well. A special season of Sportish is here!
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.
Meet Your Hosts
Georgie Trickett
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, KIDS’ COACH, EVERYDAY ATHLETE AND PEOPLE CONNECTOR
Georgie is a classic allrounder, who represented her state in softball, played as many sports at school as possible, coaches her daughter’s netball team and still runs for the love of it. She’s worked in heath for over a decade, rolling out multimillion-dollar health programs to some of our most vulnerable communities.
Libby Trickett
OLYMPIAN, BUBBLY CONVERSATIONALIST AND MISCHIEF MAKER
Libby is a former Australian swimmer who won 24 gold medals across Olympic and Commonwealth Games and World championship events. Since retiring, Libby has worked in a number of corporate and media roles, advocates for mental health, and is a mum to 4 young kids. As a speaker and podcast host, she loves delving deep in conversations to find the real human stories that people really want to know.
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