Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

Hey @Boonana  ... do you compete in rhythmic or artistic gymnastics?  I had a nephew who was a very good little gymnast in his teens, but he gave it up as soon as he got a little older and took up motor bikes instead.  Pity because he had great potential. 

So you're a Tassie girl ... I have travelled there a number of times, and love it.  I'm from NSW, but @Zoe7  is a fellow Taswegian.  Thats what you're called isnt it?  Being selected to compete in QLD is quite an achievement ... so well done!  You are right to be excited.

I qualified to represent my school, district and then state in athletics while at school.  But I was always a little below the top athletes who all seemed to have coaches, starting blocks, expensive shoes and everything else.  I'd just rock up each year and run, enjoy it and then forgotten.  The really good ones trained all year long, had coaches and knew how to use starting blocks.  Something I never even tried.  I did okay though, and it was always a thrill to represent at those levels.  I used to be pretty star struck though when it came to the really good athletes.  I competed against some, who later went on to represent Australia in Commonwealth and Olympic games.  So that was a nice feeling as well.  Mind you, no matter how much coaching and dedication, I was never going to be that good.  But I enjoyed it, as it was something I was good at.  Same with squash ... I was always good at that too, and have won a number of Championships around the state of NSW.  You can still see my name up on Championship boards.  My claim to notoriety I guess.  Ha ha 🤣  But I have never had the drive or ambition to be better, relying purely on natural ability, and happy to leave it at that.  Basically just lazy I guess.  As a competitive gymnast you certainly would not be lazy.  So ... whenever you are competing in QLD ... I wish you every success.  I hope you achieve what you set out to do.

Yes @Zoe7  it was lovely having a chat last night.  Helped me get over the big Swannies loss .... Awww ... 😢  But ... the Raiders play this afternoon at 3pm.  They should beat the Bronco's.  Least ways .. I hope so.

Sherry 🌺

[Zoe7]

Is @Boonana a fellow Taswegian - I did not know that - that is super cool. 

You have had a good representative past @Former-Member I played for my state in softball for many years from U/16 to seniors and so travelled all around the country to play. I did not play at the Nationals in NSW though - there were a couple of states I didn't play in - uni got in the way a couple of times so couldn't go. 

[Boonana]

@Former-Member I compete in artistic gymnastics and I absolutely love it! I live for it! The competition is towards the end of the year and I’m so keen!
@Zoe7 you’re from tassie too?!
I’ve never heard of a taswegian 😂
You sound very athletic! I also love athletics!
I’ve tried squash.. not my thing 😆 I just can’t do it!
Thank you so much!

[Zoe7]

We have another couple of Taswegians here too @Boonana - both @Maggie and @The-red-centaur are from Tassie. So our little band of Taswegians has just grown to 4 - a great place to live I think - love our little state.

[Former-Member]

Thats pretty impressive @Zoe7 .  I used to enjoy softball, but only ever played at school.  I was certainly not good enough to represent anybody at that.  I used to love volleyball too, but it wasnt commonly played where I was.  So I played basketball instead.  I was a guard of course, being a shortie. Again ... not very good at it, but I enjoyed it, which is the important thing.  I came from an area which was big in field hockey, with a number of top Aussie rep players coming from there at the time. I was never much good at it though.  I enjoyed the running bit, but not so much the actual game.  So I never persisted with that for long.  Its a pity that your Uni days prevented you going to additional National rep games. Its very true what you said last night ... the opportunities for women in sport these days is so much better than it was when we were growing up. Yes I know you're 12 years younger than me, but its really only a fairly recent thing that opportunities have increased so rapidly.

Sherry 

[Boonana]

That’s so cool!

[Zoe7]

I played basketaball too @Former-Member and the same as you - a shorty so a guard also. I really loved basketball but excelled at softball so that took over. Field hockey was one sport I never really liked and never played it. I played a few games of football when we had 'exhibition' matches and no surprise was pretty good at it - always won best on field but my dad was an amazing footballer so got my skills from him. He was recruited by a VFL team back when it was not a National league but didn't go - preferred to stay where he felt more comfortable - at home. I could have been brought up in Melbourne 

I have no doubt I would be playing footy now if I was even 20 years younger - but cannot look back on the what ifs and maybes - we have enough of those in our lives to deal with after all 

[Former-Member]

My hubby was also a VFL player, before AFL started @Zoe7 . He was from WA but went to Melbourne to play in the VFL for a few years after being recruited through one of the feeder clubs over there.  Perhaps your Dad and my hubby could have known each other back then had your Dad taken up the option.  Its a pretty small world sometimes isnt it?  I'm not sure what sport I would select if all the options were available to me back then, that are available to girls and women nowadays.  Too many choices.  Perhaps my first love ... cricket ... would win me over.  I played some cricket when at school, and some indoor cricket after school.  But there really wasnt anywhere else to go with that at the time.  And we lived in 'the bush', so no opportunities were there.  And by then I was working anyway ... so that was priority.  Professional sport for a 'living' was never an option when I was young.

Yes its so true ... there is little sense in looking back ... but it is interesting to wonder what we would have done if things were different.  At least we can look back at sports related things without any distress involved. Or .. happily ... I can anyway.

Have a good day @Zoe7 @Boonana 

Sherry 

[Shaz51]

hello @Boonana 

I have been to tassie twice too

and I am in far north queensland

Hello @Zoe7 , @Former-Member , @MDT , @Former-Member