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Sports and business stars share the many rewards sport has to offer

and show how we can all be good sports on and off the field

More than Sport!

‘Sport provides such a great platform to succeed in any area of life!’Jonathan Brown

Sports and business stars share the many rewards sport has to offer

and show how we can all be good sports on and off the fi eld

By Jacob Gough

www.sportsrewards.org

More than Sport!

Contents

Pre season ......................................................................................................................... 3

INTERVIEW introductions

Leigh Matthews (AFL Legend) .................................................................................... 7Tom Potter (Founder Eagle Boys Pizza) ........................................................................ 9Rowie Szeszeran-McEvoy (Founder Max International College for Fitness Professionals) ..................................... 12Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions) ............................................................................. 14Linda Allen (Small Business Owner) ........................................................................... 15John Grey (Small Business Owner) .............................................................................. 17Nathan Sharpe (Wallaby and Captain of Western Force) ........................................ 19Steph Gilmore (2 x World Pro Surfi ng Champion) .................................................. 20Tony Smith (Founder BreakFree Travel and Roamfree.com) ................................... 21Jason Culina (Socceroo) ............................................................................................... 22Bill Nelson (Former AIS Swim coach),) ..................................................................... 23Libby Trickett (Olympic Gold Medalist) ................................................................... 25Wayne Bennett (NRL Legend) ................................................................................... 26

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Pre season

MOST people have a fond sporting memory, whether it be as a player or supporter. Sport is an integral part of Australian culture. It is the one thing that puts everyone on a level playing fi eld. It is the place where people from all walks of life can band together as a team without prejudice. Children who grow up in an athletic environment often dream of making a career out of their chosen sport. While every child is exposed to the same set of skills and values, the unfortunate reality is that only a very small percentage make it to the top.

I was one of those kids who didn’t ‘make the cut’. However, I have been able to harness the strengths sport has taught me over the years to create a life I never could have dreamt of. In fact, not becoming an elite athlete or making a career of my chosen sport has been the best thing to happen to me!

I was involved in just about every sport from a young age – AFL, rugby league, cricket, basketball, athletics, cross-country, volleyball and even chess (grade fi ve chess champion thank you very much!). Because of my height and my lanky frame, I discovered early on that I had a genetic predisposition towards AFL. So, like many others my age, I set my sights on being the next best thing at the top level.

I wanted to be able to just eat, sleep and play footy – what a life that would be!

Even though it would be easy to blame injuries or politics, it’s probably true that I simply wasn’t quite at the level I needed to be at for a career in AFL. My propensity for injury through my ‘awkward’ or ‘growing’ years eventually led me down the path of becoming a physiotherapist instead. I remember vividly being on the physio table – one of many times – early in grade ten and thinking, “I could do this…if I can’t have the lifestyle of a top footy player, I would love to treat athletes all day!” Looking back, this was the fi rst demonstration to me of how sport can infl uence other areas of your life and how the skills you acquire equip you to tackle any challenge.

I believe sport has taught/given me:• Dedication/commitment• Discipline • The ability to focus on a goal• Drive to succeed• Persistence/ perseverance• The ability to work in a team• Time management skills

I needed each of the above skills to help me get the results I needed at school to get into Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland. In fact, during school and university I always found I did better in exams during the footy season when I was actually busiest with training. I simply had to structure my day and manage my time better – another positive I can take from sport.

My physiotherapy degree taught me about anatomy and physiology and in particular, the physiological benefi ts of physical activity and sport. I knew it made you feel good, but learning that it helps prevent heart disease and type two diabetes (two of Australia’s greatest current health threats) further underlined for me the importance of sport and physical activity for every Australian.

It was during my studies that I realised I wasn’t going to make

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the cut as an AFL player. I was fortunate that I had a career to fall back on. I continued to play for my local club while working as a physiotherapist on up-and-coming athletes. I helped to keep them on the fi eld so that they could make it where I didn’t. I decided to set some new goals, now that being an AFL star like Jonathan Brown was a distant memory. I was determined to get from working ‘til seven every night and every Saturday to owning my own business, working for the love of it and only when I wanted to – these goals have lead me down the path of putting this book series together! (I will never forget playing against Browny during his fi rst year with Brisbane. He was 18 and I was 19. He was centre-half-forward against me during a curtain-raiser at the ‘Gabba. I got the points that night I must say. Although chatting with Browny about it since then, he strangely doesn’t remember it as well as I do!)

My passion has always been sport. It has given me so much and I want to ensure there are no obstacles to others experiencing all the positive things that physical activity and sport can bring. As I mentioned earlier, I believe everyone who plays sport from childhood is exposed to the same skill sets and sporting values over time. To be able to assist people to harness those skills and apply them away from the sporting arena is the challenge – and my personal goal.

With the help of those closest to me, I have set up The Sports Rewards Foundation in order to inject money back into grass-roots sports. September has been re-named to Sportember and our major fundraiser occurs in this month – National Sports Day. We have a commercial arm that operates a business directory and Rewards Card. The More than Sport book series and the Rewards Card are gifts for those who donate to our Foundation or any athlete or club applying for funding from our Grass-roots Assistance Program – fi nd out more at www.sportsrewards.org. Our commercial arm also funds health promotion seminars at schools and workplaces in order to address major health concerns such as childhood obesity, type II diabetes and heart disease. So put simply, Sports Rewards is working towards a healthier Australia; by making sport and exercise more affordable.

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Not only are we striving to inject money back into grass-roots sport and health promotion, but a key message of this book is to encourage people to tap into the skill sets inherent in sport to unlock the good sport in all of us.

For me, the defi nition of a good sport is someone who reaches their potential and someone who is always thoughtful of others – values that inspire me and hopefully others as well.

There are 27 good sports in this book, all with important messages to share. There is a selection of elite athletes, high powered business owners, smaller business owners and even a silver logie winner – all successful in their own right. For each contributor, sport and exercise played a major role in helping to get them to where they are – and remains an infl uence in their respective lives today. There is someone that everyone can relate to in this book, so please enjoy!

Thanks in advance for being a good sport – in every aspect of your life!

Yours in Sport,

Jacob Gough

P.S. Schools, sporting clubs and other not for profi t organisations are encouraged to

utilise this book and/or our Sports Rewards Card to raise funds – contact us online to

fi nd out more.

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Leigh Matthews

“Everyone is a leader by their actions. Everybody’s actions affect the group that they’re involved in.”

LEIGH “Lethal” Matthews has a legendary Australian Rules football career behind him, both on the fi eld and behind the scenes. He played for the Hawthorn Hawks in the Victorian Football League between 1969 and 1985 and was captain of the team for his last fi ve years there. Matthews went on to become head coach at Collingwood for ten years, before coaching the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008. He has been voted the “Best Player of the 20th Century” and inducted into the Legend of Australian Football Hall of Fame – the highest individual honour which can be bestowed upon a football personality. Statistically, Lethal is also one of the most successful AFL coaches of all time.

Matthews’ nickname “Lethal” is a lasting tribute to his propensity for giving and receiving signifi cantly hard knocks. Most notably, in 1982, Lethal collided with a thick, wooden “behind” post at Windy Hill. A piece of the post, measuring about one metre, broke off and hit the boundary umpire!

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In 1971, at just 19, Matthews established himself as one of the league’s elite players, earning his fi rst of 14 Victorian guernseys; eight Hawthorn Best and Fairest awards; and four premiership medallions. Upon his retirement, Matthews had scored 915 goals in 332 games, a tally which remains undefeated by any other non full-forward. Lethal is ranked the seventh highest goal kicker of all-time.

After a successful stint with Collingwood as head coach, which included a premiership, Matthews was coaxed out of his second retirement by the struggling Brisbane Lions. They had just won the 1998 ‘wooden spoon.’ Lethal’s impact at the club was immediate; lifting the team from sixteenth to fourth in the competition by the following year. His coaching abilities secured a place for the Lions in four consecutive Grand Finals. The team’s wins against Collingwood in 2002 and 2003 gave Matthews a total of eight premiership medallions (playing and coaching combined). In 2007, he coached his 200th game with the club, making him the fi rst person to play or coach 200 games with three different clubs.

In 2002, the AFLPA Most Valuable Player award was renamed the Leigh Matthews Trophy. A humble champion and leader, Matthews speaks here about the importance of teamwork and fi nding where your natural abilities lie.

“You lose a lot! That’s a valuable life-lesson though – you have to cope with losing and be able to bounce back. Sport is

about being prepared to have a go.”Leigh Matthews

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Tom Potter

“Maximize the opportunities to do what you enjoy.”

BENDIGO-BORN Tom Potter is the founder of Eagle Boys Pizza and one of Australia’s most sought-after public speakers. He also has a solid grass-roots AFL career behind him.

Tom left school at 15 and completed a baking apprenticeship. At 23 and unemployed, he opened his fi rst pizza shop in Albury, New South Wales. Despite his minimal education and a lack of fi nancial resources, Tom managed to build his business into Australia and New Zealand’s largest privately owned pizza company. Tom’s innovative retail and marketing approach has earned him numerous awards over the past 20 years, including the Australian Financial Review’s Young Business Person of the Year. Along with this he was granted a scholarship to Harvard Business School and became valedictorian of his graduating class. In 2003, Tom was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Australia’s Top 20 Most Infl uential and Successful People in Franchising.

Tom began playing AFL in country Victoria at the age of ten. Since then, the powerful full-back and half-forward-fl ank has represented clubs in Alice Springs (Rovers), Adelaide (Port

Districts), Sydney (Balmain), Coffs Harbour (North Coffs Kangaroos) and Brisbane (Yeronga). He missed a few seasons to dedicate himself to establishing Eagle Boys and hung up his boots altogether at 35.

A true team-player, Tom dedicates much of his time now to sharing his story in order to motivate others. He has been invited to give speeches to audiences from all walks of life in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and South Africa. Here, Tom reveals that much of his success in business can be attributed to the tenacity and discipline he learned from Australian Rules.

“I think there are quite a few skills that you can apply both to business

and sport... structure, discipline and tenacity all contribute...”

Tom Potter

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Tom soaring above the pack

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Rowena Szeszeran-McEvoy

“If you love what you’re doing, then you’re not working - you’re playing.”

ROWIE McEvoy, founder of the MAX International College for Fitness Professionals – made up of fi ve exclusive colleges – has 26 years of experience in the fi tness industry. Since running away from home at the age of 15, Rowie has made up for in innovation what she lacks in education.

Her passion for exercise has seen Rowie progress from teenage aerobics instructor to business owner, head lecturer in Advanced Diploma-level business and fi tness courses and international motivational speaker. Rowie has given presentations at corporate conferences in Europe, New Zealand and the UK and been a keynote presenter at similar health forums in Australia. These include Diabetes Australia medical forums, Education Queensland Principals’ conferences, Rotary events and many more. Between 2005 and 2007, Rowie’s college was named consecutively in Business Review Weekly’s Top 100 fastest-growing businesses in Australia. During those same years, she was also ranked among the country’s Top 20 richest young people.

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More important to Rowie than fi nancial gain, is reaching people with her message of the vital role exercise plays in saving lives. She has seen her mother’s advanced osteoporosis regress to the less-serious osteopenia, through guided strength training. Rowie is on a personal mission to drastically reduce two of the western world’s biggest killers – coronary heart disease and type II diabetes. The fi tness fanatic from Campbelltown in western Sydney practices everything she preaches and her energy is contagious! See for yourself…

“Exercise is me! It’s just a core discipline. I exercise every single day, without fail. If you

want to be successful in life, you have to be disciplined in all areas of your life. Exercise

looks after your muscles and your bones. It gives you self-esteem and self-confi dence. It determines the condition of your skin and

hair and controls your heart rate. Everything is determined by your health and fi tness level,

really. I believe it’s the key to success!”Rowie Szeszeran-McEvoy

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Jonathan Brown

“Hard work and preparation is a major key to success.”

HAILING from country Victoria, Jonathan Brown was drafted at

18 by the Brisbane Lions in 1999, under the Father/Son rule. He

was groomed as the Club’s centre-half forward and played his

fi rst senior game the next year, in round 5, against the Adelaide

Crows.

The current Lions’ captain really stamped his dominance on

the game in 2007. Jonathan won the Coleman Medal (for being

the League’s leading goal kicker), the fi rst of his two club’s Best

and Fairest awards to date, the AFLPA Best Captain Award and

the Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player. To top off

his phenomenal year, Jonathan also came runner-up in the Leigh

Matthews’ Trophy for the League’s Most Valuable Player and was

named vice captain of the All Australian team. AFL guru, Mike

Sheahan, named him the best player in the competition.

Jonathan’s exceptional work ethic sees him consistently

delivering results on the fi eld. He believes that strong preparation,

honesty and team work are essential to success.

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Linda Allen

“Whoever hangs in the longest and learns the most, will end up on top.”

LINDA Allen’s impressive triple jump achievements are matched only by her entrepreneurial savvy. The former Little Athletics star from Brisbane has been ranked number one in Australia since 2005. In 2006, while still in high school, she established Linda Allen Fitness, a niche-market personal training enterprise.

Linda is now based in Melbourne and has sold eight franchises so far. Amazingly, the 22-year-old is also still on track to represent Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She is convinced that her success both on and off the fi eld is ninety percent mental and ten percent physical. Linda believes that anyone is capable of achieving what she has! She is more than happy to share her tips with you.

“Talent is a myth.”Linda Allen

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Linda Allen, Australian Championships 2009 - Gold

“A good sport is someone who has a go and keeps having a go even in

the face of failure.”Linda Allen

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John Grey

“Sport has given me a strong work ethic and the ability

to work well within a team.”

SYDNEY-BASED Good Sports franchise owner, John Grey, is

also an elite-level NRL contender with the Manly Sea Eagles.

John’s Rugby League career began seven years ago in country

New South Wales. His sporting highlights to date include winning

a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport and playing at

an international level against New Zealand for NSW Country

Under-16s. He was picked up by the Manly Sea Eagles at the

age of sixteen, after scoring fi ve tries in three games at the NSW

Country championships and six tries in one game in his local

under-16s team.

Off the fi eld, John cites his greatest achievements as moving

away from his comfort zone in Dubbo and purchasing his

growing Good Sports Home Services franchise. The Toyota Cup

Under-20s representative believes that good communication and

teamwork have been instrumental in his success so far.

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John and partner Cara Johnston – proud franchise owners

“You’ve got to have a back-up plan.”John Grey

Nathan Sharpe

“The harder you work, the luckier you are in life, on and off the fi eld.”

FAMILY man Nathan Sharpe’s career includes 74 games for the Wallabies and two World Cup victories so far. The Rugby Union veteran resides in coastal Western Australia and says he could just as easily have been a fi sherman! For the past four years Nathan has played on the Western Force and is the current captain.

At 31 Nathan has forged a solid career in his chosen sport, while maintaining an equally-strong dedication to his wife and children. He believes it is important not to lose track of what you have off the fi eld…

“Never lose the excitement of playing with your mates.”

Nathan Sharpe

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Steph Gilmore

“I found the right balance of confi dence and focus.”

MURWILLUMBAH-BORN Steph Gilmore claimed her fi rst

major surfi ng title at the elite Roxy Pro Gold Coast competition,

as a 17-year-old wildcard, in 2005. She is currently the two-time

reigning ASP Women’s World Champion.

Now living at Tweed Heads, the Snapper Rocks Boardriders’

star surfer likes to play guitar in her spare time and has already

invested in local real estate. Steph talks here about how a natural

progression into the sport and her connection with the ocean

have helped her achieve her dreams.

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Tony Smith

“Sport was always just a stepping-stone to succeeding in business.”

TONY Smith is the founder of BreakFree Resorts and Holidays,

the Roamfree Group and www.schoolies.com. BreakFree Limited

was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in September 2002.

He sold the company in 2005 and launched Roamfree.

Tony was presented with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur

of the Year Award in 2005, almost 16 years after starting his fi rst

business from scratch. The Roamfree Group allows travellers to

compare accommodation at more than 100,000 hotels in over

100 different countries. In June 2008 alone, his newest company

processed more than 250,000 bookings.

The ex-Sydney Swan, and fax machine salesman wisely

chose, at 22, to focus his energy on the one thing he knew he

would truly excel in – making money. Tony’s story shows just how

far you can go if you use the right skills and realise that even the

most successful person is still just a person. They had to start

somewhere too!

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Jason Culina

“There is no substitute for hard work!”

JASON Culina always believed he could make it to the top in

soccer. The 28-year-old midfi elder from Sydney, who has already

played in one World Cup and three World Championships, is

about to become the highest-paid footballer in Australia. He

is a man more motivated by giving back to his home country,

than by money, though. His contract with Dutch team PSV

would have paid more and Croatia was also interested in

making him an offer. Jason made his decision to come back

to Australia to captain Gold Coast United, a new side in our

A-League competition, purely from the heart.

His success didn’t come easily and Jason is more than ready

to share his story with others looking to embark on a soccer

career. His ten years of experience playing football in Europe,

along with his ability to overcome disappointments and accept

criticism, give Jason a great vantage point to offer advice to any

Australian with a dream of their own.

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Bill Nelson

“I get people to look forward to life after sport.”

BILL Nelson, multi-award winning Olympic swim coach and former vice-president of the World Swim Coaches Association, is now an elite business performance coach. Bill’s motivational, organisational and team building expertise has seen him sought-after by corporate organisations, defence forces, educational institutions, local governments and elite sporting bodies throughout the world. His services draw on his success as a swim coach, which most famously saw him elicit peak performances at the Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996) Olympic Games.

From the mid-1990’s until 2001 Bill was a consultant to Brian Goorjian, former head coach of the Melbourne Magic and Victoria Titans champion National Basketball League teams. He later helped steer the Sydney Kings to the National Basketball League (NBL) crown in the 2003, 2004, 2005 seasons, as well as to Grand Final appearances in 2006 and 2008, through his work with Brian. Among other recent notable NBL achievements, he was a consultant to Basketball Australia and the men’s national team, in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This is Bill’s

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14th season working with NBL coach, Brian Goorjian.In his current role as performance strategist Bill serves as

a mentor to many leading professional surfers and skateboard riders on men’s and women’s tours with internationally-renowned surf company, Billabong. He is also a consultant to NRL referees and match offi cials and has provided team-building training to Australian Rules Football, Rugby League and Rugby Union clubs.

Bill was asked to participate in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Torch Relay and has also been presented with an Australian Sports Medal and the Commonwealth Sports Achievement Award over the years. His invaluable insight is no longer the exclusive property of Olympic or elite level athletes. Individuals, teams and business organisations have successfully incorporated the Nelson message into their pursuit of achievement at the highest level. Wherever he walks success continues to follow.

Bill keeping an eye on his latest pupil; Joel Parkinson

Libby Trickett

“Swimming has given me the confi dence to study at Uni.”

TRIPLE Olympic gold medallist Libby Trickett has been

swimming for as long as she can remember. To date, the

24-year-old Queenslander has won six Olympic Games medals, as

well as six Commonwealth Games and 11 World Championship

medals. Libby has achieved her success representing Australia

across the 100m and 50m freestyle, 100m butterfl y and the

4x100m medley and freestyle relay events.

Currently completing a Bachelor of Communication in

Brisbane, the girl who once thought she’d teach P.E is now an

internationally respected athlete, happily married and a proud

aunty. Libby trains with Eammon Sullivan’s coach, Grant

Stoelwinder.

Libby’s huge smile and her commitment to her sport and

community make her one of our favourite ‘good sports.’ She has

some great advice…

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Wayne Bennett

“The role of sport in society is undervalued.”

IN the introduction to Wayne Bennett’s book ‘Don’t Die with the Music in You,’ respected sports writer Steve Crawley says, “His players play for him and he trains them for them – unequivocally.” Many others have backed this recognition of Wayne as a much-revered coach and he remains one of the greatest mentors in Rugby League history. Big names like Allan Langer, Gene Miles, Gordon Tallis, Kevin Walters and Darren Lockyer have all trained under the fi rst-ever Brisbane Broncos coach.

Wayne grew up in a working class family in Warwick, Queensland. Before he became involved full-time with Queensland Rugby League, he worked as a police offi cer.

As a player, Wayne represented Queensland from 1971-73 and the talented winger was also selected to play for Australia on the 1971 tour of New Zealand. He began his coaching career in Ipswich in 1976, before moving on to train Souths and Brothers in the early 1980’s. After the births of his three children, Wayne took some time out.

In 1986, Wayne made his coaching debut for the Queensland

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State of Origin team. Of the fi ve series he took charge of, the Maroons only lost one. His most memorable win was in 2001, when he coaxed Allan Langer home from England for the deciding game. At an international level, Wayne was appointed Kangaroos coach in 1998 and that year Australia was undefeated against New Zealand. He was also instrumental in the revival of the Tri-Nations series and, in 2005, led Australia to victory in the second series.

Of the six Grand Final appearances the Brisbane Broncos made during Wayne’s 21 season reign as coach, the team claimed every one. It is the most Grand Final wins of any coach; and Wayne also holds the record for the highest number of seasons with a single Rugby League club. He retired from the Broncos in 2008.

Wayne’s exceptional character, both on and off the fi eld, has been recognised through such accolades as “Coach of the Year,” “Father of the Year,” and the “Medal of the Order of Australia.” He has also been awarded the “Australia Sports Medal” for his outstanding contribution to the development of sport. Now head-coach at St George Illawara, Wayne remains involved in coaching for Queensland through the Queensland Academy of Sport and in an off-fi eld role with Queensland Rugby League. He can’t praise the benefi ts of sport enough...

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“Don’t be scared to reach new heights and soar above the crowd.”

Jacob Gough

More than Sport!In his literary debut grass-roots athlete Jacob Gough explores the skills and values that sport, at all levels, can teach. Read about the origins and motivations of

some of Australia’s top athletes and about how others have put their sporting skills to good use, to succeed

in other areas of life. This book will inspire you to succeed on and off the field!

On the field: Wayne Bennett (NRL legend), Leigh Matthews (AFL Legend), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions), Steph Gilmore (World Surfing Champ), Libby Trickett (Olympic Gold Medalist),

Emily Seebohm (Olympic Gold Medalist), Duncan Free (Olympic Gold Medalist), Nathan Sharpe (Wallaby), Jason Culina (Socceroo), Chris Vermeulen (Moto GP) and more…

Off the field: Tom Potter (Founder Eagle Boys Pizza), Bill Nelson (Former AIS Swim coach), Tony Smith (Founder BreakFree Travel and Roamfree.com), Natalie Blair (Neighbours),

Robbie Bennetts (Founder Professional Investment Services), Rowena Szeszeran-McEvoy (Founder Max International College for Fitness Professsional) and more…

Incredible success stories on and off the field.

What you will gain from this book.

• an understanding of how to identify the skills and values that sport teaches

• how these can be applied to excel in other areas of life

• tips on making it to the top

• what to do if you don’t ‘make it’

• the power of embracing good sport values on and off the field

• encouragement to overcome obstacles to succeed in life

www.sportsrewards.org