Some of the country’s biggest names have thrown their support behind Australia’s Sport Participation Strategy, Play Well, by taking part in a new podcast series.
Hosted by three-time Olympian Libby Trickett and weekend warrior Georgie Trickett of the Sportish podcast, this eight-episode series explores why sport is central to lifelong connection, wellbeing and belonging for millions of Australians.
This special series builds on the popular weekly podcast the duo started in 2024 that takes a unique look beyond the results and dives into the impact sport has on our social fabric.
The series includes:
- Tennis champion Ash Barty
- Founder of the Resilience Project Hugh van Cuylenburg
- Paralympic legend Ellie Cole
- Mindset coach Ben Crowe
- Diversity and inclusion leader Rana Hussain
- Dual Olympic gold medallist and ASC CEO Kieren Perkins
- Parenting expert Gen Muir
- AFL great and indigenous leader Adam Goodes
Australian Sports Commission (ASC) CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said it was a natural fit to partner with Sportish to take the conversation about community sport to the next level.
“We often celebrate high performance, and rightly so, but the real strength of Australian sport lies in the local clubs, volunteers and the millions of Australians who show up each week to play, coach and support,” Mr Perkins said.
“I was delighted to be part of this series alongside a host of Aussies who’ve conquered the world in their chosen pursuits and are passionate about shaping the future of sport.
“This series goes deeper into what the Play Well movement is all about. It’s not just a strategy, it’s a national approach that puts fun at the heart of community sport and breaks down barriers so that all Australians that want to be involved can be involved in sport.”
Four-time Olympic gold medallist and mum of five Libby Trickett said she’s excited to see this project come to life.
“Sport has given me so much in my life and I want everyone to be able to enjoy the benefits that lifelong involvement in sport can give you,” Libby said.
“Some of the most important lessons I learned didn’t come from winning Olympic gold, they came from being part of a team, taking on new challenges and having that sense of belonging.
“I’ve loved working on this project with Georgie and we were really moved by our guests’ openness and honesty about their very different relationships with sport. We have no doubt it’ll resonate with Australians of all stages of life and from all backgrounds.”
Co-host, mum of three and avid sports-nut Georgie Trickett hopes the podcast will challenge people to think differently about community sport and start plenty of positive conversations.
“Community sport is where it all begins. It’s not about creating elite athletes but rather creating confident, resilient people and that’s exactly what we’re celebrating in this podcast,” Georgie said.
"Australia has a proud history of sports excellence, but we also need to bust open a national conversation about everyone having a place in sport, regardless of whether you're an elite athlete or part of the Tuesday night social comp.
“To hear Ash Barty talk about tennis being her work, and golf being the game she plays for fun and where she connects with people - that says everything about how we should re-evaluate our relationship with sport."
The first episode of the eight-part series drops on Wednesday 4 March, with new episodes released weekly. To listen to the Play Well podcast series, search Sportish in your favourite podcast app or via Youtube.
The series was produced by award-winning production house Deadset Studios., opens in a new tab