Physiotherapy was put on hold, and has been there ever since. I don’t know that I’ll ever return to it, but I learned a lot about physiology and how systems work, and have maintained that interest, in various ways, ever since. In 1995, Anita and I decided to go our separate ways. I...

Back at school, during volleyball training sessions, I’d hear my coach chant a familiar refrain: “You’re not focusing!” I didn’t understand what he meant, and neither did any of the others. “What are we supposed to bloody focus on?”, we asked each other....

When I was seven years old, I was sitting on the floor watching the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games on the television when I saw Lisa Curry standing on a podium, receiving a gold medal around her neck for winning the 100 metres freestyle. I said “I want to do that!” At about the same...

The whistle blew. I tossed it up, launched myself into the air and rolled my arm through, slicing the side of the ball with my hand to drag it over to the left. I watched it in what now seems like slow motion. It hit the top of the net, seeming to deliberate for a second over which way it should...

Wow, what a crazy few months (hmmm I say that every few months, I should look into that) Since I wrote to you last I have had a knee operation (clean out), been to Colorado Springs for IOC meetings, Thailand to compete, Hawaii for a wedding and China to play the Asian Championships, and it...

Not long after we resumed, something extraordinary happened that tipped the psychological balance our way and kept it there. It had such an effect on the outcome that, from that moment, it didn’t matter what the scoreboard said. What happened was this: Adriana served, and her serve hit the...

The famous—some say infamous—chant rippled loudly around the stadium, straight up the tunnel and through my body:

 “Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!”.

Ten thousand voices as one. All of a sudden I felt at home, yet also anxious and a little afraid. My body didn’t...

The Test event in London was the highlight of the season. We got to do a run though of the playing venue and all the associated Olympic protocols and picked up some added inspiration for all our hard work to ensure we qualify for the big event. The venue is smack in the middle of Buckingham...

When I began my journey at the beginning of 2010 towards my 5th Olympic Games I was so excited and nervous, but many things were unknown. So I began by making some plans, where would I train, who would I play with, who would coach us? I filled my toolbox with all the tools I thought I would need...

Nat teamed with Australian indoor volleyball captain Tara West to compete in the 2010 RACQ Insurance Coolangata Gold Invitational at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast this weekend. Taking on some of Queensland’s brightest talent, Natalie tutored Tara through the transition from timber floors...