We played our first game of the Sydney Olympic Beach Volleyball tournament the day after a stirring opening ceremony. Already we were surrounded by inspiration: five-time Olympian Andrew Gaze carrying the flag; Rachelle Hawkes reading the oath; the moving final lap that celebrated our...

One week out from the Games, Steve, Phil, Kerri and I had a discussion about our motivation. Things didn’t feel right. It’s hard to explain, but we were so narrowly focussed on winning that we seemed to lack passion; we forgot to smell the roses. After all, we were in our home country...

The lead-up to Sydney certainly wasn’t all smooth sailing. On 4 September I had a shocking time at practice. The sun was in the wrong place. The wind was swirling. I was getting frustrated and angry, and I was worried about my sore right knee. My legs felt sluggish. I knew I was being drawn...

I have avoided writing because I have been so overwhelmed with everything since returning home from the London Olympics in the middle of August!

I’ve been reflecting on:

• 5 Olympics
• Welcome home parade
• No wins on the board…Shoulda, woulda, coulda. We were so close.
• Retiring from the...

Wooooo Hooooooo we did it. And pictures speak a thousand words. So this is what it looks like and feels like to qualify for a 5th Olympic games!

An explosion of emotion was how I described winning Gold on Bondi Beach and I would have to go as far to say that qualifying on the side of Fuzhou...

Australian women secure Olympic spot at AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.

Fuzhou, China, June 24, 2012 – Australia bagged first place at the AVC Women’s Beach Volleyball Continental Cup Final but the biggest winner of the competition was Natalie Cook who will now compete at her...

Sorry I have been slack, I should have got this message to you sooner. No excuses, but I have been a little overwhelmed with the training, family time and all the media and sponsor commitments.

You are probably hanging out to know how we have been going. Well after sweaty Sanya we headed to...

An average year followed the Atlanta Games, but something had changed forever in my mind. I’d vaguely begun to realise I was on a journey, and hadn’t reached a destination, but now I was more determined than ever to make the journey itself a success.

People ask me how I knew that all...

“The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses–behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights” – Muhammad Ali

At that team meeting, Steve told us to concentrateon Barbara Fontana, and then proceeded to tell us that she...

I thought I would try something different for this newsletter….a video message! So I hope it works out as intended! I am trying to keep up with the technology. If you have been tuning into Facebook you may have already seen the RIO Sand Report. This outlines our first week training camp in...