Growing up in Broulee, I was lucky to have a coastal upbringing which involved being around the ocean. Most of my childhood was spent surfing, swimming, paddling, diving, fishing and enjoying the outdoors. Looking back, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to grow up. I was a Nipper at Broulee Surf Life Saving Club, where my parents were heavily involved in the nippers program. Their passion for the sport naturally rubbed off on me. I enjoyed ironman racing, swimming and ski paddling, and went on to compete in swimming at Country, State and National level. I was taught to paddle by my family at 16 on the Tomakin River. I later became interested in sprint kayaking and set myself the goal of representing Australia as a junior kayaker. I was fortunate enough to be selected to race internationally and earn a scholarship with the NSW Institute of Sport. The skills, fitness and discipline I developed through kayaking have played a huge role in shaping me into the ski paddler I am today.

My family relocated to Wollongong where I am now completing a Bachelor of Primary Education. Alongside university, I work as a Beach Lifeguard and train with a great group of ski paddlers and kayakers who challenge me to improve every day. I’m a member of Wanda Surf Life Saving Club and my goal is to continue developing as a ski paddler, chase strong performances at major competitions and build a career as a primary school teacher. None of it would be possible without the support of my family, who are always there to celebrate the highs and help me through the lows. I love being part of the Surf Lifesaving community, which encourages people to challenge themselves while also giving back through volunteering and keeping our beaches safe. Being a part of the BOS team is an opportunity to represent a sport and community that has given me so much, and hopefully inspire others to get involved and enjoy everything that comes with it.