Netball in Oz!

Kayleigh Higson is currently on a Sport Lived netball programme in Sydney and describes it as, “A once in a lifetime experience.  It’s has all been great with no downside”.

Kayleigh is playing for one of Sydney’s top clubs who have 3 state league teams who play in the strongest netball competition in Sydney and 9 social sides who play in a local netball competition.  After performing well during pre-season training Kayleigh was selected for her club’s State League Division 2 Team with whom she has played all season. Kayleigh has thoroughly enjoyed the excellent netball coaching and tuition she has received at her club.  ‘The training sessions and coaching we’ve received have been fantastic.  I really enjoyed pre-season training particularly the fitness testing and skill work and I felt really well prepared when the season started after Easter’. Kayleigh’s team are currently 5th and have an excellent chance of making the end of season Grand Finals which start in August.

Although Kayleigh has been playing matches and training with her club 2-3 times a week she’s found plenty of time to enjoy Sydney’s legendary nightlife. The weather and the relaxed attitude of the Australians guarantees lots of fantastic nights out. Something the girls have really noticed is the difference between the British and Australian way of life, ‘The lifestyle over here is just amazing. Nothing that you can even imagine. Everyone is just so laid back and easy going. It’s such a change from back home!’

Whilst in Sydney Kayleigh has been staying in 4 star city centre apartments with other Sport Lived participants.  Commenting on her accommodation, Kayleigh said, “we are right in the middle of everything. The Central Train station is a 2 minute walk away and you can get to all the main beaches within 20 minutes by public transport. There is also a great nightlife over here, which again is only a few minutes walk away form the accommodation. So only a short way to stagger home at the end of the night!”

She has praised the Sport Lived mentors who have been very supportive at every juncture. She told us that they ‘are great people and are always there when we have a problem or just need a chat.’

Kayleigh is having the time of her life living in Sydney and would thoroughly recommend the programme to other young people  ‘I’m having a fantastic time playing netball in Sydney and it is definitely something I would recommend to anyone who loves sport and wants to have a great time playing and coaching it overseas’.

Harry Moores – Player of the Month

Sport Lived has awarded Harry Moores the March player of the month award. Harry has been on a Sport Lived play cricket programme to Melbourne where he’s played for one of the top clubs in the city. He has been living comfortably in one of Sport Lived’s city centre apartments and thoroughly enjoying his cricket. Harry hails from Somerset, England where he plays for Castle Cary CC 1sts. Harry also played First XI cricket for his school Sherborne prior to his trip Down Under.  Harry is playing for his club’s 2nd team and paid testament to the standard of Australian club cricket when he claimed that the standard is considerable better to his team back home.

Harry at the Boxing Day Test Match in Melbourne

But Harry has excelled in this environment and has had a remarkable programme having been in excellent nick with the bat. The highlight of his time in Australia came in October when he scored a century for his club on debut.  It was a knock that ultimately changed the course of the match. His team were serious trouble at 10/4 before Harry’s 103 helped them to reach a match winning total of 340 from their 80 overs. He described it as an ‘amazing experience,’ one which I’m sure he will carry with him throughout his playing career.  Harry’s performances have helped his team reach the end of season Grand Finals which will take place later this month.

Sport Lived organise sporting gap year programmes to numerous destinations in Australia and New Zealand. You can also play cricket in Australia by finding out more on our website www.sportlived.co.uk

Hockey Tour to Albury

Over the Easter weekend, Sport Lived participants playing hockey in Sydney went on a pre-season tour with their club to Albury, a small city located on the border between New South Wales and Victoria. 

Hockey match during the Albury Hockey Carnival

During the 4 day trip the club played matches against other teams from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The tour provided a great opportunity for players to impress before the start of the league season.  It also gave the Sport Lived players an opportunity to let their hair down, have some fun and get to know their new team mates. 

Fancy Dress Party at Albury

All of the players thoroughly enjoyed the trip which provided a great start to their hockey programme.

Joe Carr – Water Polo in Australia

Joe Carr chose Sydney as his Sport Lived destination, and joined the thousands of people worldwide who would crown the city as one of the most vibrant, thrilling and versatile places on earth: “Sydney was unbelievable! I fell in love with it, without a doubt, and it broke my heart coming back.” Sydney’s idyllic location on the east coast of Australia blessed with a gorgeous climate and an even more stunning harbour, the vista of which includes the Sydney Opera House and The Harbour Bridge, together composing one of the most famous postcard pictures in the world. Joe’s accommodation was well-placed to ensure he could make the most of the city’s social and cultural scenes: “Our apartments were indescribably good. I can’t tell you how much of a difference it made and how invaluable it was living right in the centre of Sydney. The accommodation itself was great (the sauna was very, very well used!), but the real advantage was the location. It really made the whole experience.”

Joe Carr with his team mates in Sydney

Joe played water polo for a club in Sydney between March and August and felt the experience of playing in Australia was great for his development: “In terms of what the Australian league has given my game, I think it has made me a far more intelligent player than I ever was before. For the first time, I started to think my way through games and this is something I have definitely taken back with me. While I was there and when I first returned I was probably the physically strongest I have ever been as a player. The Australians are much bigger and play a much more physical game than in England, and as a consequence I find myself playing a strong game.” Sport Lived were able to offer Joe an extremely high standard of play for his sport, which was one of his favourite aspects of the entire experience: “We had an amazing team, equal to probably 1st or 2nd division National league in England, which I became an important part of, playing with and against on a regular basis some great players. I feel that I learned more playing with them for six months than in the previous three years playing national league in England.”

 

Joe and Sam Hiscock with Dr Karl

Sport Lived tailor their trips to individual requirements, and the recurring advice from those who take the plunge appears to be that you get out just as a much as you put in: “If you decide to do it I would say, whatever you do, be brave. Stick with it. Go out and find the people and social life that you want, enjoy the city to its fullest, don’t get into lazy habits of just staying in and doing the same thing over and over. It is a perfect chance to carve out the lifestyle you want, whatever kind of person you are and whatever you’re into. Australia is one of the best places to live in the world so get involved in everything you can and don’t waste what is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

James Herbert – Rowing in Australia

James Herbert is on one of Sport Lived’s exciting six month playing programmes, where he is rowing in Melbourne.  He is part of one of the best clubs in Australia where he is rowing alongside national hopefuls and awed by the club’s ‘incredible strength in depth’.

James hails from a solid background on the water. He first picked up an oar in Year 9, finally making it a ‘full time’ commitment a year later. This led to four years of serious rowing for Bedford Modern School, one of England’s top ‘day’ schools for the sport. In these four years James was part of the BMS senior crew and raced at the National Schools and Henley Regattas and also attended GB trials with his brother. So he approached this new and unique challenge well equipped and full of experience.

Rowing on The Yarra

Rowing Australia has been a rewarding contrast to James’ previous experiences and he has noticed a more intensive strength and weights programme. Early morning sessions remain and the ethos of the sport is fairly universal – ‘you train long and hard.’ But replace English rain, wind and dingy mornings, with a touch of mist, a golden sunrise and calm, blue still water. The River Yarra runs through the heart of Melbourne where there is hardly a whisper of the wind. Gone are the thermal leggings. Conditions are so perfect, says James, that they ‘definitely take your concentration off the rowing.’ But great weather is no obstacle to the success of James’ club. Their bottomless strength was evident at the Head of the Yarra – an 8k processional race – where the men’s crews won three of the four levels of competition and the women’s crew were victorious in theirs.

The prospect of joining such a prestigious club and embarking on such a challenge may seem intimidating even in a domestic setting, let alone playing away in one of the world’s most successful sporting countries. But an undaunted James says ‘I was made to feel at home right from the start.’ Sport Lived has provided James with the perfect base for his Australian adventure: a comfortable, apartment in the heart of Melbourne, with some stunning views of the city. Living with a number of fellow Sport Lived players he has had an established social group from the moment of his arrival. His crew mates at the club were also immensely welcoming and their hospitality has of course created endless opportunities for James to socialise. At Christmas the club hosted a cocktail party and has hosted numerous events throughout his time there.

Club Boathouse in Melbourne

Living in the city meant James was able to cycle to his club’s boathouse in 10 minutes.  He was also close to Melbourne’s nightlife which he has said is as ‘large and varied as anywhere I’ve seen.’ Melbourne is a thriving metropolis, considered to be the sporting and cultural capital of Australia. Stunning Victorian architecture, beautiful parks and gardens and the meandering River Yarra make it a physically diverse city, reflected in the wealth of entertainment on offer. It is home to five major sporting arenas including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, home of cricket in Australia. It is also the live music capital of Australia and boasts a multitude of nightlife, from trendy bars, to clubs, to downbeat pubs; ‘a truly assorted bar scene.’ James has particularly enjoyed some of the idyllic beaches in the surrounding area, even taking the time to catch some rays on Christmas day.

Encouragingly, bar work has been easy to find when in need of money, meaning this has never been a worry. But some saving before he left the UK has allowed our man to concentrate on his rowing and enjoy the experience. When asked to sum up his time in Australia, James said quite simply: ‘Unbelievable! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.’

Representative Hockey Selections in Sydney

Congratulations to Matt Davey and Hannah Baker who were both selected to represent their hockey association at the Men’s and Women’s New South Wales State Championships.  Both players were nominated for the teams after performing well for their club’s first grade team this season.  Matt represented the Sydney Hockey Association whilst Hannah represented MacArthur.

Matt Davey (top row, 3rd from the right)

 

Each hockey association in NSW are represented at the Championships which were held over the long weekend in Sydney (7th/8th June).  The Men’s Championships were held in Grafton whilst the Women’s Championships were held in Tamworth. 

Hannah’s MacArthur team were knocked out at the group stage.  However in the Men’s competition, despite losing 9-3 to Illawarra in the group stage, the Sydney Hockey Association qualified for the semi final where they beat Newcastle.  In the final they got revenge over Illawarra beating them 5-2 to win the Championship. 

Commenting on the event Matt said “It was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend getting the opportunity to play with and against the state’s best players.  The final was great and it was fantastic that we won!”

Well done to Matt and Hannah!

Scotland U21 Selection

Congratulations to Tom Blyth who has been selected for the Scotland U21 Hockey Squad. Tom is currently studying at Loughborough University and went on a Sport Lived Hockey Programme to Sydney between March and August 2007. Looking back on his Sport Lived programme Tom said “I enjoyed a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against some of the best players in the world and also meet some great people during my time in Sydney. My game improved tremendously and I would encourage any young person to play hockey in Australia. It’s great for your hockey and it’s also a lot of fun!”

We wish Tom the best of luck for this Summer’s Euro Nations Tournament being held in Spain and the Celtic Cup taking place in August.

Richard Moore – Playing Cricket in Melbourne

Richard Moore, member of the Cheshire County League, Lancashire Under 19’s and Cheshire 2nds, is a young and dedicated cricketer, who chose to travel with Sport Lived on his gap year, and experience cricket the Australian way. Richard left the UK with a desire to focus on his cricket, and improve all levels of his game, “I wanted to take it to the next level.” He left with the intentions of concentrating on and improving his fielding and fitness, and an underlying curiosity to learn the differences between playing cricket in the UK and playing cricket in Australia.

Upon Richard’s arrival in Australia, he was fortunate enough to be chosen to play for a club handpicked by Sport Lived, and one of Victoria’s most elite cricket clubs. Richard, who is a member of the 6 month ‘Playing Sport’ programme, describes playing cricket in Melbourne as, “absolutely brilliant, it is just such a good experience.”  In terms of technique and training methods, Richard describes his club as being of a very high standard, “each session is so intense, it is amazing because you see yourself improving after every training session.” Richard and his team-mates train on outstanding facilities, having access to five nets and a full-sized astro pitch. Training twice a week allows him to acknowledge his improvements and growth as a sportsman. He feels he has succeeded in achieving his goal since coming to Melbourne, “when training at the intensity that we do, it is really good for your game and you definitely see the benefits.”

When Richard is not playing cricket or watching cricket, he is experiencing the Melbourne culture and nightlife with both locals and fellow Sport Lived travellers. Being placed with such a tight-knit sporting club has given Richard the chance to embrace his new community, and learn from his team-mates about more than just cricket, “they are a great group of lads! We have social events throughout the season which are a lot of fun.” Richard speaks just as highly of the social benefits of playing sport in Melbourne, as he does the physical. The highlight of his trip so far involves a fancy dress pub-crawl with his team-mates, whereby the club is divided into groups and given challenges throughout pubs around Melbourne.

Outside of the cricket club, Richard and the other Sport Lived participants are provided with incredible support from their local Melbourne mentors. Richard’s mentor took him and the other Sport Lived participants away from the fast-paced city life in Melbourne, and gave them a taste of the Victorian countryside. During this bush fishing trip, the group were introduced to the laid-back Australian country life, native flora and fauna, and given a chance to bond and relax after an intense period of training and matches. Richard described the weekend trip as an amazing experience; “it was an experience I will never forget.”

Richard’s advice for people thinking about attending the Sport Lived programme on their gap year was simple, “Do it. And make the most of everything you do. Because you will always look back and always remember this time.”

Emma Batten – Hockey in Melbourne

Sport Lived is committed to providing quality programmes for young people who are mad about sport – if you’re after fun in the sun whilst developing your existing skills further then this is the organisation for you!

One of our most popular destinations is the bustling, vibrant city of Melbourne, famous for its sporting prowess and laid-back, Aussie pace of life. As our current participants staying in Melbourne will tell you, it really is a spectacular city.

Emma Batten has been playing hockey in Melbourne and says the experience has far surpassed everything she had expected, “I really am having the best time and was telling my mum just the other day how I want to come and live here now. I think I’m going to find it just as hard leaving here, and all the friends I’ve made, as I found leaving home in the first place!”

Although Emma struggled with a bit of homesickness on her arrival in Oz, it didn’t take her long to settle in with the support of the specially selected clubs, “The Women’s President at my club has been the most welcoming person, he has been like a surrogate father to all of the people on the Sport Lived hockey programme. When we arrived, he took us down to Barwon Heads for the pre-season hockey bonding session. He has us round for dinner most Sundays and cooks us up a big roast so we still feel we’re part of a family, unbelievable person!’ Emma admits that this extra support provided on a Sport Lived programme was a welcome piece of reassurance for her parents back home, ‘They knew I had mentors out here who would be able to help me if I needed anything so it made them a lot happier about me going to the other side of the world on my own!’

 

Sport Lived organises most aspects of your year out so you won’t have to worry about living arrangements, finding a club and organising other tricky aspects of your stay, allowing you to concentrate on playing sport and having fun from the minute you arrive! Emma found this another aspect of Sport Lived’s appeal, “It was exactly what I was looking for as I could play Hockey, had accommodation set up and had people to do it all with. It was ideal.” Emma is living with other Sport Lived participants right in the centre of Melbourne, ‘The city is awesome, there is always stuff going on and it’s small so you can walk just about everywhere. There are so many suburbs close by as well that you can reach by train and plenty of good places to go out. Only now am I starting to discover many of them!” A Sport Lived programme also provides you with an excellent chance to mix with others and join in with the great social scenes at our specially selected clubs, “I’ve made a lot of friends in the team who I regularly go out with. There’s been a few social events planned by the club where loads of the teams turn up, the biggest night has been pub golf where about 40 people turned out! Even if something isn’t planned people will still go out, men’s and women’s teams, so there’s always something to do on a Saturday!”

As well as the fantastic social scene, the hockey club that Emma has been playing for has helped her develop her existing skills further, giving her an experience of the game that other players back home have never had, “They play a very different style of hockey out here so we have had to adapt, but it has meant I’ve learnt new skills and especially new tactics and a new way of thinking. It has definitely been a positive development! I think I will go back to England with a different way of looking at the game which I hope I will be able to pass on to members of my teams at home.”

“For me, this year out has been perfect. I couldn’t have asked for better planning, accommodation and club. It’s all worked out so well, I just wish I didn’t have to go home! I’ve done so many things I never would have done at home and enjoyed being so independent and having so much freedom, but it’s the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made that have made this trip so awesome. I will be gutted to leave every one of them but I’m already planning my next trip out here!”

Craig McKee – Hockey in Sydney!

With Sport Lived’s fantastic hockey programmes you can experience the thrill of living in an amazing city on the other side of the world whilst playing the sport you love at a sociable, top quality club. This is an experience one of the participants on our hockey programme to Sydney, Craig McKee, will never forget, “Coming away to play hockey was the best experience of my life. I have met some incredible people and seen some amazing sights, and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way.”

Craig played for one of the best clubs in Sydney during his time on the programme, “It has been the most welcoming, friendly and sociable club I have ever played for”, he says, “the standard of Hockey in Sydney is very high and the club as well as your team mates are always pushing you to improve and give 100% at every training and in every game you play. The best part of the hockey in Sydney is getting to play at the Olympic Park which is amazing when you are walking out onto the pitch from a proper dugout and looking up at a stand which is towering above you. Some of the teams in first grade even have Australian international hockey players in them and all of them have state players.”

The standard of hockey in Australia is something that Craig admits he wasn’t used to back home. With experience at school and a Midlands Division 1 club level, Craig decided he wanted to take the next step up and play for an overseas club, “Whilst looking on the internet I came across the Sport Lived website and this gave me everything I was looking for. The programme they enabled me to play hockey in a different country and also gave me the security of always having someone to talk to if I was worried or needed help with anything. This was perfect for me so the motivation to come on the programme came automatically.”

Craig lived with other Sport Lived participants in city centre apartments, “I couldn’t ask for anything more from Sport Lived, our apartments are 2 minutes walk away from the central station and two minutes from all the main backpacker bars. The accommodation is clean and modern with internet connection, TV and DVD player. It is the kind of place I hope to live in when I’m older!” The living arrangements meant Craig was able to socialise and enjoy the awesome nightlife in Sydney from the start with his flatmates as well as his club, “every night out in Sydney turns into something I will be talking about for the rest of my life”, he admits. He even managed to see more of this wonderfully diverse, beautiful country by travelling up the Gold Coast with his room mates during his spare time.

Craig felt welcome at his new club from the moment he arrived, “Every member of the club came and introduced themselves at the first training session and from then on have helped us with everything we’ve needed and made sure we know about every social event that was happening. This made my time in Sydney very easy and allowed me to have as much fun as I could from the start. The people at the club would do anything for you, I have made many lifelong friends here and they became my family whilst I was away from home.” As well as the support network offered by such a welcoming club, Craig was able to enjoy developing his hockey skills further, giving him a really positive sense of development on his return home, “Playing hockey in Sydney has helped me improve my skills dramatically through the excellent coaching and being able to train with the first grade players who help and encourage you through each session.” Of course the social scene has been very important too, “There have been so many different events such as pub crawls, trivia nights, karaoke nights and a pre-season hockey tour to Albury which was amazing”

If you are after a gap year like Craig’s that allows you to develop as a sportsperson as well as an individual, look no further than one of our unique Hockey programmes. We will cater for any ability and ensure you are matched with a club that best suits your needs, as well as providing fantastic accommodation and mentor support, on-hand whenever you need it.