A group of fourteen nominated VIS Scholarship holders received a special invitation to a Personal Excellence workshop entitled: “A Conversation with Catherine Freeman - Insights on High Performance”.
Catherine is very appreciative of the support that she gained during her time as an athlete at the VIS and she is now happy to “give back” and assist current Victorian talent coming through the VIS.
During the presentation, her message centred around “what it takes to perform at the highest level” and following her recent experience as an Australian Ambassador at the Rio Olympics, she had many valuable reflections to share.
It was a most wonderful opportunity to have an intimate dialogue with one of Australia’s sporting icons. VIS athlete’s responses to the session, highlight her key points:
“Great. Very inspiring - given me heaps of motivation to push harder” Penny Smith (Shooting)
“Wonderful to gain insights into the preparation and thoughts of a Champion….and to dream big” Hayley Padget (Hockey)
“Enjoyed Catherine talking deeply about her personal experiences and being respectful to your team mates and competitors” Courtney Field (Cycling)
“Great tips on staying focused” Georgia Griffith (Athletics)
“The importance of being tough and having those difficult conversations” Ashley Bingle (Hockey)
“I loved hearing all the personal stories that Catherine shared” Caitlin Ward (Cycling)
“Putting a stronger level of importance on goal setting and using that as a barometer for my performance” Jonathan Bretherton (Hockey)
“It was very clear and relatable’ Eleanor Grimshaw (Sailing)
“Loved the way Catherine spoke from the heart” Brandon Te Hiko (BMX)
“Learnt about mental strength from a Gold medalist” Peter Bol (Athletics)
“The importance of the internal aspects and how to control your internal wellbeing” Anna Rose Keating (Diving)
“Reminding yourself that everyone has setbacks and that’s ok…and that it is important to have life balance” Hayley Baker (Swimming)
“Always using the support network around you, family & the VIS …and being honest” Laura Harding (sailing)
