Reflection by Andrew Palumbo, Hazel Glen College teacher
As a leader of a College Athlete Academy, at Hazel Glen College, it’s a no-brainer to welcome athletes from the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) to our campus to speak to our students. Particularly Para athletes, whose stories of resilience and perspective add a powerful and meaningful dimension to the inspiring visits.
In the past three years, we’ve hosted an annual guest speaker through the VIS Be Fit. Be Well program, to share their story and the challenges they have overcome.
In the first year, we heard from Paralympic cyclist, Alister Donohoe. The following year, we welcomed Paralympic triathlete, Liam Twomey, and most recently this year we heard Para cyclist Emma Mickle.
“It’s pretty special being invited into schools and having the opportunity to share my story!” said Mickle, after her recent visit to Hazel Glen College.
“It’s even more special seeing how engaged the students are during the talk, and how many questions there are at the end”.
Image: VIS Para cyclist Emma Mickle (middle) stands atop the podium at the 2025 AusCycling Road National Championships.
Our students thoroughly enjoy having an elite Para athlete who has represented our country, to share their insights and experiences in what it takes to reach your sporting goals. This yearly opportunity gives our students meaningful and memorable moments to ask questions related to their sport and to find connections between their individual challenges and how an elite level athlete has overcome similar situations.
The process of booking and communicating specific needs with the VIS team also couldn’t be easier. The staff are very supportive and responsive to the individual needs of our college.
Our teachers often use each year’s guest speaker event to reflect on key topics taught in theory sessions. Our students and families very much look forward to our yearly guest speaker and often reflect on the key topics and inspiration they took from the event.
We are looking forward to making our booking for 2027 and if any schools are looking for a guest speaker, I highly recommend booking through the VIS.
Explore more opportunities to engage with the VIS and its athletes here.
