Sport Captain

As well as the physical aspects, sport helps an individual grow as a person.  Building character, teaching and developing strategic thinking, analytical thinking, leadership skills, goal setting, and risk taking, it allows a person to develop themselves.  The sport run by the College provides safe environments for students to make mistakes as well as strive to achieve their very best.  Sport at Mt A has done the same thing to me in assisting me to grow as a person.  Through injury and failure, I have overcome these hurdles to be a better person and look at the positives that these bumps in my sporting journey have thrown at me - developing my skills and taking away the lessons learned has assisted me to grow as a person. 

Two avid sportswomen at Mt A - Bre Shepherd and Mia Newbold - have answered the question: How has sport helped you to grow as a person?  Through personal stories and the highs and lows of their sporting journeys, each has described how sport has allowed them to grow as a person, shaping who they are today. 

Charlotte Russell

Hello, my fellow sport lovers.

Today I’ll be sharing my personal story - and my little sister/mentee's story - on how our sport has made us into the people we are today. 

My sport is athletics.  I have been competing since Under 6 for Little Athletics at Bracken Ridge.  Although I left little As in under 14s, my journey in the sport didn’t stop.  I started doing personal training and putting all my effort into getting PBs at every meet I attended.  I made it to States in 2019; however, later lost my love for competing after my trip to Cairns.  I put so much effort and pressure on myself to be the best that I didn’t focus on what was the actually best for me. 

Athletics has made me understand that being the best isn’t always the best for you.  Don’t get me wrong - winning and achieving your highest results feels like you can do anything; however, especially in an individual sport like athletics, you need the support and environment of your fellow sports lovers around you and cheering you on.  After seven months of zero training, I decided to go back to athletics, except this time I joined a club.  I have made so many life-long friends and have fallen in love with the sport again.  I believe that athletics has formed me into the person I am today, helping me view everything in a different, positive, and more realistic light, that will later benefit my self-growth and self-confidence. 

I asked my little sister/mentee, Mia Newbold, to put together a piece about her sport - Hockey - and how it’s shaped her into who she is today. 

Bre Shepherd

Year 12 Sports Representative

I have been playing hockey for ten years and I cannot imagine my life without it.  Hockey has helped me grow as a person through not only inspiring me to grow as a player on the field, but off the field.  It has enabled me to learn essential virtues like respect and humility and incorporate them into my everyday life.  Whilst doing so I have made lifelong friends.  By being part of teams like Brisbane and Queensland I have met girls from all over the state who have the same interests as I do.   The majority of my closest friends came from hockey teams; it is also a safe space for me to make mistakes and learn from them without fear of being judged. 

It is amazing how many people you meet, not only in teams but through coaches and managers.  My coaches over the years have nurtured me from my cheeky, talkative, mischievous self to a respectful, well-mannered, and cooperative young woman.  Overall, sport has allowed me to grow as a person, learn vital life lessons, meet new people, and be a part of a community.  I encourage people to explore a sporting path, whether that be through school or club, as you will never know what you are missing until you give it a go.

Mia Newbold, Year 9