Road to Tokyo 2020: Australia’s National Softball Team receives mentoring from Olympic champions
The Australia Olympic Softball Team have called on the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Gold Medal Program to support their Olympic simulation camp at the AIS in Canberra, which has included mentoring from 11 Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists - known as the Gold Medal Ready Alumni.
The Aussie Spirit have based their two week camp at the AIS on Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games scenario planning, including playing games at the same time as their Olympic schedule. Mental preparation has been a major focus, which is where the Gold Medal Ready program comes in.
Eleven Olympic and Paralympic champions from six different sports have immersed themselves with the Aussie Spirit squad, giving tips throughout the camp and also throwing a few curve balls their way – like extra-long bus trips to the venue, delayed start times and shortened preparations.
Chelsea Forkin, a 31-year-old player who has represented Australia in five WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship as well as three WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cups, said it makes the team really proud to be a part of the Gold Medal Ready program, especially because they have been so successful.
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“That's what we're working on at the moment, everything's for the gold,” added Forkin, an utility who covered all three outfield positions during the WBSC Softball Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualifier. “We're hunting the gold, we're always thinking about it, it's always in the back of our minds. So I think we've just got to get over there and follow our processes and stick to what we know and we'll be ready to compete."
The 11 Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists that attended the softball camp comprised medallists at every Olympic Games since 1996 - 29 Games of experience, 17 gold medals across six sports. They included Kerri Pottharst (Beach Volleyball); Suzy Corry, nee Balogh (Shooting); Kim Brennan (Rowing); Stephanie Rice (swimming), Brent Livermore (Hockey); Scott Brennan (Rowing); Juliet Haslam (Hockey); Katrina Webb (Athletics) Danielle Woodhouse (Waterpolo); Matthew Wells; and Matt Levy (Swimming).
