Sam Squiers welcomes tennis commentator Adam Peacock to On Her Mind to break down the age old debate about women playing three sets as opposed to five at Grand Slam tournaments, and how it relates to equal pay.

They add some nuance to the debate and wonder how five sets might work in the women's game, and whether tennis fans and players would actually want it to happen.

Michelle Jenneke captured the attention of the world as the "Dancing Hurdler" when a video of her energetic pre-race warm-up dance at the 2012 Junior World Championships in Barcelona became viral. However, there is much more to than just her dance moves, both on and off the track.

Michelle Jenneke

Sam Squiers enters some unfamiliar territory as she sits down with Supercars drive turned sex worker Renee Gracie.

Renee discusses competing against boys at a very young age (6:30), and what led to her meteoric rise, from go-carts to driving a Porsche on the professional racing circuit (11:15).

She outlines the journey she took with Simona De Silvestro, spearheading an all-female Supercars team (17:45), and is circumspect when it comes to those David Reynolds' 'Pussy Wagon' comments (28:32).

Supercars didn't bring any financial security, but OnlyFans did, and Renee is very open when it comes to her career switch (44.35), even outlining just how lucrative it's been (50:15).

She also says her new-found financial freedom has become a barrier to a possible return to competitive racing (72:00).

Supercars to Sex Work - The Renee Gracie story

Sam Squiers chats with Rebecca Sowden about the 'Correct the Internet' campaign that is trying to fix the gendered bias that we've inadvertently caused on the World Wide Web. 

Correct the Internet

Rugby league star Julia Robinson has been a lightning rod for public opinion in her short but illustrious rugby league career so far.

She sat down with Sam Squiers to explain how she found the sport quite late in life and what it's like having an army lifer for a mum (5:42)!

Julia then explains how she was caught in a social media firestorm simply because she has some very useful muscles (21:16).

When you get such vocal support from Sally Pearson and Libby Trickett you know you're doing something special and the #showyourmuslces campaign (26:03) that ensued showed how a storm of positivity can sometimes erupt from the most unlikely places.

"No one should be ashamed of what their body can do" - Julia Robinson

"No physical issue, no doubt about that" - Adam Peacock

Opals star Cayla George might be the most open woman Sam Squiers has ever spoken to!

No topic is off-limits and she goes into great detail on her relationship with Liz Cambage as well as the embarrassingly bad bodysuits from the last Olympics. It's a story no one has heard before!

Cayla talks about leaving home and going to the AIS as a 15 year old (7:11), starting out in the green and gold and why she decided to forgo college in the US, despite plenty of offers (14:05).

The new mum talks about being a mother and professional athlete and opens up about her fertility journey (20:56) and the unique experience of Torres Strait Island custom adoption, which resulted in her being gifted her baby daughter Pearl (25:20).

She then tells a shocking and hilarious story about the Opals' bodysuits in Tokyo and just how much they revealed! (48:40) plus why she's no longer friends with Liz Cambage (52:25).

Cayla George on Gifting Children, Revealing Bodysuits & Liz Cambage.

Alyssa Healy was the very first guest on the 'On Her Game' podcast and we've re-published this episode from 2020 to go alongside a brand new conversation Sam just had, celebrating a very busy three years. Enjoy both, as Alyssa brings her unique spin on her life on and off the cricket field.

Losing her sister as a teenager gave Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy a valuable sense of perspective on life. Alyssa joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss what she learned by growing up playing with boys, the impact of losing her sister as a teenager and how she’s seen women’s cricket change over time.

Cricketer Alyssa Healy, from March 2020

Sam Squiers welcomes Alyssa Healy back, three years after she appeared on the pilot episode of On Her Game.

The Aussie skipper, keeper and star batter gives some behind the scenes recollections of her record-breaking World Cup performance on home soil (4:12), including Meg Lanning's Katy Perry fan-girl moment (7:08).

She fends off any talk of retirement, and why FOMO means it'll be a long time yet before she hangs up the pads.

Healy discusses what's needed to take women's cricket to even loftier heights (16:06) and what her future holds (20:05) as well as the all-important Steely Cup standings plus a new feature question - what would Alyssa broadcast on a billboard!

"The Dreaded R Word" - a new Alyssa Healy episode

Sam Squiers and LiSTNR news editor Amy Goggins reveal their Top 5 moments for women in sport in 2022.

And no break for Sam, she's back next week with a return appearance from her first ever guest!

The Top 5 Revealed - Best moments in Women's sport for 2022

Sam Squiers welcomes in LiSTNR News editor Amy Goggins to discuss the best moments in women's sport in 2022.

Best Moments for Women in Sport in 2022 - Honourable mentions

Sam Squiers sits down with Matildas star Chloe Logarzo, who travelled an unconventional path to becoming a regular - and then a star - in the national setup. 

Chloe walks us through her meteoric rise, before falling prey to what she called a horrendous attitude (8:28), which cost her a spot at the 2015 World Cup and derailed her career. 

She then explains how a football prodigy ends up as a full-time landscaper (13:15), and then how she found her way back to playing all around the world (15:41), and finding her way to Olympics and World Cups.

The Matildas veteran describes why injury has been a blessing (24:30), and her thoughts on how far women's football has come in her long career, and what it needs to keep growing in Australia.

"My attitude was horrendous" - Chloe Logarzo

In this episode Sam Squiers sits down with Sarah Olle to discuss the AFLW's ambitious scheduling in 2022 - staging two complete seasons in one calendar year - and any knock-on effects it created.

This conversation also delves into how this decision created challenges for other female leagues like the WBBL and the W-league.

Could the NRLW learn from the way the AFLW has mixed things up and has the clogged sporting calendar started to impact traditional Summer fixtures like Test Cricket?

"All codes need to lose the arrogance" - AFLW scheduling

Karen Lunn is among a small group of women who have paved the way for Aussie women golfers in the 21st century, winning major European tour events across a 26 year career.

Karen spoke to Sam Squiers about growing up in the country, and the advantages that came with that (2:10), bypassing city life in Australia and heading straight to Europe (11:37) to pursue her golfing dream.

She spoke about how excited it was to be able to support her sister's professional golfing aspirations (18:40), her own meteoric success and then her ability to tournaments 26 years apart (22:45).

Sam pays tribute to Karen's contribution to women's golf in Australia (33:19) and she, in turn, shines a lot on the efforts of Alan Gillott in putting women's golf on the map in Australia (43:20).

Finally, they discuss what golf needs to do to reverse the trend of losing a younger and female audience to the sport (52:00).

"Everyone in golf should be ashamed of what has happened the last 30 years" - Karen Lunn

We interrupt our regular transmission for an urgent discussion of the NRLW Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is being negotiated between the NRL and the Rugby League Players Association as we speak.

Sam Squiers welcomes Channel 7 sports journo Katie Brown to break it all down.

Schedule, sponsorship, minimum wage and pregnancy policy are all on the table - and a whole lot more!

"We are losing women from our professional game" - Understanding the NRLW CBA

Sam Squiers isn't afraid to open up and discuss taboo topics and for this episode she is joined by veteran radio journalist Amy Goggins to dig into Wimbledon's decision to finally scrap the mandatory white undergarments policy.

They discuss the absurdity of the rule in the first place and then branch out to discuss the continued use of white uniforms in football, rugby, rugby league, netball and cricket and the implications this has on female athletes at all levels of competition.

Yes this episode includes a frank conversation about women's periods and how that affects what they wear and how they feel while wearing it!

"It's about bloody time" - Wimbledon scraps its white undies policy

Ever wondered how human beings can dive more than 60 metres underwater, without an oxygen tank?

Or how you can survive without breathing for six minutes or more? Free diving champion Amber Bourke will answer those questions and many more, as she discusses how she discovered this incredible sport (6:55).

She goes through the incredible breathing techniques required to naturally maintain her oxygen supply under water (15:48), why she wears goggles filled with water (20:12) and dispels some myths around blackouts (25:00).

Amber discusses her devastation at missing a world record on a technicality (45:55) and some Harry Potter related advice she'd give her 10 year old self (1:02:30).

"At 30 metres underwater the pressure is 4 times greater" - Amber Bourke

In 1975 Australia was represented at football's Asia Cup by a pioneering and enterprising group of women.

These women have never been recognised with caps and this team is not considered a 'Matildas' team.

Nearly 50 years later this group is fighting to be recognised, and Sam Squiers and Selina Steele take up the cause and explain their case.

On Her Mind - Recognising the first 'Matildas'

With peroxide blonde hair and signature oakley sunglasses Kathy Watt took Australia by storm in the 1990s and 2000s.

She’s still the only Aussie to win road cycling gold at the Olympics and in this candid interview she tells Sam Squiers how proud she was to achieve what her late father couldn’t.

Kathy speaks about her early training years, in the same stable as a very young Cadel Evans, and admits to a very poor choice of clothing for her first ever cycling race (9:23).

She explains why a local bike shop came to her rescue at the Barcelona Olympics, when Australia team officials turned her away (28:06) and opens up on the years of bullying she had to overcome just to compete in the sport she loves.

Finally, she explains how she managed to come back and win silver at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, at 40 years of age (48:33) as well as he passion for photography, that has allowed her to stay connected to cycling.

"I wore a hot pink one-piece ski suit" - Kathy Watt

In this debut episode, Sam Squiers delves deep into the biggest issues facing women in sport.

This week Sam looks into the sponsorship saga that has enveloped Netball Australia, and the steps that led to the sport losing most of the $15 million it was set to receive from Hancock Prospecting.

Journalist Selina Steele has been right in the middle of the story, and she brings insight to the topic, from the environmental concerns surrounding Hancock Prospecting, to the impact the deal was set to have on Indigenous communities and players.

Sam and Selina also question the responsibilities of all athletes and sporting administrations when it comes to striking deals across elite sport.

On Her Mind - Netball Sponsorship Controversy

Basketball superstar Lauren Jackson tells Sam Squiers what it was like to come back and play at a World Cup at 41 years of age, six years after retiring! (2:29).

Jackson has insisted publicly that the tournament was a one-off return to international competition, but she hints at the possibility of another – for Paris 2024 (11:44).

She also goes into details about her relationship with Liz Cambage (24:22), her life-changing professional stint playing in Russia (51:04) and why she needed a girdle and g-string to play in the Opals’ iconic bodysuits (1:02:39).

Lauren opens up on her awkwardness as a teenager, how she struggled to make representative teams and how she coped with home sickness when she was drafted number one overall in the WNBA Draft (1:07:44).

And don’t miss bonus content that includes her top five Aussie basketballers of all time.

"But what if I keep getting better" - Lauren Jackson

Former ironwoman and world record breaker Bonnie Hancock tells Sam Squiers about sharks circling her and giant crocodiles stalking her ski paddle, on an incredible voyage circumnavigating Australia (51:12).

Before she risked life and limb on that insane quest, Bonnie details her life growing up on the north coast of NSW (1:35), meteoric success in ironwoman competition (8:37) as well as battling body image issues that took years to shake (18:23).

And if you've ever wondered why someone would turn their life upside down and paddle themselves around the biggest island on the planet (33:28) you've come to the right place!

"He saw the fin of the Great White shark" - Bonnie Hancock

Commonwealth gold medallist Rochelle Gilmore tells Sam Squiers what it was like growing up with ultimate freedom to do as she pleased (2.42), and how that helped shape the athlete she became.

The champion cyclist discusses getting scouted in her early teens (9:40) and moving to Europe when she was just 16, and opens up about the death of her great friend Amy Gillett (17.33).

She talks about breaking the 'Bridesmaid' hoodoo and finally getting her hands on gold (23:20), as well as the pioneering work she's done for women's cycling.

Finally, she goes into incredible detail about planning to climb Mount Everest, and the dangers she's already faced (43:30).

"Five minutes later you'd be dead" - Rochelle Gilmore

In this episode Sam Squiers hand selects five of the best stories of resilience in the face of extreme adversity. And every story is different.

Jana Pittman talks about her battles with the media (1:16), Hayley Raso opens up about her horrific injury (12:35) and Casey Dellacqua discusses the body shaming that nearly derailed her career (27:49).

Georgia Baker talks about dealing with grief (36:35) and Bronte Campbell chronicles her fight against chronic pain (45:56).

Resilience - Jana, Hayley, Casey, Georgia & Bronte

Kelsey-Lee Barber tells Sam Squiers what it was like winning two gold medals in two parts of the world in the space of three weeks - with Covid in between!

The newly crowned World and Commonwealth Games Champion discusses her early life, coming to Australia right before the Sydney Olympics (2:03) and the moment she realised her own ambitions to be a professional athlete (9:23).

She also discusses embarrassment at her first Commonwealth Games (12:24), how her coach became her husband (27:55) and how she overcome the yips (31:55).

Javelin World Champion Kelsey-Lee Barber

Karina Brown tells Sam Squiers how she came to record the hit song (1:01), 'She's got confidence', with Jess Harlen and what it's like playing a game and performing on stage at the same time!

Karina also explains the impact of having so many female hero athletes bursting on to the scene as well as the NRLW's lofty aims for expansion (10:55).

She also gets a surprise message from a very important person in her life (17:15) and has a very instructive message for her younger self.

"Choose your destination", Karina Brown (Part B)

In Part A, outspoken NRLW star Karina Brown speaks to Sam Squiers about her life in rugby league.

As a young girl she had to convince teachers to let her play with the boys (4:50), as a young woman she had to find a league that would let her tackle other women and now she's trying to make the world a more inclusive place.

Karina is also a proud gay Queensland woman who opens up about THAT kiss in 2018, when she embraced her then-NSW-girlfriend on the field after a State of Origin clash (28:19).

If that wasn't enough, she also address the Manly boycott saga and doesn't pull any punches! (38:25). Part B will be available on Saturday, August 6.

"Well I don't want to be a girl then", Karina Brown (Part A)

In this special edition NRLW star Karina Brown shares her reaction to the boycott of seven Manly Sea Eagles' players, who are protesting over a special jersey designed to promote inclusivity in society.

The full episode will be available soon but we just wanted you to hear this sneak preview right away.

And if you don't immediately recognise the name Karina Brown, she felt the spotlight shine brightly on her, when a photo of her kissing her girlfriend on the field went viral in 2018. It just so happened that her girlfriend was playing for NSW and she was playing for Queensland, and they just finished a State of Origin battle.

BONUS EP: "I felt enraged and frustrated", Karina Brown

Sandy Brondello is an icon of Australian basketball. First as a player and then a successful coach, she was a key contributor to the Opals' golden era and now leads the national side as well as the New York Liberty in the WNBA. 

In this episode, Sandy speaks with host Sam Squiers about:
Her childhood on a farm in remote North Queensland
Successes and failures in a glittering career playing in the green and gold
The controversy surrounding former Opals star Liz Cambage
Juggling motherhood with elite sport
Lauren Jackson's remarkable return to competitive basketball
Brittney Griner's imprisonment in Russia.

Opals coach Sandy Brondello: on her remarkable basketball life and the tough decisions she has to make as national coach

A routine training ride the week before her first professional Ironman changed Lauren Parker's life forever.

When Lauren's tyres burst, she flew off her bike and into a guard rail at 45km/h. She was told she had 0% - 1% chance of walking again and had to learn to transition to life and sport in a wheelchair.

In this episode, Lauren speaks with host Sam Squiers about:
Her childhood as a competitive swimmer and triathlete
Managing an eating disorder throughout her teen years
The accident that saw her become a paraplegic
Competing at the Commonwealth Games 9 months after her accident
The differences between able-bodied and para triathlon
The chronic nerve pain which has followed her every day since her accident
Winning silver at the Tokyo Paralympics by less than a second
And returning to Ironman racing and Kona

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episodes with wheelchair racers Madison de Rozario, Ella Sabljak & Louise Sauvage.

Para triathlete Lauren Parker: the accident that changed everything, getting back on the bike and dealing with debilitating nerve pain

Passionate is an understatement for how Melbourne Vixens co-captain and Diamonds player, Kate Moloney, feels about her beloved sport of netball.

But passion isn't always enough, and being left off the start list for Commonwealth Games team and World Cups team was still a bitter pill for Kate to swallow.

In this episode, Kate speaks with with host Sam Squiers about:
Progressing through the netball pathway and becoming teammates with women who inspired her
What she learned working with young people in a juvenile detention centre
Being selected for the Melbourne Vixens and why she's stuck with the team for so long
Captaining the Vixens from premiers to bottom of the ladder
Getting the call to play in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 
Her thoughts on the infamous Suncorp Super Netball super shot
And what she would change if she was the CEO of netball for a day

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episodes with netballers Sam Wallace, Ash Brazill, Laura Geitz, Jemma Mi Mi and Melbourne Vixens CEO Rosie King.

Netballer Kate Moloney: leadership, expansion and why she'll always be a one club player

"You should become a model". It's a comment Kaye Scott has heard more than once throughout her amateur boxing career. But Kaye proved the doubters wrong by competing in the 2014 & 2018 Commonwealth Games, winning a silver medal at the 2016 Women's World Championships and moving from the amateurs to the pros this year.

Kaye sits down with host Sam Squiers to share about:
How she went from doing boxercise at her local gym to competing on the world stage
Being part of the first women's fight after female boxing was decriminalised in NSW in 2009
Why men are challenged by women's boxing and how she responds to their comments
The Amateur Boxing Associations' rule to mandate all female boxers to wear skirts (and then being told that she was distracting judges by wearing a skirt)
Competing at the 2014 & 2018 Commonwealth Games and preparing the upcoming games in Birmingham 
The decision to go pro
And why she hates people commenting on her age

Boxer Kaye Scott: making history and challenging stereotypes about what a boxer "should" look like

Driving through the desert at 200km/h isn't a sport for the faint hearted. Molly Taylor swapped equestrian for rally car driving as a teenager, and since then she has become the World Champion, Australian Champion, European Ladies Champion an d British Ladies' Champion in the sport, she won the 2021 Extreme-E Championship and finished the iconic Dakar Rally, racing 8000km through the Saudi Arabian desert, earlier this year.

Molly sits down with host Sam Squiers to discuss:
Learning from her Mum, Coral, who was a four-time Australian champion co-driver
What rally car driving actually involves and the complex language shared between driver and co-driver
The challenges of competing in Europe in the early days
Getting the call to compete in the Extreme E Championship from former Formula One World Champion, Nico Rosberg, and how it felt to take out the win
The reality of competing in the Dakar Rally for 14 days in the desert
And the profound impact she's having on young girls getting into the sport and her peer and close friend Harry Bates

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episode with eventer Jade Findlay.

Rally car driver Molly Taylor: on becoming a World Champion Rally driver and conquering the iconic Dakar Rally

Mianne Bagger was the first transgender woman to play competitive golf in Australia. She successfully lobbied major golf tours around the world to allow transgender women to play, paving the way for herself and other trans women to compete in the sport.

Mianne joins host Sam Squiers to discuss:
Coming to terms with her gender as a teenager and the inner turmoil that pushed her to transition
The impact transitioning had on her game
Competing in the Women's Australian Open and the Ladies European Tour
The acceptance of trans women in sport
And how she reflects on the changes she's made to the lives of other transgender people, in and out of sport

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episode with golfer Karrie Webb.

This episode touches on depression and suicide.

If you're looking for support for yourself or someone you know, please contact:

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Golfer Mianne Bagger: changing the game for transgender athletes

A meteoric rise to fame gave retired Hockeyroo, Anna Flanagan, even further to fall. Anna first represented Australia when she was 17 and she had 50 caps to her name by the time she competed in the London Olympics when she was only 20. But behind the scenes, Anna was battling with eating disorders and alcohol addiction.

Anna joins host Sam Squiers to discuss:
Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD
How she made attracted big name sponsorships including Red Bull and Nike
Her struggle with eating disorders and why no one noticed she was losing weight
How her drinking spiralled into alcoholism and forced to leave hockey
Getting sober
Becoming a role model for other women in recovery

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episode with hockey player Georgia Wilson.

If you're looking for support for yourself or someone you know, please contact:

The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Hockeyroo Anna Flanagan: fame, addiction and the long road to recovery for former World Young Player of the Year

Riding the professional cycling circuit through some of the most picturesque places in the world looks like a dream life. But the reality of pay inequality and being taken seriously as a female athlete has been far less glamorous for Canyon–SRAM cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

Tiffany joins host Sam Squiers to discuss:
The talent ID program that got her into cycling in high school
Why she can still have a successful race even if she's not on the podium
The growth of women's cycling and the upcoming women's Tour de France
Meeting her partner, Finnish F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, how she started designing helmets for him and why it's not uncommon to see him on the side of the road handing out water bottles to her teammates 

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episode with cyclist Georgia Baker.

Cyclist Tiffany Cromwell: equality in cycling, chasing finish lines and finding love with F1 driver Valtteri Bottas

Superstar of Australian swimming, Bronte Campbell, dreamed of being an Olympic champion since she was 7 years old. Bronte made the national Dolphins team when she was 17 and has retained her place for the past ten years and three Olympics. 

In that time, Bronte has won gold at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Pan Pacific Championships and at the Tokyo Games she was part of the team that broke the women's 4x100m freestyle record.

Bronte joins host Sam Squiers to discuss growing up in Malawi before relocating to Brisbane as a 7-year-old, what she's learned from growing up with her younger brother Hamish who has cerebral palsy, the constant comparison to her older sister Cate, overcoming chronic pain to swim a career-best at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the culture of swimming in light of the recent review into the sport.

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episodes with swimmers Ellie Cole, Emily Seebohm and Shayna Jack.

Swimmer Bronte Campbell

Before Tallisha Harden represented Australia in three sports, she was a self-confessed book nerd who played in the school brass band and was better at ten pin bowling than ball sports.

Growing up, Tallisha suffered from chronic middle ear infections which meant she stayed on the sidelines of most sports. But she was tall, so when a teacher picked her out to join the local volleyball team, Tallisha said yes, unknowingly starting her career in sport.

Tallisha represented Australia in volleyball and Rugby 7's before switching to rugby league where she's at the top of her game as a Jillaroo and Brisbane Bronco in the NRLW.

Tallisha joins host Sam Squiers to discuss growing up in Woodridge in Brisbane's Logan area, how she educated herself about her Indigenous culture, her passion for speech pathology and what she wants the future to look like for the NRLW.

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episodes with beach volleyball player Taliqua Clancy, rugby league players Hannah Southwell, Tiana Penitani, Ali Brigginshaw and Rugby 7's player Ellia Green, Chloe Dalton & Charlotte Caslick.

Rugby League player Tallisha Harden

When officials told Alex Blackwell that being gay created an "image problem" for her sport, she refused to hide or back down.

Instead, by standing up as a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Alex has changed the game for women in sport.

On the field Alex set the record for the most number of games played by an Australian woman, which was only recently surpassed by Ellyse Perry. She is an Ashes and World Cup winning captain and the inaugural captain of the Sydney Thunder WBBL side.

Alex joins host Sam Squiers to discuss growing up idolising cricket legend Belinda Clarke before ending up as her teammate, the changes she's seen cricket go through in its attitude towards female and LGBTQIA+ players and whether being gay held her back from leadership positions.

If you liked this episode, you should check out our episodes with cricketers Ash Gardener, Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy.

Cricketer Alex Blackwell

Sliding head first down an ice track at speeds of up to 140km/h is just part of the job for Winter Olympian Jackie Narracott. Over the past decade, Jackie has self-funded over $90,000 to train and compete in skeleton. The result? She just became the first Australian to win a World Cup gold medal in any sliding sport.

Growing up, Jackie dreamed of being an Olympian. Her uncle Paul was the first Australian to compete at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games and Jackie was committed to following in his footsteps in athletics. But a chance meeting at a training session led Jackie into winter sports instead.

Jackie joins host Sam Squiers days before the Beijing Games to discuss why she swapped the athletics track for bobsled and bobsled for skeleton, recovering from the concussion that made her question her future in the sport and how she's made a career for herself without consistent funding or a coach. 

Skeleton athlete Jackie Narracott

What does it take to compete at the Winter Olympics nine months after having a stroke? For Ski Cross athlete Sami Kennedy Sim, it took consistent hard work, determination and unwavering belief that she would regain her strength and fitness in spite of experts telling her it wasn't possible.

Sami grew up learning to ski in the NSW Snowy Mountains. She transitioned from alpine skiing to Ski Cross when she was 19 before competing at the 2014 Sochi Games and the 2018 PyeongChang Games. In between the two Games, and still in her early 20's, Sami suffered a stroke which forced her off the snow for months.

In this episode, Sami joins host Sam Squiers from Canada, to discuss the challenges of being a winter athlete in the sunburnt country, the reality of chasing winter around the world, how a routine procedure on her knee triggered a stroke and her preparation for the 2022 Beijing Games.

Ski Cross athlete Sami Kennedy Sim

Louise Sauvage didn't grow up with Paralympic ambitions but she has been breaking records and challenging stereotypes in Australian sport since she made her first international team at 16 years old.

Louise grew up swimming and playing basketball but it's on the track where she made a name for herself. She took home 9 Paralympic Gold medals, won the Boston Marathon 4 times, she was inducted of the International Paralympic Hall of Fame and was awarded legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Louise joins host Sam Squiers to discuss moving from shorter race distances into the marathon, retiring and transitioning to life as a coach, coaching Madison de Rozario to victory in the Tokyo Games and challenging airlines to become more accessible for wheelchair users.

Wheeelchair racer Louise Sauvage OAM

Growing up with a cleft lip and palate has given Richmond player, Jess Hosking, the strength and resilience to not only stand up for herself but empower others on their own cleft journeys.

Around 700 babies are born with clefts in Australia each year, but Jess didn't know anyone else with a cleft when she was growing up. Now Jess has become the role model she was missing when she was a kid, using her platform to educate others about this common but rarely discussed birth condition.

Jess joins host Sam Squiers to share the story of her cleft journey including multiple surgeries and bullying, spending the first year of AFLW on the sideline with an ACL injury, moving from Carlton to Richmond to play with her twin sister Sarah and her advocacy with charities CleftPALS and Interplast.

AFLW Player Jess Hosking

Proving her innocence against claims she took performance enhancing drugs has been one of the toughest fights of Shayna Jack's career. But now that she's back in the pool, Shayna is ready to do whatever it takes to reach the top again.

Shayna Jack is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist but in 2019, at the peak of her career, Shayna's world came crashing down when a banned substance was found in a routine drug test. Shayna spent the next two and a half years and over $100,000 proving her innocence before she was finally allowed to swim again this year. 

Shayna joins host Sam Squiers to discuss winning gold in a star-studded relay team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, training with legendary coach Dean Boxall, the lengths she went to to prove her innocence and her resolve to reach the peak of her swimming career again in spite of the years she spent out of the pool.

Swimmer Shayna Jack

How do you balance a career as a professional athlete and your own desire to become a mum? Matildas and Brisbane Roar player Katrina Gorry wanted both and now she's successfully navigating returning to sport with her newborn daughter.

Katrina Gorry joined the W League as a teenager. Since then she's played for teams in Japan, Norway and the United States and she was part of the Matildas team for the Rio Olympics. But the international sporting life has also taken its toll on Katrina, leaving her exhausted and battling an eating disorder.

Katrina joins host Sam Squiers to discuss supporting, and being supported by, her younger brother with Down Syndrome, Dylan, the growth of the Matildas, overcoming her eating disorder through pregnancy and her decision to become a single mum to her daughter Harper.

Soccer player Katrina Gorry

Have you ever thought...maybe I'm naturally gifted at a sport but I just haven't found the right one? That's the incredible story of Olympian Sinéad Diver.

Sinéad ran her first marathon in 2014 in a time that qualified her for the Beijing World Championships. Since then she has placed 5th at the New York Marathon, set the course record for the Melbourne Marathon and finished 10th at the Tokyo Games earlier this year. But Irish-born Sinead didn't pick up competitive running until her 30's after having two kids.

Sinéad joins host Sam Squiers to discuss being discouraged from playing sport as a kid in Ireland, realising she was a skilled runner, challenging misconceptions about her age and setting her sights on the Paris Games and the Australian record.

Marathon runner Sinéad Diver

After winning gold at the Rio Olympics, Charlotte Caslick became a household name overnight. She was on the cover of Vogue (twice!), her Instagram exploded and at one point she was trending higher than Usain Bolt. 

Charlotte joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the ongoing battle for equality between the men's and women's sides, the disappointment of losing to Fiji in the quarter finals of the Tokyo Games compared to the thrill of winning gold at Rio and living on a farm and raising cattle with her partner Lewis.

Rugby 7's player Charlotte Caslick

As a two-time Olympian, two-time World Champion and four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Jana Pittman dominated athletics throughout the 2000's. In 2014 Jana swapped the athletics track for the bobsleigh track to become the first Australian woman to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. But her career was also plagued with injury and unrelenting criticism from the media. Jana joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the tag of "Drama Jana" which followed Jana throughout her career, the fictional rivalry between Jana and teammate Tamsyn Lewis (now Manou), returning to athletics after the birth of her first kid and transitioning to life as a doctor.

Hurdler Jana Pittman

Training through injury, body shaming and delayed puberty were just some of the challenges that faced retired gymnast Stephanie Moorhouse throughout her career from the age of 4 to 18. At the height of her career, Steph would train up to 40 hours per week which saw her win a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships and compete at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Steph joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the demands on young gymnasts who peak in their teen years, transitioning to life after elite sport and her response to the Australian Human Rights Commission report into gymnastics which revealed a culture of abuse, misconduct and bullying.

Gymnast Stephanie Moorhouse

President of the Richmond Football Club, Peggy O’Neal, wants support for women and girls to pursue careers in sport, on and off the field. 

Peggy became a Richmond Football Club member after moving to the suburb from the USA and developing a love for the sport and the Club. She’s progressed from being a member, to sitting on the Richmond board, to becoming the AFL's first female president. In that time, she’s seen the establishment of Richmond's AFLW side and the men’s first premiership win in 37 years. 

Peggy joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the growth of the AFLW, creating pathways for other women to take on leadership positions in sport, and how it felt to see the Tigers win a premiership in 2017 after a 37-year drought (and two more premierships since then). 

Richmond President Peggy O’Neal: The PUMA Fearless Series

CEO of Netball Victoria and Melbourne Vixens, Rosie King OAM wants to see the Suncorp Super Netball competition expand and provide more opportunities for elite netballers.

Rosie has held leadership roles in some of Australia and New Zealand’s largest companies, but it’s Netball Victoria where she’s been able to have the greatest impact on women’s sport.

Rosie joins host Sam Squiers to discuss getting her first taste of CEO leadership at the Geelong Football Club, changing misconceptions about netball and what needs to happen for the Super Netball competition to grow.

Netball Victoria & Melbourne  Vixens CEO Rosie King OAM: The PUMA Fearless Series

Marquee AFLW player Sabrina Frederick wants her sport to professionalise.

Sabrina fell in love with AFL after moving from England to Western Australia as a kid but was shocked to learn she couldn’t play Australia’s national sport at the top level. To continue playing, Sabrina joined the women’s team when she was in her early teens and moved across the country to play for the Brisbane Lions in the first season of the AFLW. 

Sabrina joins host Sam Squiers to discuss finding her love for the game again after two Grand Final losses, finding confidence through sport and how she rises above the negativity to be at her best.

AFLW player Sabrina Frederick: The PUMA Fearless Series

Brisbane Broncos captain Ali Brigginshaw wants the women’s game to become professional.

Growing up as the only girl in the boys’ team, Ali was told she had no future in the sport so she never imagined she could turn rugby league into a career.

Ali joins host Sam Squiers to discuss fighting for the growth of the women’s game, why it’s important for young boys to look up to female athletes and how a photo of her kissing her girlfriend on the sidelines ended up in the paper.

Rugby League player Ali Brigginshaw: The PUMA Fearless Series

100m hurdle champion Liz Clay wants more pathways for young athletes trying to make a career in athletics.

Breaking her foot before the 2014 World Junior Championships forced Liz Clay to stay on the sidelines, missing a crucial event for her progression as a junior athlete and foreshadowing her injury-plagued career.

Liz joins host Sam Squiers to discuss moving from Sydney to the Gold Coast to be coached by hurdles legend Sharon Hannan, the media coverage of athletics compared to team sports and how she’s remained motivated in spite of setbacks.

Hurdler Liz Clay: The PUMA Fearless Series

Queensland Firebird Jemma Mi Mi wants to see Indigenous culture embedded into netball every day of the year, not just during the Indigenous Round. 

As the face of Suncorp Super Netball’s 2020 Indigenous Round, Jemma wanted to be on court, not on the bench. But as the minutes passed by, Jemma (and the rest of Australia) realised she wouldn’t get to play a minute of the game, sparking an important conversation about netball’s record with their Indigenous players. 

Jemma joins host Sam Squiers to discuss what she wants to see from Indigenous Round in the future, how she’s found confidence through sport and becoming a role model for the next generation of netballers. 

Netball player Jemma Mi Mi: The PUMA Fearless Series

Accidentally qualifying for the national bobsleigh team two years before the 2018 Winter Olympics changed the course of Ash Werner's sporting career. Ash joins host Sam Squiers to discuss leaving behind a successful career in Rugby 7's to take a chance on bobsleigh, missing out on the 2018 Winter Olympics (despite qualifying) and the concussion that rocked her for over two years.

Bobsleigh pilot Ash Werner

Growing up in a small town in Trinidad & Tobago, NSW Swifts goal shooter Sam Wallace never imagined she'd be living and playing in Australia. Sam joins host Sam Wallace to discuss playing college basketball in the USA (and why she gave it up to move home to Trinidad), the surprising intensity of Swifts' training and losing her Dad a few days after winning the 2019 Suncorp Super Netball grand final.

Netball player Sam Wallace

Two years before the Rio Olympics Chloe Dalton Googled "list of Olympic sports" and switched from professional basketball to the Australian Rugby 7's team to take a chance at  winning a gold medal. Chloe joins host Sam Squiers to discuss achieving her Olympic gold medal dream, managing anxiety and insomnia alongside professional sport and what she wants to achieve with The Female Athlete Project.

Rugby 7's & AFLW player Chloe Dalton

Coming second in the 100m backstroke final at the Rio Olympics made Emily Seebohm realise a Gold medal wasn't going to change her life. Emily joins Sam to discuss her battle with endometriosis and an eating disorder, overcoming Swine Flu before the Beijing Olympics and the pressure of staying in the Australian swim team when the whole world is watching.

If this episode brought up any issues for you and you want to talk to someone about it, you can call The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673.

Swimmer Emily Seebohm

Muruwari woman Ash Gardner is the second Indigenous woman to play cricket for Australia and her debut came sixty years after the first Indigenous woman, Faith Thomas, played in the 1950's. Ash joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the barriers facing young Indigenous people getting into cricket, winning the 2020 World Cup and the opportunities she's creating for school kids through the Ashleigh Gardner Foundation.

Cricketer Ash Gardner

A casual interest in horse riding saw Jade Findlay spend her gap year working for one of the world's best eventing coaches and accidentally falling into her sport. Jade joins host Sam Squiers to discuss how eventing works, competing alongside the royal family and what could be done to better support women returning to the sport after having kids.

Eventer Jade Findlay

Growing up with a rare nerve condition meant Ella Sabljak could write her own rules for what she could achieve. Ella joins host Sam Squiers to discuss falling in love with wheelchair basketball as a kid (but not getting to play until later in life), missing out on the 2016 Rio Olympics and how she's helping to make school sports more inclusive.

Wheelchair basketball player Ella Sabljak

As the first Indigenous woman to play beach volleyball at the Olympics, Taliqua Clancy is using her platform to create change. Taliqua joins host Sam Squiers to discuss growing up 200km from the beach in regional Queensland, learning to love beach volleyball and how it felt to see her face on the Tokyo Olympic coin.

Beach volleyball player Taliqua Clancy

Playing for the Matildas has been Alanna Kennedy's dream since she was ten years old. Alanna joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the changes she's noticed in the women's game since she joined the Matildas as a teenager, missing the game-deciding penalty at the Rio Olympics and playing for the Tottenham Hotspurs in the UK Super League.

Soccer player Alanna Kennedy

As the daughter of two World Champions canoe slalom athletes, Jess Fox has been in the water since she was six months old. Jess joins host Sam Squiers to discuss making her Olympic debut at 18, leading the way for women in her sport and how it felt to break her parents' records to become the greatest individual paddler of all time.

Canoe Slalom athlete Jess Fox

Before Casey Dellacqua became a household name in Australian tennis, she spent years sharing hotel beds with her teammates and using her prize money to buy her own equipment. Casey joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the financial barriers to a career in professional tennis, the concussion that forced the end of her singles career and how it felt to read comments about her weight in the newspaper.

Tennis player Casey Dellacqua

An off-road vehicle accident threatened not only Caroline Buchanan's career in BMX and mountain bike riding, but her life. Caroline joins host Sam Squiers to discuss competing at the BMX World Championships at nine years old, how she used breathing to stay calm during a trip to hospital with a broken sternum and punctured lung and her two year recovery to get back into sport.

BMX & mountain biker Caroline Buchanan

Weeks before Georgia Baker was set to pursue her dream competing overseas, she lost her dad to a sudden heart attack. Georgia joins host Sam Squiers to discuss how she grieved the loss of her dad, the accident that threatened her team’s chances at the Rio Olympics and why her best riding has come after being diagnosed with a genetic heart condition.

Cyclist Georgia Baker

A fear of rejection motivated Layne Beachley to become a world champion and determination, hard work and having the "compassion of a tiger shark" saw this dream become a reality. Layne joins host Sam Squiers to discuss what it took her to win 7 world titles, the mistakes she made on tour and how she's seen women's surfing change since she was the only girl in the water at Manly Beach.

Surfer Layne Beachley

Before Hannah Southwell played in the inaugural NRLW season, she'd already made a name for herself playing soccer and Ruby 7s. Hannah joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the pressure of being the youngest goalkeeper in the W-League, rebuilding her confidence after losing her spot on the 7s team and why you’ll never see her playing without headgear.

Rugby League player Hannah Southwell

A wildcard entry into the 2016 Red Bull Cliff Diving series saw Rhiannan Iffland take out the competition and progress from a rookie to a dominant competitor in the field. Rhiannan joins host Sam Squiers to discuss how she went from performing on cruise ships to becoming a four-time world champion, rebuilding her confidence after injury and how she manages fear when she’s standing at the top of a 20-metre cliff.

Cliff diver Rhiannan Iffland

Breaking her back in an on-field collision has left Hayley Raso physically and mentally stronger than ever. Hayley joins host Sam Squiers to discuss being the only girl on her soccer team growing up, missing out on the 2016 Olympic team and how it felt to return to the Matildas after recovering from a broken back.

Soccer player Hayley Raso

Five-time Gold medallist Madison de Rozario has loved wheelchair racing since she first sat in a racing chair at 12 years old. Madison joins host Sam Squiers to discuss the rare illness that led to her wheelchair racing career, being coached by her sporting hero, Louise Sauvage, and what it means to her to be the 2020 Barbie "Shero".

Wheelchair racer Madison de Rozario

Australian captain Meg Lanning grew up playing cricket with her sister but it was years before the women's game was broadcast on television and she realised it could be a career for her. Meg joins host Sam Squiers to discuss becoming captain at 21 years old, overcoming a season-ending shoulder injury and the pressure, and triumph, of the 2020 Women’s World Cup.

Cricketer Meg Lanning

Traveling around Australia as a child with her missionary parents taught Matildas' goalkeeper Lydia Williams the value of humility, generosity and kindness. Lydia joins host Sam Squiers to discuss learning to play sport in the Western Australian desert, the growth of the women’s game in Australia and using her platform to create change.

Soccer player Lydia Williams

After a CrossFit gym opened in her suburb, Kara Saunders fell in love with the sport and started training every day. Kara joins host Sam Squiers to discuss giving up sport in high school, training while pregnant and what it feels like to be the second fittest woman in the world.

CrossFit athlete Kara Saunders

Growing up in regional Queensland taught Laura Geitz resilience and the value of hard work. Laura joins host Sam Squiers to discuss being bullied for her height during school, captaining the Queensland Firebirds and Australian Diamonds and what it means to be a Suncorp Team Girls Ambassador.

Netball player Laura Geitz

Turning setbacks into opportunities has been a consistent part of Ash Brazill's career. Ash joins host Sam Squiers to discuss becoming the first woman to play professional netball and AFL, remaining hopeful in spite of missing out on the Australian Diamonds selection and why her wedding went viral.

Netball & AFLW player Ash Brazill

When an eating disorder stood in the way of Hockeyroo Georgia Wilson’s chance at success, she knew she needed professional help to recover. Georgia joins host Sam Squiers to discuss growing up as the “hockey girl”, the impact her eating disorder had on her sporting performance and the value of meditation in managing her mental health.

If this episode brought up any issues for you and you want to talk to someone about it, you can call The Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673.

Hockey player Georgia Wilson

Paralympic Gold medallist, Ellie Cole, started swimming as rehabilitation after her left leg was amputated due to cancer. Ellie joins host Sam Squiers to discuss growing up with a prosthetic limb, returning to the pool and winning Gold after a double shoulder reconstruction and why she gifted her niece an Ellie Cole Barbie.

Swimmer Ellie Cole

Facing her fear of failure empowered Felicity Palmateer to conquer some of the world’s biggest waves. Flick joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss why she ditched her pro tour ambitions to be a big wave surfer, how she keeps herself calm during a wipe out, and what she’d like to say to her Mum if she had the chance.

Surfer Felicity ‘Flick’ Palmateer

As a child playing sport, all Ellia Green wanted to do was impress her Mum. Ellia joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss why she switched from competing in athletics to Rugby 7’s, how it felt to win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and how making her Mum proud is what motivates her.

Rugby 7’s player Ellia Green

Injury and suspension plagued Katie Brennan’s first three seasons of the AFLW as the captain of the Western Bulldogs. Katie joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss moving from Brisbane to Melbourne to pursue AFL, how it felt to be involved at the start of AFLW and why she moved from the Western Bulldogs to Richmond.

AFLW player Katie Brennan

Missing out on the 2016 Rio Olympics was devastating for Tiana Penitani but luckily it led her down a different sporting path. Tiana joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss the impact of losing her father as a teenager, the injury that took her away from the 2016 Olympics, and falling in love with rugby league after 18 months away from professional sport.

Rugby League player Tiana Penitani

Karrie Webb decided she was going to become a professional golfer long before women’s golf was even broadcast on television. Karrie joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss learning to play golf in regional Queensland, why she doesn’t share her personal life with media and the how the Karrie Webb Series scholarship is increasing female participation in golf.

Golfer Karrie Webb

Being born without a left hand and forearm never stood in the way of Brisbane Roar defender Carson Pickett pursuing her dream of playing professional soccer. Carson joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss growing up with a “uniqueness”, how she splits her time between Brisbane Roar and Orlando Pride and the heart-warming photo of her and a young fan that went viral.

Soccer player Carson Pickett

Losing her sister as a teenager gave Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy a valuable sense of perspective on life. Alyssa joins host & sports journalist Sam Squiers to discuss what she learned by growing up playing with boys, the impact of losing her sister as a teenager and how she’s seen women’s cricket change over time.

Cricketer Alyssa Healy

Sports journalist, Sam Squiers, speaks to elite sportswomen about their challenges, triumphs and setbacks, in an effort to get to know the person behind the athlete and learn what it takes to get to the top of their field.

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