Almost Pro Podcast

As part of Podcasthon 2026 — a global movement where podcasters dedicate one episode to a charity they believe in — we’re proud to spotlight an organisation creating meaningful impact in Australian sport. In this episode of Almost Pro , we sit down with Rachel Condos-Fields , Founder and CEO of The WattleNest , a purpose-driven organisation bridging the gap between talent and opportunity. Because...

What Every Coach Should Know | Emily Kile In this episode of Almost Pro , we welcome back Emily Kile for a powerful conversation about coaching and the human behind the athlete. After our first episode with Emily, we found ourselves diving deeper into a conversation about equipping coaches with the knowledge and tools to develop not just great players, but great humans too. Then an email landed in...

How Athlete Skills Transfer into the Workplace Sport is often said to prepare us for life — building discipline, resilience, and work ethic. But when the jersey comes off, the reality can feel very different. In this episode of Almost Pro , we unpack one of the biggest questions athletes face after sport: what skills actually transfer into the workplace — and what doesn’t? After years spent traini...

Some athletes follow one path. Angus Yeates has followed several and made each one count. From state field hockey in Tasmania to competing overseas in Germany, from seriously pursuing the PGA pathway in golf to building a career with Adidas, Angus has navigated change with a calm confidence that defines this conversation. This episode is about adaptability. About leaning into opportunity. About ca...

In sport we talk about mindset, discipline and resilience. But what happens when stress and trauma are shaping performance beneath the surface? In this episode, we’re joined by Emily Kile, physiologist, PhD candidate in psychology, founder of Workzbe and author of Bitter to Better . Together, we explore how the brain and nervous system respond under pressure, why coping can quietly become a perfor...

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Damien Taylor, we continue unpacking the six-part infrastructure that underpins sustainable high performance. Following Part 1’s focus on sleep, nutrition, and exercise, this episode turns to the remaining pillars: quiet time and rest, environment, and community. These elements shape how we regulate ourselves, make decisions, maintain standards, and sustain pe...

In this episode of Almost Pro, we are joined by Dr Damien Taylor, a global leadership researcher and performance practitioner with decades of experience in elite sport. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring the six foundations that support high-performance athletes, not just in competition, but across their entire sporting journey. In Part 1, we focus on the first three foundations...

Early specialisation is becoming the norm in youth sport but is it actually helping young athletes or quietly doing more harm than good? In this episode of Almost Pro, we unpack one of the most debated issues in modern sport the pressure to specialise early. From year-round training and talent pathways to rankings and selection, early specialisation is often framed as the only way forward. But wha...

What happens when tennis breaks free from tradition? The Australian Open is back, and this year it is doing things a little differently. From record crowds to bold entertainment ideas, the Happy Slam continues to shape its own identity within the Grand Slam landscape. In this episode of Almost Pro, we step off the court and into the heart of modern sport to explore what makes the Australian Open u...

We’re kicking off our first guest episode of 2026 with a story that captures everything Almost Pro is about: family, community, commitment, and the people behind high performance sport. In this episode, we’re joined by Dave Jones, who shares his family’s journey through shooting, from discovering the sport to becoming deeply involved at club level, and ultimately supporting his daughters through t...

This week, before we kick off the stories of 2026, we wanted to take a moment with you to look back on the year that was and launch the first episode in our Best Of series — celebrating our 2025 most streamed episode. In August 2025, we released our first-ever guest episode with Phil Stewart — an episode that quickly became our most streamed of the year and our end-of-year chart topper. Phil’s sto...

In this special New Year’s episode of Almost Pro, we explore what New Year’s resolutions really look like in sport. For many athletes and those working behind the scenes, seasons don’t pause at midnight and expectations don’t reset with a new calendar year. Decisions about pushing on, slowing down, or letting go are often shaped by much more than January 1. This conversation is an invitation to re...

🎄 Christmas Day Sport: The Reality Behind The Tradition While most people switch off over Christmas, for some sports it’s one of the biggest times of the year. Do athletes actually get Christmas off? Who’s working behind the scenes while the rest of us rest? And what does tradition really cost the people delivering it? In this Christmas special of Almost Pro, we pull back the curtain on Christmas...

An inside look at what it takes to become an elite figure skater, from 5am rink mornings to international competition. Toni Cooke began skating at two years old and went on to represent Great Britain for seven years, competing internationally and medalling at the British Championships. From early mornings on the ice to navigating rankings, testing, funding and judging systems, Toni shares what eli...

Most people see the medals and PBs. Almost no one sees what it costs. By 14, Renee Fox was training in high-performance squads alongside fully developed male athletes. She was fast, talented and driven — but the workload, expectations and intensity pushed her body to breaking point. A fractured spine. Spinal surgery during lockdown. A hopeful comeback. And eventually, chronic fatigue that forced h...

Part 2 of The Athlete’s Sponsorship Playbook takes us from mindset to execution. Last week, Richard Thompson shared the foundation of his approach to sponsorship — from the mindset that shaped his rise to two-time Ultraman world champion, to understanding your value and crafting a story that stands out. In Part 2, we shift into the practical tools athletes need to secure meaningful sponsorships. R...

Part 1: The Athlete’s Sponsorship Playbook Today’s episode is a masterclass in mindset, storytelling, and the real strategy behind funding a sporting career through sponsorships. Richard Thompson shares his journey from placing last in his first triathlon to becoming a two-time Ultraman world champion — and how he transformed one of the most niche, non-paid sports into a fully funded professional...

Growing up on the Central Coast of New South Wales in Australia, Australian rules football was not the obvious choice. Rugby league ruled the landscape, soccer filled the fields, and hardly anyone recognised the oval shaped AFL ball in Jay Lewis’ hands. But at 10 years old, he picked up an Aussie rules footy and never put it down. By 15, Jay was on scholarship with the Sydney Swans, one of Austral...

Fandom isn’t a side-piece to sport – it is the heartbeat. The colours, the chants, the rituals, the shared wins and collective heartbreaks. In this host episode, Frances and Laura explore how fandom shapes identity, builds community, and why the psychological impact is so real – activating the same centres of the brain linked to love, loss and belonging. From billion-strong global fanbases to the...

How do friendships shape the way we experience and stay connected to sport? In this host episode, Laura (individual sports: tennis/athletics) and Frances (team sports: football) dive into the power of connection in sport - how it can drive performance, ease loneliness, and even determine how long we stay in the game. From the family-like bonds of team environments to the independence (and isolatio...

Navigating life after sport isn’t just about what comes next. It’s about learning how to respond, reset, and move forward with confidence. In Part 2 of our conversation with leadership coach and communicator Carol Fox, we explore practical ways to steady yourself in high-pressure moments. From a grounded confidence stance you can use anywhere to simple reframes that shift focus and calm emotional...

Navigating life after sport can be one of the toughest transitions an athlete faces, which is why having the right tools and mindset matters. This week, we had the incredible privilege of being joined by Carol Fox – a leadership coach, facilitator, and advocate for women in sport – who shares practical strategies to help athletes, coaches, and leaders around the globe build self-belief, presence,...

From Australia to New Zealand, Texas to Rome and the UK, former long-distance swimmer Noah Newnham spent his youth chasing lanes across the world. 🌍 Training over 30 hours a week, earning a top-eight Texas state ranking, and winning bronze at the Welsh National Championships, Noah’s story is one of dedication, disruption, resilience and comeback after comeback. After major surgery and multiple in...

When Dr Michelle Pain first set out to study sport psychology, she was told it didn’t exist to study in Australia – so she helped create it. 💪 From building the country’s first master’s program to helping sport psychology become a recognised specialist field in Australia, Michelle’s story is one of quiet confidence, persistence, and innovation. Today, she’s helping athletes around the world acces...

What does it take to walk away from one dream to chase another? In this episode of the Almost Pro, we sit down with Will Clift - a former Australian Rugby Union player who traded the intensity of professional sport to follow his passion for music. From playing for the Melbourne Rebels to alongside his brother at the Warringah Rats, Will’s journey shows both the highs and the hard truths of life in...