This started with a kid who never went after his dream

In 2020, I walked past a basketball court on my break at work. And it hit me. Not like a revelation — more like something I'd always known finally said it out loud.

I love this game.

So I started playing again. And honestly? I was a mess. I was so nervous during pickup games that I'd pass up wide open shots. I wouldn't take initiative. I was scrambling out there. But even through all of that — I kept showing up. I went to the gym. I practised shooting alone. I played whenever I could.

What started as fun became a real question: how far can I actually take this?

I studied Kobe's mindset. Rodman's hustle. Jordan's finesse. I broke down Chris Paul's court vision, Luka's calculated pacing, Westbrook's explosive athleticism. I dove into training programs designed for pros — and in a short amount of time, things changed.

I was no longer scared to shoot. My teammates were telling me to shoot. I became someone they relied on — for scoring, for defence, for energy. I became known for my speed, my quickness, and my attitude. At the peak of my training, I felt unstoppable.

"But the thing that really changed wasn't my game. It was me. The confidence I built on the court became confidence in who I was. In what I was capable of — when I finally gave myself permission to go after it."

Why I started Inner Game

It wasn't my skillset that got me here. It wasn't my environment. It was me. I looked inward and decided to chase something I'd always wanted — something that had been sitting there since I was a kid, waiting.

That's what I want to give to the next generation. Even when a kid has all the love in the world at home, sometimes they need a space designed to draw something out of them that can't be taught at the dinner table. A place where they get to discover — on their own terms — what they're really capable of. Inner Game was created to be that place.

Before coaching, my background was in personal development. Self-discovery has been the defining thread of my twenties. But I don't believe in the rah-rah hype. Not the "just chase your dreams" noise. I believe in the quiet stuff — the stillness, the presence, the honest connection you build with yourself when you stop performing and start paying attention.

That internal connection — between who you are right now and who you're becoming — is where the real growth lives. On the court and off it.

That's what Inner Game is really about. And maybe, while your kid is out there finding theirs — you'll feel it stir in you too, Mum and Dad. That thing you let go of. That dream you never quite honoured. It's still in there.

Inner Game Basketball is for kids aged 5 to 14 in Sydney who want to:

• Learn basketball in a supportive environment
• Build confidence and find their voice through sport
• Develop real skills -- whether they're a complete beginner or want to make a rep team
• Stay active and make friends who love the same game

It's also for parents who want:

• A coach they can trust with their kid
• An environment where they're challenged but never belittled
• Honest communication about their progress
• A program that cares about who they're becoming, not just how they play

If your kid is curious about basketball, they're ready. That's the only requirement.