106 - Share Kokoda in 2015

On this 99th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, the rememberence ceremonies accross Australia today are moving different people in different ways, but whatever Australia's military history means to you, come and celebrate it next year by walking the Kokoda Trail.

There's no 'one size fits all' stirring moment in war history - in Sydney this morning, a 10 year old girl was at the march to watch her uncle take part, in Gallipoli a young school boy was moved to tears as his school choir performed at the dawn service, and in Brisbane a Vietnam veteran read a poem he'd written that has helped him deal with his late onset post traumatic stress disorder. We all have different motivations, but whatever yours is, I urge you to tap into it and join the crew walking the trail next year.

Details on the trip and how to reserve your spot follow:

Kokoda To Owers Corner

• Destination: Kokoda PNG
• Duration: 8 days
• Departs: 21/10/2015
• Arrives: 29/10/2015
• Price: $3,685
• Led by: Australian Led

To book your spot, email Kokoda Spirit (enquire@kokodaspirit.com) with your full name and preferred postal address and a Booking Confirmation letter will be emailed to you, once the letter comes through, put your depsit down ($500) to reserve your spot.  

105-How Barnaby impacted the GWS Giants-VIDEO: http://shar.es/Ty34h

Testimonial from Simon Katich from GWS Giants

After giving a motivational speech to 15 people at the Horsby Heights Soccer Club, the man who got me there commented that "from little things, big things grow." And in front of a packed room at the GWS Giants AFL team's training headquarters at Sydney Olympic Park, I feel like big things are here.

I took a risk when I started my business in motivational speaking when I decided to tell audiences that a "normal" life is something to be proud of. It was risky because I thought people might want more - did they want to be told they could be anything they wanted if they just applied themselves right? Maybe, but what about the people who don't want to be world beaters? What about the people who want to be proud to just be a parent, or a team leader, or an emergency for their local footy team?

I wasn't certain that message was enough, but after these written and video testimonials from former Australian test cricket opener, Simon Katich from GWS, I feel like a normal life IS good enough.

Testimonial by Simon Katich

Barnaby Howarth's presentation to our young playing group at the Giants was truly inspirational.  His positive attitude to life after suffering a major stroke through no fault of his own gave our young players an extremely important message to learn from when dealing with setbacks in life.  Barnaby’s presentation skills were polished and conveyed a good mixture of serious messages along with some light-hearted moments which kept the boys entertained throughout.
Even though Barnaby’s footy career is complete, we at the Giants know he will continue to kick many more goals as a public speaker and whatever he puts his mind to.
Barnaby is a champion.

Video Testimonial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbopKxX9oXc

Testimonial from Leon Cameron, head coach of the GWS Giants

The philosophical reasons for the testimonials from the GWS Giants are explained in blog 103, this video testimonial from Giants head coach, Leon Cameron, is just an out and out brag - I'm not trying to hide it, so enjoy:

Leon Cameron testimonial

Diabetes horror story...me

I have been speaking to a young diabetic girl about telling the story of her struggles with the disorder at a diabetes fundraiser I'll be MCing in August to try and highlight the importance of finding a cure, but after passing out in a CBD laneway because of a low blood sugar level last night, and lying there in the patchy rain for a few hours until a passing citizen called the authorities who got me to hospital and stabalised me until I was ok to leave, I now have my own horror story to tell.

My incident started at lunchtime, when I had my regular dose of insulin, but I had something a little differnet for lunch - I got a crepe (which wad bloody good incidentally - from "Crepe Cart" in the Devonshire street tunnel), but the crepe didn't have the amount of carbohydrate to match the insulin I'd had. When I got a bus after work to go to meet a mate at Bunnings in Randwick, but ended up in Kingsford, I should have realised I wasn't thinking straight and checked my sugars, but instead I got a bus back into town to try again. When I got back to town things turned pear shaped, and I wandered around in a stupor until I passed out in a lane between George street and Pitt street. Thankfully after lying on the ground for about 2 hours, an ambulance turned up, gave me some glucose and took me to Sydney hospital to recover.

I made it back home fine, my sugars are back to normal today, and I've ordered an emergency ID bracelet, but last night's incident showed me that diabetes horror stories aren't confined to young children, they can strike anyone at any age at any time.

We need a cure. 

Once a footballer, always a footballer

Playing representative football for Sydney and NSW are 2 of the things I am most fiercly proud of in my life, so when I was asked by the Sydney AFL to take an active part in this years rep program as they try to instill a sense that being included in the 2014 squad "will be looked back on as a proud career highlight for those involved," it took me a New York second to happily accept. 

So as they take on the ACT over the June long weekend, I'll be honored to watch the Sydney AFL represent their competition with pride.

(This article is from the Sydney AFL website, my  involvement is mentioned near the end of the article)

AFL Sydney Rep Coaches Announced

AFL Sydney is pleased to announce the appointment of Roger Moten as the Senior Coach of the 2014 Sydney Representative side, and Chris Hughes as the returning coach for the Sydney Development squad.

With a long list of coaching credentials, Roger Moten begins his time with the Sydney Representative side following a year as the UWS Giants NEAFL Assistant Coach.

With a background beginning at Sydney University in 2009, Moten coached the inaugural year of the Sydney University NEAFL side in 2012, and also took Sydney AFL Coach of the Year honours in 2010. Prior to Sydney University, Moten performed as player/coach of the UTS First Grade side, leading them to premierships in 2006 and 2008.

"I am certainly thrilled to accept the role and I am looking forward to delivering a thorough program for representative football," says Moten.

Constructing a platform of pride in selection will be Moten’s main motivation as he takes over the senior side.

"The most important thing I can come in and do is deliver a program that is built around the honour it is to represent your peers…and the competition you play in."

Moten brings with him a strong teaching philosophy, with an emphasis on understanding team structures. With that, he will be selecting players purely on form and willingness to represent.

"It’s all about picking players who are playing well, as opposed to players that have made the team in previous years, and then are re-selected on reputation."

Fighting it out for the Carter–Jesaulenko Shield, the senior AFL Sydney team will take on rivals AFL Canberra on their turf at StarTrack Oval over the June long weekend. Meeting for the first time since 2009, Moten is looking forward to the contest.

"The Canberra league has traditionally been a stronger competition prior to the NEAFL taking over…I think they will still have a strong emphasis on a well drilled, well prepared side."

Chris Hughes finds himself at the reins of the Development side (Under 23’s) for the third year running. Currently working with the GWS Academy as their Western Sydney Giants Academy Coach and assistant to Mark McVeigh, Hughes’ coaching ability is evident through his time with the Sydney Swans Academy, the NSW/ACT Rams Under 18s side, as well as North Shore and Balmain.

For Hughes, his return to the Development side means another chance to get a win on the board. With the challenge of bringing together different players from different clubs and building one organised unit as his motivation, Hughes looks forward to creating a successful 2014 side.

"That’s always something that is the hardest thing to do. They’re all brilliant footballers by themselves and with their club teams, because that’s where they play all the time. But to bring them all together and actually get a cohesive team - that’s what brings me back to it."

"This year, we need a win. Last year we went very close but no cigar. This year is about getting a win under the belt but again bringing these guys together and producing a side with modern football styles."

Last year the Development squad went down to what was described as the best ever assembled Riverina side, however Hughes was pleased with this result given their underdog status at the time.

"To go down by just a few points and seeing the absolute panic on the oppositions’ faces, when a young side came up and played better football than what they did - it was quite satisfying."

Like the Senior squad, the Development side will also travel over the long weekend, making their way to Newcastle Sportsground to face the Black Diamond League. Despite a resounding victory to the Sydney side last time the two teams met in 2011, Black Diamond will this year be expected to field a much stronger and experienced team.

"I am expecting an extremely hard contest, they play very hard football up there. I am expecting us to be a very skillful side who run extremely well and that is what I am hoping will be the difference between them and us."

AFL Sydney Football Operations Manager, Matthew Graham is excited by the prospects provided by the 2014 Representative coaches.

"I am absolutely rapt to have Roger on board with his experience and passion," says Graham.

"I am also very pleased with the re-appointment of Chris Hughes who has laid a great platform in recent years, most notably through the large number of his former squad members progressing through to the senior team."

With aims of revamping the program from years past, Graham is of the hope that the new format will ensure great buy-in from clubs and their players - making for an experience that will be looked back on as a proud career highlight for those involved.

"There will be a number of changes to programs from previous years with a few new initiatives and ideas incorporated."

"As part of the refresh, former AFL Sydney Representative and Hall of Fame Member, Barnaby Howarth will play a key role with the teams. With the AFL Sydney Representative Player of the Year named in honour of the Howarth’s, it is very exciting to welcome Barnaby back to the fold."

"Clubs will have more involvement than ever in the program, with club coaches having real input to suitable players, keen and in form. In my opinion this year could be a real changing of the guard."

With the heads of each team now in place, assistant coaches will be announced in the coming weeks, and specific program details will be passed on to senior coaches.

Interviews for the Women’s coach are still underway and an announcement here will soon be made.

Fairytale stroke recovery

As I sit at work on a Saturday morning about to sign a renegotiated contract, and then go to an AFL game tomorrow, where my Dad and I have had tickets put aside by a former Australian test cricket opening batsman, it's slapping me in the face how lucky I have been in my recovery from my stroke in 2005. So in my 101st blog, I wanted to reflect on why.

If I had sat down after coming out of a four day coma and written a script for how I wanted my life to turn out, I never would have been brave enough to write it as perfectly as it's ended up. This is the script I never would have dreamed possible:

Former Sydney Swan and type 1 diabetic Barnaby Howarth, was out having a quiet drink with 3 mates on a Thursday night when one of his mates started a fight that Barnaby stepped into to break up, but he was knocked out by a king hit then kicked in the head while he was lying on the ground. During the fight, an artery in his brain stem was torn, and at football training the next week for the Pennant Hills Demons, where he was club captain, a blood clot was knocked loose, floated up the torn artery where it lodged itself, interrupting the blood flow going to and from his brain, causing a stroke.

His life spiralled into uncertainty, he was put on life support which his parents were told they might have to consider switching off, his family and friends were told to come and say goodbye, and they were all told that if he did survive, he'd probably be a vegetable. Before the stroke he was captain of his local footy club where he was now stranded on 96 games, he was 1 subject away from finishing a journalism diploma at university, and he had almost finished writing his autobiography about his life with diabetes, but now he couldn't shower himself, stand still without falling over, or pick up a tic tac off a table.

And then he started feeling lucky...

He moved back home with his parents, where his mother was a former nurse, his 2 best mates held a huge fundraiser, his parents' mates held another fundraiser, his rehabilitation hospital was one of the best in Sydney, and when he was discharged, his good friend and physiotherapist took over the role as primary carer.

But they were all things other people controlled for him, there were still parts of his life he'd have to control himself, but he wasn't sure how he'd do it. He decided that looking at the "why me's," the "what ifs" or worrying about what his life MIGHT be like were a waste of time - none of it would change what had happened, so all he could do was give 100% of his effort to the task in front of him and let the chips fall where they may, or as his former Pennant Hills coach used to tell the team, "focus on the game plan and the result will take care of itself."

And this is where the script gets almost too perfect to believe...

After a few months of rehanilitation, Barnaby went about getting his life back - He went back to University and got his diploma, he finished his autobiography and had it published, got involved with the footy club again, being the message runner, then water runner, put his journalism diploma to use and went and filmed a documentary in Botswana, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with his sister and a great mate, got a job in the media, made a football comeback and played his 100th game, and started doing some motivational speaking.

So as I sit in the stands with Roscoe tomorrow watching the Giants take on the Dees, I will have signed my contract with work, and with a pie in one hand, and a beer in the other. I'll be glowing in the knowledge that fate scripted my life better than I would have scripted it myself.