The nine Olympians will also be joined by twelve Australian Olympic Indigenous Coaching Scholarship holders who are receiving hands-on training before delivering a sports activity day to students (swimming, hockey and athletics). The Indigenous coaching scholarship program is a joint AOC initiative with the Toyota Foundation.

The Olympians will deliver sessions of the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) award winning “Olympics Unleashed” program, which involves the athletes delivering face to face lessons to students about the benefits of goal setting, good decision making, overcoming hardships and finding a passion in life.

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President Ian Chesterman and AOC Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll will join the Olympians and Scholarship recipients for the trip.

Mr Chesterman says the AOC has a deep commitment to Indigenous Reconciliation using the power of sport to change lives.

“We are very proud of the 60 known Indigenous Olympians who have represented Australia at Olympic Games over many decades.

“All Olympians have overcome enormous hurdles in their sporting journeys and their experiences are powerful lessons for school aged children on meeting challenges and making the most of what life has to offer. Olympians have the power to inspire.

“It’s a privilege to have members of the AOC’s Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) join us on the trip, including IAC Chair and Australia’s fastest man Patrick Johnson - and Committee member and Olympian in two sports, Nova Peris. Fellow IAC Members Danny Morseu and Brad Hore are also part of this endeavour, offering their expertise.

The Olympians are:

• Nova Peris (Hockey and Athletics)
• Patrick Johnson (Athletics)
• Danny Morseu (Basketball)
• Mack Horton (Swimming)
• Mariah Williams (Hockey)
• Brad Hore (Boxing)
• Nick Timmings (Skeleton)
• Natalie Burton (Basketball)
• David McKeon (Swimming) – AOC Staff member

The group will be joined in Katherine by fellow Olympian Justin Anlezark (Athletics – Shotput) who is on staff at Katherine High School.

AOC CEO Matt Carroll says the Olympic movement has also partnered with Toyota to deliver an Indigenous Coaching Scholarship program which provides practical support for coaches in Olympic sports to further their careers and provide instruction for Indigenous athletes around the country.

“Last year our first scholarship holders completed their training in basketball, in conjunction with Patty Mills’ Indigenous Basketball Australia and our sponsors Toyota. Now we have 12 new scholarship holders in swimming, athletics and hockey benefitting from this program.

“These coaches will receive training in the early part of the week before they put their skills to good use with around 50 young athletes at a special sports day.

The scholarship holders hail from Northern Territory, Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. The group was selected by Swimming Australia, Athletics Australia (with the Indigenous Marathon Foundation) and Hockey Australia.

The scholarship holders are;
•    Dawn Baira (QLD/Torres Strait) – Hockey
•    Tiana Brockhurst (QLD) - Athletics
•    Simone Carre (VIC) – Athletics
•    Travis Carroll (NT) – Hockey
•    Shana-Ann Casimiro (NT) - Hockey
•    Ben Catley (WA) – Athletics
•    Libby Cook-Black (QLD) - Athletics
•    Kim Eulenstein (NSW) - Swimming
•    Michael Faccin (NSW) - Swimming
•    Keegan Popowski (QLD) – Hockey
•    Timothy Stephens (QLD) – Athletics
•    Andrew Thorpe (VIC) – Athletics 

Toyota Australia Senior Manager Marketing Integration Tim Stuckey, congratulating the 12 new recipients, said the Indigenous Coaching Scholarship program reflected Toyota’s values of continuous improvement and respect for people.

“We are proud that partnering with the AOC to accelerate the professional development of these talented coaches will have a lasting positive impact on Indigenous athletes throughout Australia,” Mr Stuckey said.

“This innovative program demonstrates our passion for supporting communities through grassroots sport and for contributing to the creation of a more inclusive society in which everyone has the opportunity to unlock their potential through movement and make their dreams come true,” he said.