Meet the members of the first VIS Athlete Advisory group

The inaugural members of the Victorian Institute of Sport’s Athlete Advisory (VAA) have been confirmed and is made up by Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes.

Eight VIS athletes will play a crucial role in representing the interests and perspectives of VIS athletes helping to further cultivate an athlete-centric environment within high-performance sport in Victoria.

Olympic curler Dean Hewitt will be part of the newly established group that will ensure that athletes have a meaningful voice in shaping the institute’s future.

“⁠The athletes are at the heart of the operation at the VIS. Exploring athletes’ views, opinions and recommendations are key to fostering success for all current and aspiring athletes,” Hewitt said.

The advisory group members demonstrate the uniqueness of the VIS athlete cohort, representing sports across the Summer and Winter Games, individual and team sports.

“With so many winter athletes spending most of their time at daily training environments overseas, I hope I can share how we adapt and gather learnings from other places around the world,” Hewitt explained.

Four females and four males make up the group that also represents athletes in different stages of their careers ranging from the youngest member Ben Ross (canoe) to eight-time Paralympian Danni Di Toro (Para-table tennis).

Four-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games Champion Anabelle Smith (diving) has called VIS home for over 15 years before announcing retirement at the end of last year. She will now use her experiences to build a strong future for the athletes.

“The VIS was my safe place, my high-performance space, and where I flourished from a talented kid to a well-rounded senior athlete,” Smith said.

“It’s a privilege to now serve the next generation of athletes, to ensure they too can excel in sport and life, inspired by the legacy, that is, the heartbeat of the VIS”.

The group includes dual Paralympian Alexandra Viney (Para-rowing), two-time Olympian and Paris bronze medalist Caitlin Parker (boxing), Commonwealth Games Champion Johan Durst (hockey) and Paris bronze medalist Rhydian Cowley (athletics – racewalking).

VIS CEO Nicole Livingstone OAM is incredibly passionate about the creation of the Athlete Advisory and since day one has emphasised the importance of hearing from our athletes on how we shape the future of the VIS.

“Fostering an athlete experience and environment like no other is at the forefront of what we do at the VIS,” Livingstone OAM said.

The selection of the members to the Athlete Advisory was a difficult process due to the quality of applications, which speaks to the incredible resources of the VIS athletes. The successful candidates all have a strong motivation to apply their experience, knowledge and input to ensure that VIS athletes are heard.

“The uniting factor for the members of the Athlete Advisory is their genuine interest in the VIS and their passion for shaping the future of the institute and the broader high-performance sport environment,” Livingstone OAM said.

“This exceptional group of athletes all have a purpose and a drive that goes beyond their personal performance to create the best possible environment for their fellow athletes”.

The VAA will meet twice a year, with additional meetings convened as necessary. The Chair will be elected by the VAA members at the first meeting.