The Price You Pay
Host Natalie Cook, Olympic gold medalist and five-time Olympian, shares the inspiring and untold stories of athletes who face financial obstacles in their pursuit of becoming Olympian's and Paralympian’s.
Discover the sacrifices, challenges, and unwavering determination behind their pursuit of greatness.
Be inspired by their resilience and determination to turn their dreams into reality.
The Price You Pay
22: From Gymnast to World Champion Diver: Maggie Grey's Olympic Quest
Dreams take flight from unexpected places. For 14-year-old Maggie Grey, Australia's junior world platform diving champion, it began while watching Simone Biles compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics. "Mom, I'm going to go to the Olympics," she declared at age eight. Six years later, she's well on her way.
Maggie's path reveals remarkable strategic thinking uncommon in someone so young. At ten, she pivoted from gymnastics to diving, recognizing the competitive landscape and seeking a clearer route to her Olympic ambitions. Now a five-time Australian champion with international victories across three continents, she's fixed her sights on LA 2028 with unwavering determination.
What makes Maggie exceptional isn't just her technical ability but her mental approach. While many athletes develop fear around the 10-meter platform, she thrives on it: "I actually enjoy the heights. I like the adrenaline it gives me." This psychological edge, according to her coach Ady Hinchcliffe (newly appointed head coach of Australian diving), is her "weapon" in competition.
The conversation delves into diving's technical complexity, where athletes must master five different dive types with minimal margin for error. "The finest mistake and she's in the trees," explains Ady, likening it to a golf swing where the slightest error sends the ball off course. Yet Maggie maintains remarkable consistency across these varied movements.
Financial challenges remain significant for elite athletes despite some funding support. Through the Aussie Athlete Fund, Maggie has learned valuable fundraising skills, starting with selling chocolate-covered strawberries to help fund her competitive journey. This education in "asking for help" represents a crucial life skill beyond the pool.
Despite China's dominance in senior diving (sweeping all eight Olympic gold medals at the last Games), Maggie and Coach Ady maintain optimistic perspectives. Their story illuminates what's possible when talent meets opportunity, resilience overcomes obstacles, and an Olympic dream stays firmly in focus through it all.
Support athletes like Maggie by visiting www.aussieathletefund.com and joining the mission to create sustainable funding models for Australia's future champions.
Become a part of our athletes' success stories: Whether its a personal donation, a corporate partnership, a round of golf, or simply by spreading the word, your support has the power to uplift our athletes and inspire countless others!
Website: https://aussieathletefund.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aussieathletefund/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aussieathletefund
Thank you for tuning in to The Price You Pay podcast! To ensure you never miss an episode, hit that "FOLLOW" button and remember to leave us a like, review, rating or share the podcast with someone you know needs to hear the inspiring stories of athletes and their families giving their all for the dream!
My name is Luke Morrison and I'm from the Gurundjeri Gurundjeri mob, and I wish to acknowledge the lands on which the Price you Pay podcast is being recorded, on the Meeinjin country. I feel the spirits of my Indigenous ancestors having my back as I step into the boxing ring. This podcast pays homage to the tradition of storytelling when it shares athlete journeys and wishes to extend its respect to all Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Nat Cook:Welcome to Season 3 of the Price you Pay podcast hosted by myself, nat Cook, five-time Olympian and gold medalist, alongside our superstar interviewer, sarah Sarah from Chatterbox Media. Through conversations with Aussie Athlete Fund recipients, the truth emerges of what it truly takes to reach the highest echelons of sport in this country. By introducing family and key members of the athlete's journey to the discussion, we uncover the hidden costs and barriers they face, while getting a sense of the impact it has on their communities. Indulge me as I take you on a journey of my legacy project that spurred the creation of this podcast and the need to share these amazing athlete stories. I created the Aussie Athlete Fund to provide our next generation aspiring to or wearing the green and gold with the financial skills, tools, networks and opportunities to take care of their financial well-being. I personally retired after 20 years, $300,000 in debt, two medals, no superannuation, and I don't want that for the next generation. I don't want them to continue to pay a price for the honour to represent our country.
Nat Cook:I'm most proud of the athletes in the Aussie Athlete Fund designing their own initiatives to fundraise. We show them a tool for their fundraising roadmap and then they go about finding the networks, finding the businesses asking people for support along their journey. They get to deal with rejection, they get to deal with success. They have a community, a connected community, so they know they're not alone in this process and I really love how they take ownership for their own journey. And that is what I'm most proud of is to grow the awareness of the fund, but also of these athletes' journeys, to inspire businesses and individuals who have the means to connect with these athlete journeys. They work so hard on the track, in the pool, on the court, to represent this great country and we need people to back their journeys. We need people to get emotionally connected. So that's it. In the short term, I need to raise funds, I need to grow awareness and I need to teach the athletes how to be responsible for their own fundraising journeys.
Nat Cook:In the next seven years towards 32, I want people to know how important the green and gold athlete is for our country and how it not only inspires our next generation of athletes but our businesses and the whole country to lift, to be the best they can be.
Nat Cook:It's so important to share this podcast not only with our athletes, so they have a tool for their fundraising to share their stories with people that might like to back them on the journey, but also so that people know the depth of effort that these athletes go to Not only the athletes, their family and friends and their supporting community to help them rise to represent all of us on a world stage. And I want people to be able to be inspired and motivated, like I am when I hear all these athlete stories, to want to help them fundraise and help them look after their financial well-being. So enjoy listening to the stories, pick one or two that you want to back in and make sure they know that you're supporting them. And now, with complete trust and confidence, I hand over the microphone, and I know that might be hard for you to believe, but I have to go out and fundraise for our athletes. As she continues the conversation, our star interviewer, sarah.
Sarah Maxwell:Today I sit down with 14 year old diving sensation, maggie Grey. Maggie is a five-time Australian champion, has won numerous competitions in Germany, america and Norway and most recently was crowned junior world platform champion. This girl is on a meteoric rise and she's so uncomfortable with me saying all this. She actually began her sporting journey on dry land as a gymnast, but by 10 years old she was in the pool diving in pursuit of her green and gold tracksuit. She now has her sights squarely fixed on LA 2028. And if her determined headstrong nature any indication, she will get there.
Sarah Maxwell:Maggie has had a clear vision of her Olympic dream since she was eight and now the adrenaline is well and truly flowing. For this three years to go goal, maggie has invited her coach, Ady which I could have said that in a lot of wrong ways, but Ady Hinchliffe to the conversation today as the newly appointed head coach and program director for Australian diving. Ady comes from much success in the UK and is now in Australia helping to produce champions all over the place. Diving Australia is definitely well positioned for the upcoming home games in Brisbane 2032. So now Ady can be uncomfortable. Okay, Maggie, like I can talk about him a little bit too. So are you two ready to dive in? Yeah, did you see?
Sarah Maxwell:I used a diving word there, just just for you, maggie and Maggie, you get to go first, so you're kind of like the boss of the interview and 80 comes and says things here and there. So before we hear all about your diving career so far, I wanted to ask about your recent meeting of the heads of the International Olympic Committee. They all flew in from Switzerland as they prepare for, you know, brisbane Games in seven years' time, and there's this amazing photo with the new president-elect, Kirsty Coventry, and I see that they asked you for your vision for the Brisbane Games. And so I'm curious, like what did you say? And was that a daunting question, Maggie?
Maggie Grey:been games and so I'm curious, like what did you say? And was that a daunting question, maggie? Um, not really. Okay, I think what I said was just like they asked, like three words that would describe what we would think the Olympics would look like, and I said inclusivity, community and integrity.
Sarah Maxwell:I think I said, but yeah, wow, are you like a politician or something? Have you thought about that before?
Maggie Grey:or did it surprise you? No, just like I just said on the spot and I was like, oh, that was scary.
Sarah Maxwell:Oh my gosh, that's a wonderful answer. So I know that you have had a dream about the Olympics and now they're. You know, I know you're really thinking about 2028 at this point. When people ask you about the Olympics in general, like that, I know you said you didn't prepare that answer. But had you thought about it before? No, not at all. Wow, so you don't think about wow. Well, well done, you nailed it and congratulations on meeting those people. And I'm not sure if you realize how special it is now, but maybe one day you'll go back and you know, you'll put that photo in the pool room. Literally, that was an Australian joke that the Canadian learned a while ago. So, okay, I want to hear a little bit about you starting as a gymnast. So you, you started there and then, um, like, like, I really want to know how that background of gymnast helps your diving.
Maggie Grey:Okay. So in gymnastics you obviously do like a lot of strength and tumbling and somersaults, which is like it really complements your diving, I guess and most divers actually were previously gymnasts, so it's probably like the best sport to transition into.
Sarah Maxwell:And why do people start you, you think, in gymnastics versus diving?
Maggie Grey:well, I think people normally start in gymnastics not thinking about diving later, but then I don't know something, they just want to try something new and I think diving's normally like something that would they would think about to start and you're the change for you.
Sarah Maxwell:Did you have a clear reason for changing sports um?
Maggie Grey:sort of like I've always like had a dream of going to the Olympics and there's so many like young gymnasts in Australia, um, and there's obviously not as many divers as gymnasts and I wanted to try diving and there's just a lot better community here as well. So, yeah, I really enjoy it.
Sarah Maxwell:I love you. You're so strategic. I was a little bit strategic when I was growing up, too. I chose a sport that was a little less popular, because I thought I had a better chance of going to the Olympics as well, so I like your thinking. Okay, tell me, maggie, a little bit about platform platform diving. So what is the most important thing when you're training to be the best in the world at that event?
Maggie Grey:um on 10 meter. Look, I learned that quite recently. You've got to have a lot of respect for the 10 meter because you are quite high up and, yeah, it does hurt when you, when you go wrong, it happens. But no, just like respecting your sport, respecting 10 meter because it's a big, it's very high. Did you get hurt or something? No, I mean just like landing a little bit short, landing a little bit over, it's like a little sting, but I mean you can definitely flatline and it will hurt.
Sarah Maxwell:But yeah, okay, and is being young and I will ask eight, don't worry, 80. I'm coming to you with some of these questions too. But because sometimes it's hard to know you're in your own body, right, you don't know any different, but because you're young. When you start, are you fearless.
Maggie Grey:I think definitely like I've never really had a fear of heights, so I think that's always been fine for me. But you do see, like going through like teenage years, fear develops. I guess in a way for other athletes, but personally for me, I've never. I actually enjoy the heights. I like the adrenaline that it gives me. But yeah, athletes, um, definitely there's a bit of a change yeah, got it and are you?
Sarah Maxwell:would you say you're coachable, like when you get coaching on how to do moves, and do you pick up the coaching easily?
Maggie Grey:I'd like to think so, um yeah.
Sarah Maxwell:I'd say so, yeah, yeah it's hard when your coach is sitting next to you it's like oh, I can't lie, okay. Yeah, so you're coachable, so clearly there's a special guest next to you that you've invited onto the call and so I'd love you, maggie, to introduce, like we spoke about, why he's successful and why he's great in that way, but kind of from your perspective, maggie, can you just share a little bit of the impact that he's had on your career so far?
Maggie Grey:Okay, I don't just think of AD as a coach, like we have a very good relationship, obviously, and I think he like matures me as an athlete but also as a person. I think. Yeah, I'd say that that's beautiful.
Sarah Maxwell:You are quite mature. So he's done something. He's done something to help. How long actually, I'm coming to you? 80. But, maggie, how long have you guys worked together?
Maggie Grey:Oh, end of 2023, maybe, so I'm not too sure how long that is now, but I just know that's what it is.
Sarah Maxwell:Got it, yeah, because 80 was in the UK, so not for your whole journey. Okay, 80,. Your turn, your turn.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:I'm a bit embarrassed here.
Sarah Maxwell:I know that's why I do it. It's like a little, it's kind of like a cool thing to do to tell other people what they mean to you. It's something that we sometimes get embarrassed about, but I think it's a really beautiful thing to do when you care about someone so 80. You've been working for two years with Maggie and what talent did you see in her when you first saw her dive?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:well, I want to start by saying that I think I'm a standing for mum today, which I told her I would definitely bring up before we started. Yeah, but I want to start by saying that I think I'm a standing for mum today, which I told her I would definitely bring up before we started.
Sarah Maxwell:Yeah Well, I tried to get mum. She's run away, she's run away.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:So I'm really happy to be in here and to celebrate Maggie today and what she's up to, but I forgot what your question was there.
Sarah Maxwell:OK, what did you see in her? So you've come from a successful program in the UK. You come to Australia. You've worked with a lot of champions, and then you see Maggie. What do you see?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:Yeah, so actually I mean, I met Maggie back in 2019. So a local coach here when I was very early. So I came from the UK in 2017. I was sort of working getting to know diving in queensland and met a young um, but this young one, she was in a she she'd come in through a, come and try it off the back of her gymnastics with a few, a lot of, actually a lot of gymnasts that day and started diving. And actually I remember having a conversation with her when she was around about 10 years old where I really heard the dream. You know, she talked a lot about being an Olympian. She actually had targeted Paris in her plan originally, which I was just so taken by, not not the fact that a lot of young people will say that, but just the clarity yeah what she wanted to do and did actually involve high diving back in those days as well.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:I think that's gone off to the side and that and that, and from that moment, I think I was just genuinely fascinated by Maggie, um, and, and also then to watch her come into the sport, and she's worked with a lot of coaches in the centre that work with me and and the feedback's always been very positive and um and very exciting. So it it's. I think in the early days, what what was most in most impressive was just and we saw that in some of the questions she starts already in this podcast is it is that little bit of maturity about her dream and what she wants to achieve, which which is what. So, and then the behaviors we saw day to day yeah and she was challenged by the sport which I love that.
Sarah Maxwell:It's, uh, yeah, like her spirit that shone through. First, and then the the physical talent you know followed um addy when, because you've worked with many champions, what separates them from good divers? What do you see that maybe some of us don't?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:I think it's's the missing piece. I mean, I always try to think of divers in three elements. One is, as you've mentioned already, the physicality that's required for the sport. Then there's sort of a technical element to diving which is very complex. I mean, it's not for everybody. That's probably why we're a bit smaller. It's a tough sport from that perspective. And then thirdly, obviously, the mental capacity that's needed. So when I'm looking at any diver that's coming in, it's really, it's often they shine in one of those areas more than others.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:And what I see with with maggie particularly, is there's uh, there's a real, there's a real strength to her mentally in challenges and she's referred already to we've had a big week this week. You know a few challenges and, um, her ability to do that, that's that's, that's that's that's talent in its purest sense. And often in our sport the ability to be mentally resilient and to rise above in in in difficult scenarios is really important, and often it's actually really important in most sports. When it comes to the highest level, the physical elements and the tech, the technical you almost just need the baseline. Are there stronger athletes than maggie out there? That she'll probably. Are there some that are even technically better, yes, but she has the bare minimum you require to be world class. That I think you know. So that's what we're, that's what what I'm looking for. So I've really been impressed with her as she's got stronger, got technically better, but overlay her mental strength on that. That's her weapon.
Sarah Maxwell:Yeah, yeah, it can create. It's the X factor isn't it, it is. It is that In competition, like in the world championships. Actually, either one of you can answer this Did it come down to that? Either one of you can answer this did it come down to? That was a real like pressure, like was the score tight and then you had to? No, so you kind of blew it away, did you? You had it the whole time.
Maggie Grey:Well, I mean in the junior department, you have a bit of a tactic. I like to um, I like to try and do my that. We did like first, first four on platform, which is like your easy does, everyone will do like roughly the same. I like to like climb up a little in those, just so like you can try and set a gap, I guess, between, like the compulsories and the optionals. But I was quite confident the whole time in Rio, um, just training, I like to watch my competitors first and I I had quite a good feeling, I guess, but no, yeah yeah, got it, so it wasn't.
Sarah Maxwell:It didn't come down to the last dive or anything like that not really have you ever had that experience before?
Maggie Grey:um in Norway. Um, I competed up. I was actually only maybe 12. Then, um, I competed up and it literally came down to two points and I didn't. I like I was like, oh yeah, second. And then my competitor she's actually one of my teammates like obviously she did a really good dive. And then I was like, oh, it's gonna be like close between first and second. It's like Maggie won. I was like, oh okay, um, I feel like in most of the junior competition that I've done, I've set quite, a, quite a gap between my other competitors, but that's always like that's just junior diving and I'm going into senior diving now, which I'm really excited to do yes, that's right, your mom said that.
Sarah Maxwell:So one thing, addy, you said about technical, like the technicality, can you without? You don't have to go there, you don't have to coach us all. But I am curious what? What makes the technicality of diving so complex?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:we have to. Um, I always I'm not very I'm not very good golf player. I always try to connect it to golf because I've tried to play golf and I do know that when I am on the first tee and I slightly just slightly get it wrong, I'm in the trees very quickly. It's an error between actually going down the fairway when I hit a ball or not, and diving actually is very similar to that, but it's to. To make it sort of understandable, maggie has to do five different dives that are all very different in different directions. One of them's actually from her hands in a handstand and on each one of those dives the finest mistake and she's in the trees. It's that fine.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:So they're very complex skills. So for that it's very, very hard to to to become technically proficient on five different types of dives, uh, 33 feet up in the air above that water, and be consistent. And that's what we're in diving and all divers. That's what we're sort of working towards and maggie's been able to learn skills and be able to do that with a reasonable accuracy. Not too much variance, I suppose, in the outcomes and um, and that's been sort of where. Again, that's why I link that back to the mental capacity to hold the skills together. But the it's, it's, the training that we do is designed to help her better understand, even herself, what she's doing technically, so she can get an understanding of that. But going back I want to go back to that some of the questions.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:I want to jump on some of the things she said yeah, yeah, pressure in my world with working with talent has always been really exciting as a coach, but one of the things we have to do is actually teach them how to win. It's not as easy. Even though maggie told her story there about getting ahead of others. We can't under underestimate these other divers. They can't. They're good at what they do, so the ability to to have that and also see that through, even though you might be rank number one in a competition.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:It's hard to do and it's something I've really. I mean, it's an amazing statistic for maggie, because we didn't, because she was a COVID baby that remember we, she, she learned diving in COVID, where we couldn't see competition or go anywhere part of her career. She just didn't even. I don't think you even knew there were anybody else out there diving back in those days when we actually put her out on this on the scene. Um, this was the case that she, she found out that she was, she was performing to a good level against her peers. Um, so I really utilized, so she was unbeaten. She's actually been unbeaten internationally as a junior. I still think to this day I can't remember if you have been beaten yet, but I don't think so now.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:That's actually a problem for me I know, we now know if you can do it. So we're looking now actually this where we're at now we're actually looking at trying to provide opportunities where she's got to go, to those places where she can find it.
Sarah Maxwell:Yeah, that's quite interesting, like thinking about the mentality in that like because there are challenges to go on a whole tangent, but basically that, the ability to hold that confidence. I want to say ignorance is bliss a little, and use that expression, but there is something about the freshness that you have, maggie, and it's like learning how to just continuing to be in that space. But, like you say with senior, I think you'll have new moments to rise to the occasion and if yeah like.
Sarah Maxwell:I know a lot of people who like winning all the time. So as you rise to the new challenge, you just often find a way to win. I have have a feeling about you. I have a feeling, maggie, that you're just going to find a way, no matter who and where. But yeah, also, knowing how to lose, that's a thing too, isn't it? We won't talk about that.
Sarah Maxwell:You don't know you don't know anything about that, nevermind. Okay, hold on. So that was a very 80. That was a really cool example about technicality, like, and how one little move like can alter everything. So, maggie, had me curious your personality to stay pretty much in your lane with your technical. Do you show that in any way in other places in your life, like at school, or with your friends? Like, what do you like at school?
Maggie Grey:um, when I'm at school, or with your friends, like, what do you like at school? When I'm at school, I guess, yeah, you don't go there much. I think I'm quite a perfectionist. Okay, got it. So I mean, like not controlling, but like I like to do, like I like to be like when I'm like at home or like at school and we're like in a project, I like to know what's happening. Okay, just because I like to set, like when I'm like at home or like at school and we're like in a project, I like to know what's happening. Like, okay, just cause I like. I like to set my own goals. Yeah, I don't really know how to explain that. So you have school goals? Yeah, no, we'll just like goals in general. Obviously, most of my goals are in diving because, like that's what I'm really passionate about.
Sarah Maxwell:Um, so, when you write a test, what happens for you? Tell me. Tell me about a test that you've written at school recently. So what grade are you in right now? 10. Okay, so you're in grade 10. What's the last test you wrote?
Maggie Grey:At Chemish Well I? My school sets up different schooling for me, okay.
Sarah Maxwell:Yeah, just you. Yeah, you wrote a chemistry test. Oh yeah, right what?
Maggie Grey:are we talking?
Sarah Maxwell:about.
Luke Morrison:Okay.
Sarah Maxwell:I know why she asked me about school. You know why? Because there's something really cool about being an athlete and I love this quote that said, as you do, one thing is how you do everything. It's a little bit more of like Eastern philosophy idea, but I think it's really interesting when more of like a eastern philosophy idea, but I think it's really interesting when it comes to like we can talk about your diving, but I think possibly the way you dive is the way you do school. It's the way you do friends. I'm so.
Maggie Grey:I was just a little curious oh, I definitely think, um, I do diving a lot different to like I look like I'm very, very serious at diving. I take things like just like everything is diving at school. Yeah, it's a bit harder. Just because I'm so serious about diving, I don't know how to be serious about anything else. I'm not like that at all. I think all diving and, yeah, most of my friends are from diving, diving so we all have the same interest.
Sarah Maxwell:so are you? Are you funny as a friend? Are you like the funny goofy friend or the serious friend?
Maggie Grey:I'm not. I'm not the serious friend.
Sarah Maxwell:No, yeah yeah, that's a good point, because sometimes it's like so much attention is on one thing, you need to like release the pressure valve in the other ways. So all we love is getting to know you better. So all your answers are great, that's all I love is like oh, that's really interesting. Okay, so I wanted to ask you about your Olympic dream, but I'm going to ask you about that later. Maggie, so um 80, what does it take to really make it in this sport? So here we are. Now you're talking she's moving up to senior, right, so what's it gonna take for her to? You can cover your ears if it's too much, maggie but what's, it?
Sarah Maxwell:gonna take Aidy for her to realize this 2028 dream.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:It's interesting that you asked listening to that last segment.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:I think that's a piece of work, for the self-awareness piece in this for maggie is really important and she's you can hear already she's relatively self-aware and I believe that, um, no matter what, um, what, what the outcome is, but the ones that I've worked with have been ultimately successful.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:All have a story of heartache or real challenge and the ones who really make, it's their ability to navigate really challenging scenarios often and sometimes it can be outside of diving because it can affect them, or, but also in their sport, and sometimes both their ability to to keep going, you know, despite that is very, very important.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:So I think that would be my number one is that you just don't know what those curveballs can be, and it's their ability, and especially the ones who are really good, just seem to find a way, no matter what gets thrown at them, whether that's a really serious injury or a real personal, really nasty personal story, or even just a really bad period of performing, they just keep going. And I think that resilience piece is really important as long as you've got the sort of basic bits, as I said earlier you've got enough physical, you've got enough technical and you've got enough of men, but that mental resilience and capacity to keep going when times are hard. Often are the stories that people tell when they're successful. They refer back to those moments because they've given the tools in their bag to do the wonderful performance that they celebrate. They relate it back to something that was tough.
Sarah Maxwell:In that, adi, is there any resilience in terms of what it costs to travel the world financially for like? This is normally what I would have asked, like tiffany, like mom, for example. So, but I'm going to ask you. So how expensive is it to travel the world and compete in this sport at the highest level?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:it's actually a really good question. When I first came to australia, um, I went with the junior. I wanted to go away with the junior team and I found out they were all paying. We went to the Ukraine, to Kiev, to a junior world championships and I could not believe how expensive it was for these families. In fact, one of the parents here had twins and he was paying for both of his girls to be there and I really felt quite sorry for him when I saw the bill.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:The good news in that just recently and how we've been supported by the AIS, is that we've enabled funding at the key junior level now, so a lot of the events they used to not have to used to have to fund themselves as there's a there's a there's an element. So I don't know. I think Maggie's been lucky in that respect that she's come into an era where she hasn't had to pay for all of this, which is really how it should be. If you're representing your country at the level that Maggie is, I think it's nice to see that the country is backing that.
Sarah Maxwell:Now, that being said, it's never cheap.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:That's. That's one element you know there is, there is the day to day, and one of the things, in particularly in Maggie's case, that makes it expensive is she's being very successful as a young athlete. She's a precocious talent. So, and with our, with our ability to keep Maggie safe when she travels away in all respects, we require parents to often travel with her. Sometimes Maggie's not over the moon about that, sometimes maggie's not over the moon about that, but it's important for us to to involve the parents. So they so. And tiff, that's what tiffany and russ dad's cost, so they've had to travel quite a lot you know even inside australia that can, that can add up.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:So there's been a lot of expense in that space. I would say, yeah, even now and actually as maggie gets a bit older and more mature, that will go down. But we've already talked about, even though we have a lot of things that are funded through our program with Dive in Australia, there is a number of things that we want to do in terms of training camps and, over and above, experiences around the world with friends that Maggie is making around the world that will need to be funded and that that is not, that's not cheap so, maggie, what's that story about you?
Sarah Maxwell:like you, you know, there's a story about your entrepreneurial business ventures to get to Brazil at the world, the world championship. So what was that? Like you did something on. Do you know what I'm? Talking about so why did you have to do?
Maggie Grey:that to go to Brazil. I mean, obviously Brazil was fully funded from the AIS and Diving Australia, but it was more of like a lesson. That was like learning how to fundraise. And we came up with this idea in Australia I don't know if you've seen, but like very popular, the chocolate covered strawberries, okay and I was like, oh yeah, I had nothing else to think of. And I was like, oh, you could actually make some money off of that. And it was just like learning how to fundraise and yeah, just that. But who?
Sarah Maxwell:told you who had that idea that you should learn how to fundraise.
Maggie Grey:The Aussie Athlete Fund. We were doing work through that.
Sarah Maxwell:Got it. So until the Aussie Athlete Fund thing with is it the Million Dollar Challenge thing, that education program, okay. So that's where you were starting to hear oh, there's this whole fundraising thing. Okay, so what did you learn from doing that?
Maggie Grey:From the Aussie Athlete Fund, I learned like how to like ask for help. I mean it is scary when you think about it, but it's a lot easier than you think. Like, just like asking like people, like, oh like, could you help with this? And just like. That's kind of like the like the biggest thing I took away from it.
Sarah Maxwell:Yeah, I got it, because before that you hadn't done that before. Yeah, yeah.
Luke Morrison:I know.
Sarah Maxwell:Right, it's sort of like you don't done that before. Yeah, I know, right, it's sort of like you don't really learn it at school. So that's, the Aussie Athlete Fund is a kind of school for that kind of stuff and lucky you didn't have to do it until then, whereas you know Nat who created it. The reason why she created that was because she just was forced to do it. You know she had to sell pies and she had to go to her neighbors and Nat does all sorts of crazy things, as you probably learned in the program. But I think it kind of helps you when you're traveling and you're out in the world and you have to ask for things, like even my nine-year-old. It's like sometimes I see how she's in these situations and like she won't ask. So it is a skill. You know it's not something that just you wake up one day and you're good at asking, so that's really cool. So the strawberry thing was it a hit?
Maggie Grey:Yeah, I mean I ate more than I sold.
Sarah Maxwell:You didn't even have spending money for Brazil.
Maggie Grey:Oh no, I did no, I did. I did yes Because I did it with one of my teammates and, yeah, we definitely did a lot of spending in brazil.
Sarah Maxwell:good um addy. So or see, I did it I was doing so well, ady um. Congratulations, by the way, on that new appointment to head coach of australian driving, because as I was reading about you, I'm like July 2025.
Nat Cook:What it's not July yet. What's going on?
Sarah Maxwell:So I realized that it's a new appointment, so I'm curious what differences will it entail for you to, you know, go from successful coaching that you've already been doing to this sort of head coach role? What does this mean?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:It's I mean head coaching roles in the Australian sports system is you take a step back? It's almost the easiest way to think about. It is coaching coaches. So it's really they're looking for me to impart my skill set. I've been coaching since I was 17.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:So, it's been a bit of a decision to make that, but also it's quite um motivating for me to start thinking about giving back and imparting some of that, which a lot. That's happened since I was 17, um, and I really feel that I can contribute and help in that space and then continue to actually help people like maggie in a slightly different way, um, but from a different position. Um, to make sure, particularly with the, the home olympic games, there's lots of transitions, there's young coaches coming through the systems, there's a there's a really important piece of work that needs to be done so that we are looking at our very best when we, when we have that home games, come along and, um, I'm sort of really motivated to make sure that teams are strong. That there's a whole set of you know, I suppose in my head it's like a set of coaches that are tooled up by me with everything that I have to give them, so they probably even do a better job than I could do by the time we get.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:There is my vision for it, but, as you know from those dates, I haven't started yet. I've actually still got to. I still got some things I want to do with my athlete. Me and maggie are going off to canada and america next week, oh okay you'll hear lots of people like me then.
Sarah Maxwell:Yes, this is like a training.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:Yeah there's lots of fun stuff and a world championships ahead of us. Before I get to that, I'm still very short-term focused and the fun part of it is and, as I said, I've got some fantastic relationships with my athletes I'm really quite lucky with, with the squad I work with and maggie's a big part of that. I get to stay with them, I get to stay on the journey. Okay, something that I really wanted to, wanted to to do and was, and it made it very easy to make the decision that I'm still going to be, I'm afraid, maggie, I'm still going to be downstairs on the poolside so you'll still do the out.
Sarah Maxwell:Like you know, if her practice is three to six, you'll still be around 80 in that way there'll be another coach, sort of yelling uh technicalities at her. Yeah, and, and I still do some work.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:I it's. It's a. We haven't had this type of role yet in diving australia. It's a slightly different move in the strategy, but it doesn't it doesn't include me doing that sort of thing. So, still being there will be sessions where I will still coach maggie as required, but it will be led on her. Her new personal coach would lead on that. That will be happening.
Sarah Maxwell:Yes, in australia as a nation like I just have in my mind. China, china diving like sorry, is that rude? But, we canada, we had when I was watching more sports. We had some good canadian divers actually. So that's what I've watched a lot of diving actually. Um, but where is australia? What's like kind of the legacy of australia in diving? And is this unusual that the world champion is Australian, like junior?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:Do you want?
Sarah Maxwell:to go first. Sorry, I did say I was going to. You can answer that. What do you think, Maggie?
Maggie Grey:I think in junior diving. No, I think Australia has very strong junior divers Got it. We've actually kind of kept our throne since Canada Junior World Championship 2022 was an Australian girl Got it. Thank you, I didn't know that. Yeah, so the junior big girl next year is gonna keep it up and what happens at senior level. Then maggie do you know, I think I think it is a bit different for the senior level, um only because china obviously dominates, um.
Sarah Maxwell:I think we're definitely up there in senior too, though well, I feel like you're gonna make sure that that story changes a little whatever the china, the china dominance is, uh often it comes down to systems, their culture, their financial investment.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:It's it on every level.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:It's very hard for all the other countries to keep up with them at the moment yeah, it doesn't mean it doesn't mean that we don't beat them, though you know there's there's that we find a way scenario, which is part of the success that I had in the uk. I enabled something to happen in that space and and beat the chinese team. So it's not impossible and we should never think of that. It's just that we are not resourced in a way that it's it's hard. So we, you know, you may see, at the olympics at the moment, and at the last games they won all of the eight gold medals.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:China, which is the first time they've actually done it, but it's, it's a bit of a statement. So the rest is, and often what happens and I've been fortunate enough in a few scenarios to coach athletes that get them if you're not mean, and what actually happens on the day is the whole room, it's, it almost is china versus the rest of the world. The rest of the countries don't mind who it is in a way, but as soon as someone's got that, the whole world gets behind them.
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:It's a fun, a funny like an underdog kind of cheering yeah, but australia is very much and has been always similar to canada. A lot of those canadian divers you probably were watching I I know them all pretty well and and um, canada, the commonwealth countries of canada, the, the, the british and the um and the australians have always been there or thereabouts. As nations they are definitely all sort of top six nations in our sport and often some of those gold medals have turned from china to another country, have come from can, the Brits and Australia. They're quite, they're quite good at doing it.
Sarah Maxwell:And I think they they'd be pretty tired if they took all eight, like now they're going to rest. Sport is cyclical, though I will say so you know they're on. This is their resting time because they went and did that.
Nat Cook:So yay, good timing.
Sarah Maxwell:Maggie.
Nat Cook:Okay, maggie, you get the last word I want.
Sarah Maxwell:I am very excited about your ability to dream. So you've held this dream since you were eight years old, and Nat has this theory that the dream really gets implanted at eight years old, because we often hear that. So I think that's kind of interesting that you're furthering that. So, la 2028, three years away, what do you visualize these days when you go to bed at night?
Maggie Grey:The Olympics, I mean. Well, it actually my whole Olympic dream started like I watched the rio 2016, the woman's floor final. I was watching simone okay, she's insane like she is insane like mom I'm gonna go to the olympics. She's like what, um, but no, I feel like ever since I was six, it's just always something that I've like kept in the back of my mind. It's always something that I want to do, like I feel like that's just my ultimate life goal.
Sarah Maxwell:When you, when you say, I visualize the Olympics, do you visualize diving, or do you visualize the Olympic cafeteria at the village? Or do you visualize other athletes in different uniforms, like, what are you seeing?
Maggie Grey:Um, I mean obviously the diving pool pool. Younger me, we would have seen a, a beam or vault, but a diving pool, and also the olympic rings, like where everyone takes the photos.
Sarah Maxwell:I think so yeah have you been to the la pool before? Is it like in existence, does it? Is it there any?
Ady (Adrian) Hinchliffe:refurbished. I think it's not what's being ref. It's the old la pool that's being refurbished at the moment, but it will be quite an impressive arena once it's all done.
Sarah Maxwell:And Maggie, would you say that dream like the rings and the pool, that vision. Has it changed over the years or is it like pretty much locked in that same view?
Maggie Grey:It's pretty locked in. Yeah, I'd say Right on.
Sarah Maxwell:Girl, thank you truly for being so mature and being able to express yourself. Ad reflected that he's seen that in you for a long time, but I really appreciate you sharing that with us, because I truly believe that only when other kids see what's possible like that really can encourage them that they can do it too. So I think it's really important and also I really enjoy watching this coach athlete relationship, because there's a lot of bad rap between athletes and coaches these days, so we need to see some really nurturing positive relationships like you two. So thank you so much, thank you.
Sarah Maxwell:Thank you like you two.
Nat Cook:So thank you so much, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for joining us on another episode of the Price you Pay podcast.
Nat Cook:We hope we've inspired you with the insider's look of the challenges faced by our aspiring athletes, the highs and lows of playing sports at such an elite level, and what's possible when you're so devoted to your craft. It's our mission at the Aussie Athlete Fund to create a sustainable funding model to support our athletes for both their financial well-being and education for their own athlete economy. To be part of the journey, please visit our website at wwwaussieathletefundcom and choose how you would like to be involved, whether that's as a corporate partner, teaming up with an athlete in the Million Dollar Challenge or hosting your very own event to help raise funds. Choose your own adventure. The Aussie Athlete Fund mission, or even an episode, is how we grow and expand the reach we have in supporting these young athletes. Be a part of changing the narrative. And one last thing press the follow button and rate us for season three so these stories can travel further and wider. Be sure to join us next time for more captivating stories of triumph and resilience on the next episode of the Price you Pay.
