gwunspoken - Beyond the Plan
gwunspoken: Beyond the Plan
Hear the person beyond the plan.
This podcast is where NDIS participants, families, and supporters reclaim their narrative. We dive into life beyond the diagnosis, beyond the reports, and beyond the plans—exploring identity, strength, and voice.
Whether you're a parent seeking connection, a support worker craving understanding, or someone walking their own NDIS journey, this space is for you.
Because labels don’t define people—stories do.
gwunspoken - Beyond the Plan
The Classroom vs The Great Outdoors: A 12-Year-Old's Perspective
Ever wondered what school looks like through the eyes of a 12-year-old with ADHD? In this refreshingly honest conversation, young Liam pulls no punches about why traditional classrooms just don't work for active, hands-on learners like himself.
"Because learning is like boring," Liam explains when asked why kids dislike school. "People could be like doing something fun that they like, like games, fishing." This simple observation cuts to the heart of educational challenges facing many families and teachers today. As Liam shares his experiences with science dissections that feel pointless, language classes that frustrate, and detention systems that miss the mark, listeners gain valuable insight into the disconnect many children feel with conventional education.
The conversation takes a dramatic turn when Liam discusses his true passions. Suddenly, this boy who "hates learning" demonstrates impressive expertise about fishing techniques, sporting strategies, and outdoor skills. His eyes light up describing the perfect cast net technique or spotting schools of tailor fish just below the surface. The contrast couldn't be more striking – it's not that Liam struggles to learn; he simply thrives in different environments than those traditionally valued in education.
Parents of active children, educators seeking fresh perspectives, and anyone interested in neurodiversity will find tremendous value in this conversation. Liam's candid descriptions of how he manages his ADHD days versus what his family calls his "autism days" reveal a level of self-awareness many adults never achieve. His stories challenge us to reconsider how we structure learning experiences and what we truly value in education.
Listen now and prepare to see school, learning differences, and childhood passions through an entirely new lens. The wisdom from this young fishing enthusiast might just change how you think about education forever.
Welcome to another edition of Connected Beyond the Plan, and I've got my little mate here, Liam. How are you bud? Good, how are you? Where are we? Because we're not fishing today we're in the library and we've got the actual proper podcasting gear on. Yep. You know what? This is the truth. I'm not just saying this, but you actually look like you're like a professional podcaster over there with the microphone on your headsets on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, We've got some little, wasn't it? You look like the person that's like when people sing. Basically, you look like the person that's behind the glass area and then you're like doing all the mixing.
Speaker 2:Oh the mixing.
Speaker 3:Up the volume and that.
Speaker 2:Oh, that makes me feel really important. The record scratching thing I wonder if I've got one of those little noises here somewhere. I think I used to have one, but I can't find it. That was a bit weird. Anyway, out of five, how are you feeling today?
Speaker 3:Two and a half.
Speaker 2:Oh, only half.
Speaker 3:Well school. I don't like school, Probably three actually.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:Because I didn't have that bad of class today. I didn't have science, I didn't have math.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:You don't like those ones Well.
Speaker 2:I didn't have English or anything either. I thought maybe I'm wrong. I thought your mum told me that you're actually good at math.
Speaker 3:I'm decent at it but I don't like it.
Speaker 2:I don't like schoolwork.
Speaker 3:I didn't have Japanese either, so I had, oh, I did have, so I did have English. Yeah. I had history.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And I had history? Yeah, and I had. Oh, what is it? Hpe.
Speaker 2:Okay. Well, we'll get back in a second, because I wasn't going to go into your school before, because you escalated me before and said this whole room looks like a classroom and I felt like I was back in teaching again.
Speaker 3:School, like it's so bad.
Speaker 2:Let's get into that in a sec, okay, but first of all, what's something you're happy for? What are you grateful for at the moment? What's something you love in your life or you're loving about life. What's something good?
Speaker 3:Hopefully I'll be able to get Taylor to eat.
Speaker 2:Oh, and we'll talk about it too, about Dad's fishing adventures. Yeah, you showed me a good picture before when I first picked you up. All right, let's talk about let's get this over and done with. Let's just do school. Now you are not alone when people say they don't like school anymore and I know we might talk about similar things the last time on the podcast, but let's refresh people's. If other people listen to this, talk to me about why don't kids like school Like you're an older kid, like you're a teenager nearly but why don't people like school?
Speaker 3:Because everyone hates learning.
Speaker 2:Why is that? Because our brains actually are built to learn.
Speaker 3:Because there's literally learning is like boring, because people could be like doing something fun that they like, like games, fishing.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, we won't bag any of your teachers.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like, do you like what would you prefer Play like? Or like just play games and that, and like play like soccer and that, or like footy or anything, or like learn schoolwork and that.
Speaker 2:I'd like to learn on things you just said sport, doing different games, not like or teach English.
Speaker 3:Let's say yeah, okay, or draw.
Speaker 2:I'd rather do things I'm excited about, like sports and activities and that kind of stuff. Yeah, so, yeah. So what are your? Like I said, I don't want to bag any of your teachers, so don't name names. But what's your least favourite subjects?
Speaker 3:Probably my science.
Speaker 2:Yeah, don't like science.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the other day we had to dissect a fish.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dissect a fish. You'd be good at that. You would have done good at that, wouldn't you?
Speaker 3:You'd be more than that, yeah, but like it was a mullet and it was only like that big like just bigger than what we caught on the net last week yeah and there was a mullet that I saw at that place that we um at the culture river. That was like double the size of it really yeah, did it stink, did it stink it was pretty, I think yeah.
Speaker 2:Because you're just smelly.
Speaker 3:Yeah, stinky mullet.
Speaker 2:So you didn't like doing that.
Speaker 3:But they're like be respectful for the fish. And so he did the dead fish when we're cutting the guts out.
Speaker 2:How's that respectful?
Speaker 3:Like we're not even eating it. They didn't even look legal, like how big do molehills have to be to be legal?
Speaker 2:I don't know if there is a legal size there.
Speaker 3:Pretty sure there is.
Speaker 2:Because don't people use them for bait anyway? Aren't you allowed to use them for bait?
Speaker 3:Yeah, but that's different. You're not eating them, but you're allowed to use them for bait, like you're allowed to use any fish, any size you could go, but like ones that are like endangered, almost no. Like, let's say, lobsters that are the blue one or whatever, the blue lobster that no because, like well, you probably could. But like, why would you? You could sell it for millions, tuck it back. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I thought you can't use fish for bait if they've got a legal size, Like you know brim. If you caught a brim and it was under 25 centimetres, yeah. I thought you can't use fish for bait if they've got a legal size Like you know brim.
Speaker 3:If you caught a brim and it was under 25 centimetres, you can't use it.
Speaker 2:We'll have to look into that. On live bait, how do they do that then? Because maybe the live bait don't?
Speaker 3:have a size limit? Yeah, but you can't eat them. They have no limit, you don't eat them. That's right In Australia.
Speaker 2:Now you've confused me. Now I have to look it up After we get this podcast. I'm getting that Google. I'm going to ask ChatGPT all these questions. All right, what else don't you like? What other subjects don't you like?
Speaker 3:English or Japanese before English probably.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, it's hard learning another language if you're not into it.
Speaker 3:I, it's hard learning another language if you're not into it. I know Like I need to learn my own language first.
Speaker 2:Okay. Well then, how does that work? Because you're doing English, don't you learn English?
Speaker 3:Yeah, apparently my Japanese teacher is an English teacher as well.
Speaker 2:Oh Like Is she Japanese herself.
Speaker 3:I don't think so.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you don't like the language subject, you don't like science. I don't like Science.
Speaker 3:I don't like English, I don't like every, but like woodwork that I used to have. Yeah, hpe, yeah, yeah, they're my ones that I would want to do most.
Speaker 2:So it's more like Liam's an outdoor kid and wants to get out and do stuff rather than just sit in the classroom. Yeah. Yeah that's fair. Yeah, Because you think about it. What days, how often do you have PE? If woodwork's gone now and you've only got PE as a practical subject, how often do you have PE?
Speaker 3:I have PE about. Well, I have it three times a week. Every subject I get Three times a week.
Speaker 2:Okay, so there's two days a week, you don't do PE. Yeah, there's a five day week, so two days Do those days suck for you Because there's no PE. Well. Yeah, or do they suck more, because it's how you should feel, because one of the days I have.
Speaker 3:Well, one of them no, because I got it goes. First I think it's English, then it goes, or like history, then English, or something.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Then it goes math, yeah. Then it goes sport, which I do that on every.
Speaker 2:Friday oh okay, yeah, sports on one of the days.
Speaker 3:Yeah, which I do all the day sometimes.
Speaker 2:That's cool. What are you doing for sport at the moment?
Speaker 3:Soccer.
Speaker 2:Hmm, and that's one of your favourite sports, isn't it? Yeah, very good, if you and I had to play one-on-one soccer, who do you think would win?
Speaker 3:Me why? Why are you?
Speaker 2:smiling, for when you say that. Because you know, I'm a competitive person, don't you? Yeah, so now it's a challenge now, don't you?
Speaker 3:My brother could beat you probably and me together.
Speaker 2:See, I'm getting a little bit offended here.
Speaker 3:You've never seen me play.
Speaker 2:Are you saying I've just become too old to lose?
Speaker 3:I know that I play against someone called like in the army, which is Matt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:He plays soccer. Yep, he's quite good, because they do it sometimes at the barracks.
Speaker 2:Nice.
Speaker 3:And that and like Charlie is like around the same goodness.
Speaker 2:Okay, better Got the same skills. Yeah, yeah, oh, I bet Matt. He seems like a nice bloke.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like they're like. Charlie has actually now a signature move.
Speaker 2:Ooh.
Speaker 3:And he like, he nuttied his friend four times.
Speaker 2:Really, nutmegs went to the middle, yeah, in a row, wow. So let me just go back a bit. So you're saying if we went to an oval and it was fine, or even if it was went goalie and then I went, goalie had turns about.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:What do you think the score would be after 10 goals each?
Speaker 3:I don't know. You would probably get block more. Oh. Because you like cover more area, like because you're older and you're taller, and Okay, if you know what I mean Like. Well, it depends how tall the goal is. If it's like me on my knees, then probably not for you, because then you gotta like go on your knees and then you're above the goal.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean, but you're still saying you're still saying you'd win if it's a professional goal, you'd be able to reach further yeah, because you got bigger arms yes, but you're also younger and you can move faster. But for some reason all my joints hurt. Do they yeah, Like I can't throw a ball with like my arm. Really it hurts in the shoulder. And I'm even more so young and I'm not in my 20s. My prime 20s is like around when everyone's primes technically.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm not in my 20s either, so I'm cooked. But you still think you'd win.
Speaker 3:I don't know, I don't know how good you are I like?
Speaker 2:these challenging words, I'm trying to bait you, I'm trying to get you into a game.
Speaker 3:You can't let a word out that's like not true. You know Good. Neither can you.
Speaker 2:Would you like to have a go at a game like that one time?
Speaker 3:Sure, I'll see if my brother can even like it, oh no, now I'm scared.
Speaker 2:Okay, your brother and I versus you. How does that sound? Yeah, I love how you're competitive and look forward to change. I love that about you.
Speaker 3:That's so good, I'll see if he can do his signature. Move on you.
Speaker 2:Oh no, nutmegs everywhere, all right, so you love PE. You used to love woodwork when you had woodwork, so you like all the practical subjects. Yeah, here's a question for you because, as you know, I'm a registered teacher. I just gave up teaching in June July. I've been teaching for like 25 years and I teach toward HPE mainly, so I love it because I get the kids outside mainly right, so you'd be a great student.
Speaker 2:I'd love to teach because you love sport. You get involved, right? How do we change schools so people like yourself, who like to move around, can love the other subjects? Can they do it? Can it be possible to love English and maths and science and get people outside to do practical stuff based on the subject?
Speaker 3:Well, how are you going to get outside and really do English stuff? What are you going to go around and make yourself in shape of an A or something and then like Maybe for a brain break?
Speaker 2:No, so you're saying that English will always be boring to you? Yeah. All right. Well, here's a tough question, because I've asked a lot of students this before. Ready Would you prefer your favorite subject with a bad teacher or a bad subject with your favourite teacher? Does that make sense?
Speaker 3:Well, first of all, my least favourite with my favourite, which is, well, I don't know what one would be my favourite. Well, at the moment, it's probably woodwork would be my favourite because at the moment I got Indigenous sports, which the moment it's probably woodwork would be my favorite. Yeah, because at the moment I got indigenous sports, which I'm not a massive fan of.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:But I'll probably go for the sport thing. But the thing is that, bad teacher though, they don't know how to play. We went and did it once. Oh yeah, they're like I don't know how to play. We went and did it once, oh yeah, they're like I don't know how to play footy.
Speaker 2:Oh, so it wasn't.
Speaker 3:And then people were doing like knock-ons, like really passing forward, so it got frustrating. Yeah, I know I understand. And they were like dropping the ball, like and like they were going out and then not a handover or anything. The winner's kick, yeah, loser's kick. Isn't it meant to be? Winner's kick all the time?
Speaker 2:Well, it depends. What sport isn't it? When football, it's the one who gets scored against? Yeah, Well, NRL, it's a team that got scored against. They have to kick off Really. So loser kicks, yeah.
Speaker 3:Oh, I thought it was winner's kick.
Speaker 2:No, well, back in league was a different rugby league type of sport. They used to do that, but no, now it's a loser. But I know what you mean. So you like it when it's organized and the referees they know what they're doing and the rules are right, like someone actually knows what sport is and they actually do sport.
Speaker 2:I'm like you, I get it. It's frustrating. So here's my question If woodwork was your favorite subject, but suddenly woodwork had your least favorite, hard, isn't it? What if suddenly you went to English tomorrow and you hate English, right, but your favourite teacher was teaching it?
Speaker 3:I don't really have a favourite, but like.
Speaker 2:Would it be better? Probably not, no, you just don't like the subject at all. It's the same structure work. Oh, okay, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Like, is Wordle a game.
Speaker 2:Wordle what's a word game?
Speaker 3:Yeah, is that a game Like that is bad for kids, like, let's say, like what would be like Fortnite and like Minecraft.
Speaker 2:I don't think so. You can't really get addicted to Wordle, can you? Maybe, but not as much. There's no killing and shooting and blood.
Speaker 3:There's no like but like. Could that distract you? Was that a good game for English?
Speaker 2:Good thing to play. I would say, if you were using Wordle as a part of your lesson, yes, like would you want a student to be playing Wordle when they finish their work in English. Would you? Prefer it. If they had no other work to work on, I would say yes, because it's still English based.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. And the teacher said, no, get off the games.
Speaker 2:So what did you have to do instead Just sit there?
Speaker 3:Turn the laptop off.
Speaker 2:And do what? And like play, like sit there until then, like until done, do nothing, yeah, so there's nothing they could extend you with, or?
Speaker 3:work on your side. There's nothing worse to do nothing than do something.
Speaker 2:Well, if you're like me, I have a bit of ADHD.
Speaker 3:Same.
Speaker 2:It's very hard to sit still. You know that.
Speaker 3:I had a crazy roast at school.
Speaker 2:Oh go, let's go Unspoken, this is good.
Speaker 3:The teacher said oh everyone, can you be stopping like noisy and that, because I've got really high ADHD, like really extreme. I'm like I do too. That's what the doctor said. Adhd like really extreme. I'm like I do too. That's what the doctor said. And then someone, a really annoying person in my class, is like yeah, we can tell. And I'm like, yeah, we can tell, you've got Down syndrome.
Speaker 2:Oh no.
Speaker 3:And it's just quiet. Did you get in trouble for?
Speaker 2:that. No, oh, you're lucky. You're lucky you didn't offend anybody doing that. Wow, I'm going to ask you now if you're open to say this what does what do you find? What is ADHD for you? What's it look like?
Speaker 3:Mainly like hyperactive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so what kind of things are you up to?
Speaker 3:Run 1,000 laps of the house. Yeah, Pretty much like run up the walls.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:But I'm also really clumsy.
Speaker 2:Drop things yeah.
Speaker 3:Did you know, any stairway can be a stairway to heaven.
Speaker 2:How does that work?
Speaker 3:If you're clumsy.
Speaker 2:Is that a joke? You should just take over this podcast. You're a natural. It's so good.
Speaker 3:But I know the best word to start a wordle.
Speaker 2:What.
Speaker 3:Audio why Audio?
Speaker 2:Why.
Speaker 3:Because it's got four vowels A-U, i-o, i-o, which is four out of five.
Speaker 2:Very clever.
Speaker 3:That's what my brother taught me.
Speaker 2:Very clever.
Speaker 3:It's smart.
Speaker 2:Very smart. See Very smart guy who doesn't like school. Do you want to see what I'm talking about? No. Well, there's a lot of people who are good at school but just aren't engaged enough right and don't find it interesting. Does your ADHD make you because it makes me tease my sisters and my family? They hate it. Dad, why can't you just grow up and be normal? I said I don't know.
Speaker 3:It's.
Speaker 2:ADHD. I'm blaming that, yeah, so, and be normal. I said I don't know it's ADHD. I'm blaming that, yeah, so did you ever do that? What about school? What's.
Speaker 3:ADHD look like at school? I don't really know. Most of the time I'm on Ritalin.
Speaker 2:Okay, so it sort of slows things down.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, otherwise I'd be tapping desks, annoying people beside me. Do you find it hard to sit down in school?
Speaker 3:Yeah, Like I swing on my chair, like sometimes I'll chew gum. That helps me learn. Basically, I literally stopped swinging my chair, stopped doing several things, like today I had put three of these like smaller pieces of gum in my mouth, so it's like actually like what would be normal. Then, like about halfway through the lesson, I had to put it in the bin.
Speaker 2:Was it annoying you? Yeah. Did you die on a basketball thrower or did you do the right thing and just drop it in? Drop it in. Slam dunked it.
Speaker 3:If I was really not listening and if I had to dunk it in trouble, really, for my parents probably peg it at the teacher's face.
Speaker 2:Oh, you wouldn't do that.
Speaker 3:I don't know If you didn't get in trouble.
Speaker 2:You wouldn't do that. What about? Oh, here's another question for you. So we talk about ADHD and I actually was working with someone the other day and they said Gary, can I ask you a question? I don't want you to be offended. I went, yeah, and they said do you have ADHD? I said, maybe, why he goes? Because you're full on sometimes. Your mum I'm going to say this mum said that you guys come up with a thing where you guys say whether you have an ADHD or an autism day.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, what does that mean? Autism, where you like, don't really want to be with people, and then ADHD, you just want to annoy people. It's like where you're fidgeting and yeah, I can tell that you right now are fidgeting. Basically because, you're moving your chair side to side. I saw that before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So do you think I've got ADHD too? Yeah. I think so too. So what's the hardest day? Adhd or autism day?
Speaker 3:I don't really know.
Speaker 2:Well, what's an autism day look like then. You talked about ADHD.
Speaker 3:I just want to go in my room and close the door, with the light off and just play games.
Speaker 2:Okay, just isolate yourself.
Speaker 3:And then ADHD. I want to like run around and do stuff.
Speaker 2:What do you prefer?
Speaker 3:Probably fishing.
Speaker 2:So do you prefer being? If you had to choose between those, would you rather have an ADHD more than an autism day? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, autism, like I'll go out and like, basically, like a lazy day is what it is. Yeah, I don't want to go to shops. I don't want to go do anything really.
Speaker 2:So how do you go then? When you do school and you have an autism day and the teacher says we're doing group work in the classroom, does it like, do you go oh my gosh, I don't want to be here. Or does it sort of snap?
Speaker 3:you out of it. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Don't know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I don't really know, Don't know that one.
Speaker 2:I'm just trying to work out how that would feel, because I know ADHD. If someone just talked to me the whole time, I was like boring, I would be in trouble. If I was in class, I'd just go boring and go to the office, please, I'd be in trouble.
Speaker 3:These days, people can have yelled out the N-word.
Speaker 2:What Really?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Racist words. That's not good.
Speaker 3:But some black people do it as well, okay. I've got a friend that's black and he does it. Yeah, okay, sometimes.
Speaker 2:That's a very grey area, isn't it? It's very dangerous, dangerous topics. Have you ever been sent to the office?
Speaker 3:Oh, I don't know. Well, I don't think so. Well, maybe I don't know. If you can't, I have to get in trouble. It's a different day, I go.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Because the deputy of my my school, um, like the um, like house, like, because it's like houses and um he was trying to like say like he just gave me a detention. Basically, if I don't attend it, then I get an after school detention. If I don't attend the after school, the after school goes for an hour and if I don't do the after school, the after school goes for an hour, and if I don't do the after school then I get suspended for three days.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's not good.
Speaker 3:And I would not do after school for an hour?
Speaker 2:No, that would suck.
Speaker 3:Yeah. In my own time, like from three to four or four to five.
Speaker 2:That could be carcinating time. Yeah, you don't give up that, Like no.
Speaker 3:I'm not going. My old school you had to pick up rubbish for an hour For our block.
Speaker 2:there's like you can be like kind of like our block you had to pick up rubbish and that, yeah, do you think kids would behave again if they brought back the cane? Do you know what the cane is?
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, where people, when they're in trouble, they put their hands on the desk and then whip it.
Speaker 2:Yep. Do you think kids would be more better behaved if they said you're going to get the cane if you misbehave? No. Aren't you Worse, worse, they wouldn't give you the cane.
Speaker 3:They would be angry, so they'd grab the cane and get the person. That's what I would probably do if someone tried to give me the cane.
Speaker 2:In more trouble. They might say instead of getting one cane, you're getting five.
Speaker 3:Bro cross the whole face oh violent Under the arm soft skin.
Speaker 2:Where it stings. Oh no, so violence wouldn't work then, because you're going to just go back?
Speaker 3:Just as hard as they could like to the head, like that's the head there just cross, I think you've watched too many computer games.
Speaker 2:It's like dangerous no, all right. So obviously that wouldn't work. But after school detention they suck. You don't want to do that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, all right. And then suspended no fishing, no camping for about a month. That would be good, well, a month.
Speaker 2:That would be good. Well, you get in trouble from home as well, don't you? I did, yeah. What about you talked about a negative thing? What about have you ever got any awards or certificates or trophies at school?
Speaker 3:Not this school, though, but last year, yeah.
Speaker 2:Did you what for?
Speaker 3:That was cross-country. Um, like, I went to districts, yeah, um, I've done like. Yeah, they used to give out heaps like everyone has gotten one okay, they're good yeah, I can tell they're cheap stuff oh, you're not, not really worth it yeah, like let's say something that's literally like thin, yeah, so it's like not cost but then that would do really good if it's a really really, really, really, really like good like, let's say, if someone got like ducks, which is all a's across everything it wouldn't even be that quality so you're saying if they give a better, what's called an extra reward, like make it more valuable, like if they want to get's say someone like my friend Callan if he went because he went all the way to this, like really far, but then he failed basically because he had a sore back or something, yeah, when he was running.
Speaker 3:So then he ended up doing like another thing. Yeah. Which is like another way you can do it, not through school, really, yeah. Yeah. Which is like another way you can do it, not through school really. Yeah, I don't know if it's through school still, but like he does, like he went all the way to Perth even to do it, like he actually went different, like he went to like see who's like, literally, the best, yeah, wow. If he won his race like races he would have known he was the best.
Speaker 2:Oh, in the region, sort of thing. Yeah, yeah, okay, like races he was known he was the best. Oh, in the region, sort of thing. Yeah, yeah, like top 5 he was in top 5 that's cool for 100 metres, he was 4th wow, that's pretty good 4th in the whole Australia for his year so he's the 4th fastest guy in Australia for 100 metres for his age that's cool the whole Australia what would you like to be the best at in Australia?
Speaker 3:Australia Fishing.
Speaker 2:Oh, you can have you seen a guy from Australia who's like in the American League. He's the only Australian.
Speaker 3:I can't really why. Because like I've got to, then, like I can't really go out fishing, there's so many like people that got a good boat. Let's say, yeah, they can go out like good boat. Let's say, yeah, they can go out like 100 metres like deep.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, for now, for now, when you get older you have a boat and stuff Like I've seen you.
Speaker 3:I do fishing comps all the time. I would do when I'm older.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying. I've seen you on the boat ramp and, like mum said, how do you go fishing? And like mum said, how do you go fishing? I said unbelievable. Like three different types of fishing rigs, two different types of cast net, different areas. Like you just smash it. You don't stop, you keep trying different things all the time, like you're not somebody who just goes for five minutes and goes nah, I'm bored. That's not fishing. Fishing is about patience. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And whether you've got autism or ADHD, all you got is a boot um. Why aren't you checking your bait? Why aren't you in a bad spot? Yeah, try something different like do you even have bait on? Do you even have anything on your line? Is it literally in the water? Is it like if you're on wave area, you would have to pull it up and cast back out again because it comes in Mm-hmm Like?
Speaker 2:So as a 12-year-old, you know that stuff, right, yeah, and a lot of people don't know that stuff, yeah, so I'd love to show you. I want to show you a clip year. And now there's an Australian who comes across and it's like really rare, you hardly have anyone apart from Americans in this comp. And he's only young, like I'm talking young as in early 20s or something. You said 20s is your peak.
Speaker 2:But yeah, you could have yourself a goal like that because you've got the work ethic to do it. Yeah, and so, even if you don't have a boat or to go deep now, you still fish with Dad, don't you? Yeah. Yeah, so why not I?
Speaker 3:mean I technically could go out on a boat with someone I know. Yeah, my dad's friend, he just bought an eight-metre boat.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's huge.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's still doing a few things on it. He's got windows to put on, he's got like door things to put on, like build. He's got a fridge to install, he's got like seats, he's got like light-based tanks and motors to go on. All it is is the plate there.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:That's there. So he's got to like do a whole lot of stuff. He's got to like actually get a grinder and cut things.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cool, do you find that stuff interesting?
Speaker 3:Yeah, sometimes.
Speaker 2:So are you saying that when you're? What's the age? Do you have to be 16 to have a boat license? Are you going to get your boat license as soon as you can?
Speaker 3:I don't know actually.
Speaker 2:I think it is.
Speaker 3:I know that's to start a driver's license. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But I think you might have to have a driver's license first no, I don't think so Really. Yeah, I think this is good for you. We'll find this out actually.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll be like done.
Speaker 2:You'll be keen as.
Speaker 3:How many hours do you have to do it? Probably?
Speaker 2:I don't know 300 max. Yeah, that'll be done easily. I don't think you have to do hours either. I think it's like you just go for a written test and then a practical test.
Speaker 3:Really, oh that would be so easy. Just imagine you, I'm driving the boat at my age sometimes.
Speaker 2:Just imagine if you were 16, we could get you down the jetty. You wouldn't come home, like Liam, it's dinner time, sorry, still fishing. You wouldn't come. You'd be on the that kind of stuff Overnight. Now talk about Dad. He's fishing at the moment.
Speaker 3:Well, not really actually he was?
Speaker 2:Oh, he was fishing, because you showed me some photos.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you saw that he wasn't at Fraser.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 3:But he said, because he said last weekend he was going to go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because he said last weekend he was going to go, yeah, and yeah, he must be back now, okay, and how many fish did you catch, and what were they? What kind of fish?
Speaker 3:Ten tailor.
Speaker 2:Have you ever eaten tailor?
Speaker 3:No, I don't think so no.
Speaker 2:I think you have to bleed them and eat them fairly fresh, those ones. Have you ever caught a tailor?
Speaker 3:Yes, I've caught two in one go. Those are the first ones I got, but yeah, that was at Innskipt and like I could literally see the fish.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:I put my line there. There was like probably over a metre of tailor.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That was, and I saw all the tailor literally come over. There would have been like 20 to 30 there.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Trying to get my bait. I'm literally like didn't even click the drop.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 3:And I the drop wow, and I just went bam, I'm on, put them and they were too small, so I put them back then next time I did it. They're all just looking and like, so they really saw yeah well, they did, it, went to do it, but then I scared them all the way, but like after I dropped and then I went up to get thought I had one yeah, I can feel them like biting yeah basically because they're just like big, quite there, because like they're literally like how deep was it?
Speaker 2:because they're literally like right there, how deep was it? Was it very deep?
Speaker 3:No, like it was the length of my, from where my swivel is almost. Just so the swivel's at the water.
Speaker 2:Wow, so just at the top.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and what?
Speaker 2:do you use for bait?
Speaker 3:I don't really remember what I was using.
Speaker 2:It was probably like mullet or something, yeah, some kind of fish, fish bait, fishy bait. Yeah, stinky bait.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's cool. So you're pretty lucky the fact that you get to do lots of stuff, don't you Like fishing with Dad? I know Mum took you fishing too, I think last week. Off the boat ramp I've seen you go from a small fishing net, cast net, to a big eight-footer and you're Seven, seven-footer, and you're nailing that From a four-footer to a seven. So nearly double in size and you're smashing that. I believe you went to the football last weekend yeah. Watched the Mighty Dolphins, but unfortunately didn't win. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Do you have a?
Speaker 2:favourite player Hammer.
Speaker 3:You like the Hammer, don't you, I think?
Speaker 2:you said that last game. Oh man, I think so too.
Speaker 3:And I accidentally said cover.
Speaker 2:That's right, but do you still like Hammer, even though they lost?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, good being, loyal.
Speaker 3:He did a few good plays.
Speaker 2:Did he score any tries? I didn't watch the game, I believe, so I think he scored the first one. Did he do the?
Speaker 3:big. I did a handshake with someone.
Speaker 2:Oh, did he. Oh, a special handshake, that's cool.
Speaker 3:And he was like, like, at the end he did something with his like face or something.
Speaker 2:Oh did he.
Speaker 3:Like he went, did something with his hands on his face.
Speaker 2:Oh, so he did some kind of trice scoring celebration. Okay, do you do any special handshakes with friends at school? No, okay, Do you have many bullied at school. No. Not, really Not, except that guy today who gave you a hard time, but then you fed it back.
Speaker 3:No, that wasn't today, it was another day.
Speaker 2:Oh, it was another day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they've always been annoying.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, does it annoy you? Hmm, what do you do when you get annoyed?
Speaker 3:I don't know.
Speaker 2:Walk away, ignore them. Hmm. Ignore them. Mm-hmm, it's tough. Sometimes Bullies suck. Yeah, oh, okay. All right. Well, we've talked fishing, we've talked footy, we've talked about your goals. We've talked about favourite subjects. We've talked about least favourite subjects. What's happening this weekend? You're usually up to something, so what's happening this weekend?
Speaker 3:Whose house?
Speaker 2:are you at? I'm going to my dad's Dad's place. I don't really know. We haven't planned anything All right, we'll have to check the weather, obviously, because it's raining all week, at least until Friday.
Speaker 3:I believe it's bad. I don't know if we're going camping there, because he hasn't messaged me about anything. Yeah, and he's just been camping.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And we've got to get that tail on, I guess oh yeah but then we still have a lot of fish in our freezer, like we got like kilos yeah, like what? More than 10, or like more than 10 kilos of fish in there. Fresh fish is good too, you can try to get fresh fish probably 20 to 30 kilos of fish in there that we've caught yeah, well I caught a fish was 30 kilos with the whole body yeah each, the fillets were probably like like 10 kilos.
Speaker 2:That's cool.
Speaker 3:So like the head and that would be like it was probably 15, like 15 each, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe, Liam, I'm going to ask you a question Do you ever because obviously I just realised now I haven't stopped moving because you said I've got ADHD too Do you ever get to a stage where you get to a weekend right at mum's or dad's, doesn't matter, but you feel like I just want to chill today. I'm not saying I'm having an autism day, but you feel like I just want to chill and watch.
Speaker 3:Netflix or sit on the couch. Do you ever have those?
Speaker 2:days, yeah, yeah. So maybe if it's rain this weekend, that could be a chill weekend with dad. Yeah. Yeah, cool. All right with Dad. Yeah, yeah, cool, all right. Well, it is. Wednesday yeah. Anything else you're looking forward to for the rest of the week?
Speaker 3:before the weekend? Not really.
Speaker 2:No, what do you do on sport day on Friday if it's raining you?
Speaker 3:usually play soccer if it rains. Last time we just was in class.
Speaker 2:Oh, that would suck.
Speaker 3:Basically just sitting there, because there the other girls, because there's two.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:One of them put like FNCS on or something. And people can go in there and watch Some people were outside like throwing a ball or something. I was just sitting inside because it was like 20 minutes 20 minutes ago. Or like something like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3:I was just I don't know. But then we arranged some like put the desks back because people are like running around in there, they're like doing the rolling next. It took a bit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I used to hate it being sport like grade seven. You go sports on Friday, yes, and it rains. You're like no, I know, this is like the end of the world.
Speaker 3:What do you do this?
Speaker 2:is like the end of the world. I just hate it.
Speaker 3:Like you, literally. What are you going to do Like? I'd rather do like schoolwork than sit in a room. That's saying something, isn't it? And make it quicker, yeah, at least.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I should do? I should teach you how to play an indoor football game with a coin, and you can show your teachers if you ever get stuck inside for sport.
Speaker 3:But then what if I don't have a coin? A teacher can organise that you side for sport.
Speaker 2:But then what if I don't have a coin? A teacher can organise that. You can just teach a teacher to say bring all your cash. You guys went on strike, you guys are loaded Not really, but you know what I mean. I've got them in my drawer. I always have them in my drawer, like 10, 20 cent pieces, and we go and play and the kids used to love it. So I'll have to show you that We'll have one, which?
Speaker 3:one's that I don't have to make the paper thing. So my brother and I used to have to make a paper like football thing, and you hold it like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And then you got to go like yeah, that's it, that or whatever.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like make a crossbar.
Speaker 3:Or like.
Speaker 2:Like you put your two pinkies down and put your thumbs together.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like that, like a crossbar. Or it's similar.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You would basically it's like a triangle kind of.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:And then you'd do it and it would like try and go in. Yeah, so it's basically the exact same, probably, but like coins.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a bit different. It's a bit different, but it's got the same thing. But yeah, score a try like a normal rugby league and you get four points, but if you get the conversion, you get an extra two points as well. How do?
Speaker 2:you like, pass the ball. I'll try and explain it on the podcast so people listening can understand too. So you put a 20-cent piece on the edge of the table and you've got three hits. You can whack it with your hand and it slides across the table and you'll put your thumb and finger together and you're going to knock it again and you get up to three goes to get it to hang just on the edge of the other person's table.
Speaker 3:Oh, so you can't just go like as hard as you can, you can If it lands once it comes off the table.
Speaker 2:It's how the person's going. You've got to keep going until eventually. The coin hangs over the edge of the table and then flick it up.
Speaker 3:If you catch it in one hand, that's a try.
Speaker 2:That's worth four points, so you have to if it's over here, yep. Over your side, yep, so like if I start here, then I hit it, yep, it ends up going over there and it lands on the edge of the table then I have to flick it up you flick it up and you have to catch it with your hand and if you drop it, no try but and lean over.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we can't go around. You have to stand up and lean over. But then you flick it up with your finger and if you catch it in the same hand not on your chest, or if it drops, it's no try, Try just allowed. Vrf says no try If you catch it in your hand. That's four points. So it's a try. Then you'll do the thing.
Speaker 3:Then you spin it, catch it in your thumbs.
Speaker 2:No try, it's only no conversion.
Speaker 3:So you have to spin it and then catch it in your thumbs and you flick it over and it's the best.
Speaker 2:You would love it.
Speaker 3:That's hard to catch in your thumbs. And then that, oh, that's hard.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then I'd that's a crossbar, that's the next two points and you keep adding no conversion.
Speaker 3:How do you know where?
Speaker 2:Because it'll go between your arms, in here, in between your thumbs, and what happens is there's another way.
Speaker 3:It was like that or something.
Speaker 2:People might do it with their wrists like that. They put their wrists on the. I'm trying to explain. You put the wrist down and put your thumbs up in the air. So you know how you said. You know how you said you don't like being in classrooms for too long, yeah.
Speaker 2:When I was at university, my first lecture was like from 8 to 11, and then my next one wasn't until about 3 to 5, so it was like four or five hours a kill. And so I started doing this game with some mates and next thing you look at, the whole cafeteria was starting to do it, because they were all changing seats and playing different players after like ten minutes and had like a big leaderboard. Like I'm Broncos, I'm Tigers. It was awesome, damn. So I'll have to show you and you'll have to show your teacher, because we'll have to have a duel one time. So we'll have to have a real soccer game against each other, shooting goals, and we'll have a game at a table footy and have a go and see how we go. Yeah, sound good. Yep, all right, we're going to end up ending the podcast.
Speaker 2:Is there anything that we haven't spoken about today that you want to talk about before we finish? Not really Well, you've nailed it. You've spoken well. You articulate, which means you say things well. Yeah, you speak well. All right, you're very intelligent. So I know you hate school, but you've got the potential to do really well at school because you are intelligent. Last time we spoke for 12 minutes. How long have we spoken for today? Do you think 30. 38 minutes, you've nailed it and all 38 minutes.
Speaker 2:You've nailed it and all I've done the whole time is realise how much I move on my chair, so maybe, maybe, I'll have to share some of your riddling. What do you think?
Speaker 3:maybe too strong for you ooh love is challenging mate. Thank you for coming on the start at 10, then go 20, then 30, then 40 mate you're a natural you speak so well.
Speaker 2:So, um, I'm glad you had a great time with the footy with mum last weekend. Yeah, I'm glad you keep going and doing outdoor things. Yeah, Not just fishing and that I'd love to see you have a goal of being a pro fisherman. Why not have your own YouTube channel? Yeah, what would you call it Liam's Fishing Adventures. Probably not. Lfa, I'll LFI. I have to think about that. I have to set some goals there. But anyway, thanks for coming on the show. I really appreciate you being on here.