The Samurai Shift
The Samurai Shift podcast is a purpose-driven platform exploring how sport can evolve in service of the people within it.
It invites sports administrators, policymakers, program directors, coaches, and athletes past and present, who care about sport as a vehicle for human expression to pause, step back, and reflect on questions that are often overlooked.
FORMATION
Ep 1: Carl Graham - Founder of Northern Beaches Volleyball Association
Ep 2: Nathan McLeod - Director of SA Beach in South Australia
Ep 3: Boris Georgieff - President of Volleyball Queensland
COMPRESSION
Ep 4: Louise Bawden OLY - VA Board of Directors
Ep 5: Damian Schumann OLY - The 'outsider' who broke through
Ep 6: Michael Nelson - Olympic Coach now AIS Coach Development
FRACTURE
Ep 7: Alistair Lyne - Director of Vic Beach
Ep 8: Andrew Schacht OLY - Olympic Coach piloting AIS Coach Wellbeing program
Ep 9: Natalie Cook OLY - Olympic Gold Medalist and founder of the Aussie Athlete Fund
INTEGRATION
Ep 10: Lauren Soderberg - Olympic Coach & National Body Wellbeing Systems Leader
Ep 11: Craig Carracher - Volleyball Australia President
Ep 12: Baz Weidmeier - Former Volleyball NSW General Manager and International Event Manager
The Samurai Shift
The Samurai Shift - Introduction
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What is sport really for?
In this opening episode of The Samurai Shift, Peter “Chico” Jones sits down with Sarah Maxwell to explore the thinking behind the podcast — and the question that has shaped his 40-year journey in sport.
From grassroots beginnings to Olympic pathways, Peter reflects on the evolution of sporting systems and the growing tension between performance and human experience.
Drawing on powerful personal stories, including a defining moment during an Olympic qualification campaign, he introduces the core idea behind The Samurai Shift:
What if sport was designed to serve the human first?
Through the lens of the Samurai — where “to serve” is the foundational principle — this conversation explores how sporting ecosystems might evolve to better support athletes, communities, and the people who move through them.
This episode sets the foundation for a series of conversations examining sport from the ground up — from grassroots participation through to governance and high performance.