Let it go

I’ve written a lot about the Australian under 24 frisbee team this year. This will be the last story about the campaign, Worlds finished a month ago, they were a special team.


On the last day of play the boys sat in our allocated change room and bounced to the consuming swell of the usual pump up music. One of the senior players had brought a near suitcase sized speaker from Australia - the team was rarely wanting for musical power. Loud!


They played the same songs before every game, much of it high tempo, some of it explicit, all familiar, it was part of the preparation routine. My children moved in and out of the room, Nana waited outside, I prowled around trying to palpate the collective readiness of the team. On this final day they were ready, the day’s two games would decide our final place. The music pounded, they were ready.


The first game was thrilling. Close, intense, emotional and testing. The Australian team lost on double game point, painful and also respectable. We had the frisbee at half field to win, so close. The loss meant that 3 hours later we were back in the same change room but with a very different tone. They were hurt about the morning result. They were fatigued after 9 games in 6 days of intense Spanish heat. I think they also felt the looming end of their sensational adventure - there was one last game with their mates. Ever.


It was quiet in the rooms, not from the milk-crate sized speaker, that was loud and familiar. But the noise under it, often vibrant and energised, before this game it was subdued. Part of each of our minds was still in those last tense points of the morning loss. They were holding on.


Once again, my 3 and 7 year old cruised in and out of the rooms, watching and learning. The little one particularly had no idea what the score had been against Austria on field 6 earlier. Nor did she care that Colombia was good this cycle and it was going to be tough in the afternoon heat. She just bounced around with her palm sized Elsa doll and asked again if the songs could be changed to Frozen music.

Very surprisingly, this time the answer was yes.

Suddenly the lawn-chair sized speaker pushed out the first few notes of Disney’s smash hit ‘Let it go’ from Frozen. If you know you know, but if you don’t, it’s a power ballard of released inhibitions and living your truth. And princess, it’s about princesses.


“Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore“


I cringed and turned to correct the situation. Ironically, I was holding tight, rather than letting go. The mood in the room though began to turn. Smiles appeared, voices lifted and one 3 year old squealed then danced. Like a room full of people suddenly released, the boys sang (the chorus) and whooped at the irony of the thing. They did need to let it go, they needed to be free and go produce their best for their mates one last time. So, they sang on and got ready to charge.


I misted in the corner as the team found another way to show their humility, compassion and power. It was a symbol of their connection and joy at being together with a mountain to climb.




“It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free”




I found coaching the Goannas team to be a brilliant year long project. 20 years after my first chance to go to the World Championships it continues to be a joy and a struggle. It’s always different and I’m still very grateful to be there.


Public thanks to the players, leaders and staff of the team for being excellent people and for building a special team together.