My Beautiful Father

Dear Dad (TAT, Troy, Broph, Milo), 

It was so sudden that you had to leave this world, but I know you're in a better place now and out of pain. You were a fighter, that's what you were. You were so strong and that's what I admire about you.

I remember when Janay and I were little, and you would come over to our house every Friday after work and you would take us to the deli up the road, and sometimes if we were lucky, you would take us to Hungry Jacks. I always looked forward to Fridays because I knew I was going to see you. Fridays were also known as deli day, as me and Janay would call it. 

You always used to come to watch my netball games and all I could hear from the sidelines was you cheering and sometimes yelling at me when I did something wrong. I remember we always used to argue about how I should quit netball and play rugby, just like you did. But I always won. Dad, you used to always say the most awful jokes like you wouldn't believe. Janay and I still used to laugh at them so we didn't hurt your feelings. Sorry dad, but you really weren't the big comedian. 

I remember when you used to take Janay and I down to the rugby club on the weekends, and we would watch a game of rugby, then dad would go into the bar and have a couple of beers. Dad knew everyone down at the club, and I would meet new people every time I went there. 

One time, janay and dad were playing on the money machine in the club room, and Janay used one of dads one dollar coins and pushed the button, and in her luck, she had won the top prize of $500. Janay and dad argued over who won the money and they ended up splitting it 70-30 in dads favour. And that's how he got his nickname that everyone knows, TAT. Down at the club, he would always be referred to as TAT, meaning tight ass Troy. I can't exactly remember how he got that nickname, but boy it was a good one. 

Dad, I will never forget all of the great memories made together, and all of the jokes and the laughs and the time that we spent together. I will always cherish them and I know that you will always be there watching over me with everything I do and that you will always be in my heart. 

I love you always and forever.

Rest in Peace. 

"I know that I will never find my father in any other man who comes into my life, because it is a void in my life that can only be filled by him." - Halle Berry.

Time for Class

Growing up was alright I guess, but it was all easy back then when I was younger and didn't know better. We lived about 2 mins walking distance to my old primary school, so I was pretty much guaranteed to never be late to school. Primary school was easy, I loved it. I made loads of friends and liked the teachers too. Being apart of the cut off year had its ups and downs. The up side was there wasn't many people in my year but the down side was also not having many people in my year. We were always the small group at my primary school, and by year 7 there was only 8 of us left. I loved primary school the best.

When I got to high school I knew no one. Imagine this, going into one of the biggest schools you had ever seen, not knowing anyone, and having to find new friends and finding your own way around. It was tough, I must say. But I wasn't completely alone as I had my peer support leaders and one of them was my older sister Janay. These peer support sessions helped me through my first couple of days and weeks at this new big school that I knew no one in.

Sometimes, I would sit by myself on the oval at lunch time and look at everyone and their big group of friends and think, why can't I have a big group of friends? Why am I sitting by myself at lunch? How come no one wanted to be my friend?... After about a week I finally came up with the courage to go and introduce myself to other people in my year, and I've never regretted it to this day. I have made some amazing friends and I wouldn't want to change them for the world.

Throughout my years at high school, I have been a student year group leader from year 8 up to this year in year 11. I have been ministry, arts, and now sports leader. Next year I wish to be another leader, as I have enjoyed being a leader in my year group each year.

Year 11 is a big year for me. It is the year that high school is at its best. I am finally starting to figure out who my real friends are and who are the fakers. It's pretty much the make it or brake it year. It's the year that you do TEE or non TEE, and I have chose non TEE. School is pretty easy for me being in all stage 1 subjects. I'm cruising through the year like a dog that has its head stuck out of the car window with the wind blowing its' fur everywhere.

“Once you leave out all the bullshit they teach you in school, life gets really simple.”
George Carlin.

Three Two One... Play Ball!

Sport has got me through a lot in my life. I can turn to my sport when I'm in a good mood, crappy mood and just any mood. I was a really sporty girl growing up and I still am today. I remember when I was little, mum would put me in heaps of sports ranging from soccer to gymnastics. She was very sporty as a kid and I think that's where I get all of my energy and sportiness from. She played netball and did athletics... Just like me!

I have been playing netball since I was in year 3 (so I was 8). I really enjoyed this and kept playing it each year. I am now in year 11 and still playing the sport. Netball is really one of my favourite things to do. When I play a game of netball I'm in the zone, it's like I'm right at home with what I'm doing. I go and play netball in any mood whether it was to get all of my anger out, or even be happy and enjoy it, I do it. I'm not comparing myself to all of the top state and even Australian netball players but, I think I have gained a lot of confidence, skill and power through my game play. it's a passion that drives me to play the game that I absolutely love. Playing netball is like my second home.

I play indoor netball two maybe even three times a week, and have training once a week. I play my outdoor games during winter every Saturday. My mum, my sister and I are apart of our netballs' committee and help out with umpiring, coaching and anything that needs to be done. We are well known with the club and would never want to change clubs for any reason what so ever.

I also do little athletics. I have done this for 7 seasons now and absolutely love it! Athletics to me is what I do to keep me fit through the summer. I have met some amazing people through it. I am more of a thrower as I'm not that good at running. I never really have been a sprinter or a long distance runner, but the jumps and throws I excel in. I have broken a few records with javelin and its also my favourite event.

I'm not really that good at athletics in general, not like a few of my friends who have gone to Singapore and over East for it, but I still love the fun and the fitness. I have just finished my second last season of little athletics and I am really looking forward to next season as it will be my last one and I already know its going to be the best season of athletics so far!

'Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... play for her.' -Mia Hamm.

Why Me?

I like to think of myself as a person who is friends with everyone. I think of myself as one of the nicest people you will ever meet. I don't really know what to write next about myself right now, because not much exciting has really happened to me. I am child of three and the youngest. I haven't accomplished much but I'm working on that one.

I love my sport and especially netball. I have been playing netball now for my 9th season this year. Just think of that, 9 whole years of my life since I was just 8 years old, revolved around netball, and up until this very day it still does! I like to think that I am fairly good at it and my dream would be to make the Australian team one day. I believe that if I keep trying to get towards my goals, I can do anything I want.

I also do little athletics. I have done this for 7 seasons now. Athletics is what keeps me fit over the summer and I love the throws as I am not a strong runner to be completely honest. I don't think I really want to be an athlete because I don't believe that I am good enough.

Last year, I got bullied a bit. This made my self confidence go down. This person really hated me. They hated me for pretty much no apparent reason. I had never done anything to them at all to deserve it. I'm the kind of person who hides all of their feelings, and locks it all up inside, rather than letting it out. I'm not very good at taking jokes from other people. I can give jokes but I can't take them back.

Sometimes I think I have something seriously wrong with me. Some days, I would wake up and decide not to go to school because I had a fear of people bullying me or judging me. I don't know why I felt this way but I just couldn't help it. These feelings I keep inside me. I am not a person to judge, and hey you know what they say you can't judge a book by its cover.

I can't remember a time where I was truly happy with myself. I don't mean the happiness of winning a race or blowing all of the candles out at your 10th birthday party, I mean true happiness. The happiness you feel when you just know. When you know that you can stop stressing about everyone around you and just let everything fall into place. The happiness where you can wake up and it's already there. The happiness that will always be there with you no matter what happens. Have you ever felt that happiness?...




“People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” -Abraham Lincoln.

My Fishpond Of Friends

I like to think that I'm friends with everyone, and that no one would ever hate me for any reason what so ever, but that I was wrong. One of the most important things I have learnt about people and friends is that you truly have one good friend who will stick with you till the end and all of the rest will either drift away or screw you over! You know the expression: 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' yeah well that is a good thing to remember and keep in mind when your so called 'friends' screw you over.

I feel as if I have the bestest girl in the whole world to call my bestfriend, and her name is Sheree Louise Kendall. I have only known her for two and a half years now, but my oh my it feels like a lifetime! We share a lot of interests, play netball together and like the same music, and most of all I know I can be myself around her and she can be herself around me. When we are together, we are unstoppable. I don't really get to see her much because we go to different schools, but it doesn't matter. I honestly trust her with my entire life.

Another person I really adore, as one of my best friends, her name is Vy Dang. I honestly don't know what I could do without her. She has helped me through a lot. We always talk about our boy issues and I like that I can trust her with knowing that. She has gone through a lot and I really admire that about her. She is one of the strongest people I know and I wouldn't want to trade our friendship for anything in the world.

Two girls that have helped me through a lot is Meg Everitt and Jessica Agrela. These two understand me. I can tell them absolutely everything and know that they will always be there for me. They make me laugh and they are true friends. We have had some fun times and we always have a laugh when we are out and about.

"There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did, and who always will." -Unknown.

My Twisted Family

My family is weird, and when I say weird I mean weird. My family means most though. I've had all the ups and downs, trust me when I say that. As much as I hate my family at times, I honestly and truly love them so much and don't know what I would do with out them.

I have an older brother Leslie (23) and an older sister Janay (18) and yes as you can figure out, I'm the baby of the family. Being the youngest child sucks, I mean sucks. I remember when I was little, they both used to take my toys away from me, and pick on me. When my sister was born, my brother wanted a sister and she would be his princess, but when I was born, my brother wanted a little brother... I wasn't quite his brother, but he still loved me as much.

What can I say, growing up was pretty easy in my family, we weren't a big family, just a small family. I pretty much grew up with out a pop and my dad wasn't always present throughout my childhood. My mum is an amazing person, I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. She was always there, making my school lunches, doing my hair, anything you name it and she did it.

My dad on the other hand, I wouldn't change him for the world, I love my daddy and I was one of his princesses. I always used to remember him coming over our house on Fridays after school had finished, and he would take Janay and I to the shops and we would call it 'deli day'. My dad has been through a lot, and he is one strong man. My nana is one of the most influential people I know. I love her to the moon and back. My nana has gone through a lot in her life, and she is still staying strong.

'Family is not an important thing. It's everything.' -Michael J. Fox.