Tools for your game, from people who know the game.

You Matter Parent introduction

Anika Brown

Founder, Athlete Matter

Anika Brown is the founder of Athlete Matter and Hoop Matter, and leads the You Matter pillar of the program.

A multi-sport athlete, she came through the NSW basketball pathway, trained in the NSW Institute of Sport program and wore the number 6 for the Newcastle Hunters in what is now NBL1. A serious back injury in her final year of school ended a US college scholarship before it began.

She trained and worked as an occupational therapist in Australia and the UK, then spent many years in commercial education and leadership at Johnson & Johnson, designing programs that help people and teams reach their potential.

Anika coaches junior basketball, is a basketball parent of two and is based in Newcastle, NSW.

Mind Matter

Myles Cherry

Registered Psychologist

Myles understands elite sport from the inside. He came through the Newcastle Hunters program, captained NSW Country to gold at the 2015 Australian Junior Championships and was a member of the Australian under-17 squad.

After a prep season at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, he played NCAA Division I basketball for Lafayette College and was co-captain in his senior year.

Today Myles is a registered psychologist working with children, adolescents, adults and families. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from Lafayette College and is an Associate Member of the Australian Psychological Society.

In Mind Matter, Myles draws on his own experience to help young athletes manage the pressures of competition and reach their potential.

Team Matter

Tim Rapp

Director of Coaching Development

Tim is a product of NSW country rugby. He came up through the Singleton Bulls from Under 12s to first XV, then represented Australian Schoolboys, Australia at the Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships, and the Australian Sevens. He played halfback for the NSW Waratahs, making his state debut against the Chiefs in 2002.

After his playing career Tim moved into coaching and teaching. He coached NSW Combined High Schools and Southern Districts, was assistant coach of the Australian Schools team and became Director of Rugby at Newington College. Today he is a Director of Coaching Development and a Level 3 accredited rugby coach.

He is also a sports parent, with kids who love their sport too.

In Team Matter, Tim talks about teamwork, trust, communication and coaching.

Health Matter

Katie Hamment

Sports Physiotherapist

Katie Hamment is a sports physiotherapist based in Newcastle, NSW, who is passionate about keeping young athletes healthy, confident and on the field.

Hockey has been part of Katie’s life since she was five. She played representative hockey for her town and for New South Wales, then moved to Newcastle to study a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and joined the local first grade competition, where she still plays today.

In 2020 Katie injured her ACL and spent 12 months in rehab. That year away from the game showed her firsthand what it takes to return to competitive sport.

She volunteered with the Newcastle Jets, interned with the Newcastle Knights NSW Cup team and spent two years as head physiotherapist for the Knights’ Harold Matthews Cup (U17s) side. She is now head physiotherapist for the Knights’ Jersey Flegg Cup (U21s) team, and works with youth athletes at Up N Adam Performance Training & Physiotherapy, with a focus on injury prevention.

Health Matter

Courtney Baleato

Accredited Practising Dietitian

Courtney grew up playing almost every sport she could: basketball, netball, touch football, a season of rugby union at 15, and dance, including ballet, tap and Physie. She was also a sprinter until a torn hamstring ended her running career.

She spent about 15 years as a primary school teacher, teaching every grade from Kindergarten to Year 6. With two young children at home, she went back to university full time to study nutrition and dietetics while still teaching part time.

Today she is a paediatric dietitian in private practice, working with children from birth to their teens, from kids who find eating challenging to young athletes who want to fuel their performance.

She is also a sports mum, so eating well on game days and away from home is something her family works on most weeks.

Future Matter

Ian McKensey

Founder, Momentum Pathways Australia

Ian has spent his career in and around sport, across team management, coaching, athlete development and sports administration. He has managed an NBL1 team and a state basketball team, coached multiple local teams and served as CEO of a local basketball association.

Along the way he saw the decisions that shape an athlete’s path, and how often families make them without the information they need. So he founded Momentum Pathways Australia, which helps young athletes and their families understand the options open to them, including college and professional pathways.

Ian is passionate about helping the next generation get the most out of their sport, on and off the court, and build a pathway that is genuinely right for them.