Olympian and Mother Panel Discussion at Perisher

Last week during Interschools, Snow Australia hosted an inspiring panel discussion titled “The Athlete and Mother Journey” at JAX on-mountain at Perisher.

The panel was hosted by Rachel Oakes-Ash, editor and founder of SnowsBest and better known as Miss Snow It All, alongside Caroline Brauer, Brand and Marketing Director for Pit Viper Australia, who brings 25 years of snow industry experience to the table.

The discussion was headlined by some of Australia's biggest freestyle names: two-time Olympian and Crystal Globe winner Valentino Guseli and his mother Kristen; 2022 Beijing Winter Olympian and World Cup silver medalist Abi Harrigan and her mother Julianne; and 2026 Olympic Gold medalist Cooper Woods and his mother Katrina.

Fresh off the Interschools race course, parents and young athletes packed into the room, eager to soak up some wisdom from some of the greatest young talent the snowsports community has produced.

The event gave parents and young aspiring athletes the chance to hear firsthand from Olympians and their families about the journey from Interschools to the Olympic and Paralympic stage.

The athletes and their mothers shared stories from their earliest days in winter sports, the highs and lows of competing at the top level, and opening up about how they’ve handled fear, pressure and adversity along the way.

When asked what their mothers mean to them, Abi said there weren’t enough words to capture what her mum had given up for her.

“There’s no thank you, or anything that I can say that is enough for what your mum does for you. I’ve seen how hard they work just for me to be able to do some tricks on skis. It’s pretty nice.” she said.

Valentino echoed this statement.

“I think the thing that I would say about my mum is her humility in all of the insane stuff that she’s done for me since I was born.” he said.

“All of the things that go unnoticed until you have to go without them. She’s a bit of a weapon.” 

For parents currently navigating Interschools, Katrina Woods’ advice was clear. Success comes when the dream belongs to the child, not the parent.

“It's got to be the kid driving the bus. It's got to be the kids wishing for it. It's got to be their journey, not the parent's journey, ” she said.

Kristen Guseli agreed.

“If you see the enjoyment in your kids and you know that they’re really loving it, embrace it,” she said.

“It teaches them so much, and for us, the community is great, this industry is great. It teaches them to commit to something and they know they’ve got to work hard and try and they value that and appreciate the commitment you as a family make.”

Julianne Harrigan’s advice was to get comfortable with early mornings on live timing and late-night phone calls once your child is overseas chasing the dream. 

“Be prepared to watch live scoring on your phone in bed at 2am, late night phone calls ranging from ‘I’m bored’ to ‘I’m lost in Andorra and my phone is on 2% charge’,” she said.

She followed that with the reminder of just how much the right coach can shape an athlete’s career. 

“Find yourself a coach that loves your kid as much as you do,” she said.

This event was a part of the Women of Winter initiative which brings together the local community to promote industry pathways, and empower women to pursue their goals. 

The next Women of Winter event, the ‘Women of Winter Networking Event’, will be held at Mount Hotham on August 9. For more details, visit our website.