The Athlete Story: How Hard Work, Skills and Coaching Bring Home The Gold

Kerri Pottharst and I met on Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia in 1992. And 8 years after that friendship began, she won the Olympic Gold medal in Beach Volleyball on that same sand, on her “home court” at the pinnacle of her career.

She made the transition to the beach in ‘92 following a damn near career-ending knee injury playing indoor volleyball. And 4 short years later she won the Bronze medal in Atlanta at the 1996 Olympics. Then Bondi Beach GOLD happened in 2000. I will never forget watching her win from a hotel in Vancouver, Canada. Unbelievable, seeing that trajectory, defeating teams that had played beach their entire careers where Kerri was the “older” player out there at the age of 35. What a STORY!

How did she do it? Hard work, skill development, Coaching and a fierce discipline to succeed. It’s all well-documented and has become Kerri’s passion in her post-playing days. In addition to being a volleyball commentator, Coach, Professional Speaker, Businesswoman and Mom to her son Tyson, she is also helping other athletes to tell their stories, and how to transition athletic success into other parts of life.

We had dinner in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles last week, and Kerri spoke about her journey, ups and downs and the grit to keep moving. A few years ago, she told me that she believes she won the gold medal so that she could help others, and she is doing just that. To learn more about Kerri and her offering, go to www.theathletestory.com.au