Lara Hamilton shares the reality behind life as an Olympian, from the financial pressure of competing in a less-funded sport to the physical and mental challenge of training with chronic pain.

A trail runner, ski mountaineer, DJ, vocalist and digital contract producer, Lara has built a career across sport and multiple industries while continuing to pursue her Olympic goals.

In this conversation, Lara talks openly about living with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory condition that causes ongoing pain and can affect movement and everyday life. She shares how chronic pain has affected her training, mindset and relationship with sport.

She also explains the financial reality of elite ski mountaineering, why athletes in less-funded sports often have to create their own opportunities, and how mentors, community connections, personal skills and brand support can help athletes keep going.

What You’ll Learn

• The hidden financial costs of pursuing an Olympic career
• What it is like to compete in ski mountaineering
• Living and training with Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Managing chronic pain as an elite athlete
• The mental challenges of competing while in pain
• Why funding can be a major barrier for athletes
• How young athletes can find mentors and support
• Building opportunities beyond traditional sporting pathways
• Using your skills and network to support an athletic career
• Why Lara continues to chase her Olympic goals

📌 Want to build confidence that holds up when the pressure is on?

The 4TG Confidence System is a 6-week self-paced course built from the lessons of elite athletes and designed for every female athlete. You’ll learn practical tools to manage pressure, quiet overthinking, reset after mistakes and build the mindset habits that help you perform with more confidence, consistency and control.

ENROL NOW: https://gpozeihwelzhpruycara.app.clientclub.net/courses/offers/f828e2d6-19d4-423e-bc0f-583c1db9aa95

📌 FREE 5-Minute Confidence Reset Tool for Female Athletes:

Feeling overwhelmed, overthinking or stuck after a mistake? Get your free 4TG Confidence Reset Tool to help you reset your focus, regain control and choose your next useful action to perform at your best. Download it free here: https://go.4tg.com.au/4tg-confidence-reset-system

About Lara Hamilton

Lara Hamilton is an Australian Olympian, trail runner and ski mountaineer.
She has competed at elite level while managing Ankylosing Spondylitis and chronic pain. Lara shares her journey through Olympic sport, resilience and life beyond competition.

Connect With Lara Hamilton

Instagram: @lara_hamilton

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

Kylie Lynch shares a major life update, reflects on her own journey through an 18-month ACL recovery and introduces the new 4TG Confidence System, an online mindset course designed to help female athletes build confidence, manage pressure and perform with greater control.

The episode explores the Performance Spiral, the cycle of self-doubt, physical tension and negative self-talk that can take over after a mistake or under pressure.

Kylie also shares a practical 5-step reset athletes can use during training, before competition or after making a mistake:

• Pause
• Breathe
• Ground
• Reframe
• Take Action

The 4TG Confidence System goes deeper, helping athletes understand the root of their confidence struggles, build resilient habits, develop authentic confidence, manage pressure and create a stronger long-term mindset.

What You’ll Learn :

• Why athletes lose confidence after mistakes
• How the Performance Spiral affects performance
• What ACL recovery taught Kylie about confidence
• How to reset your mindset under pressure
• Why confidence needs to be trained like a skill
• How female athletes can build stronger mental habits
• What the 4TG Confidence System includes

4TG Confidence System Online Course Now LIVE 🔥

Train Your Confidence. Handle Pressure. Perform Like the Athlete You Know You Are.

The 4TG Confidence System is a six-module online course for female athletes who know they’re capable of more but struggle with overthinking, pressure, mistakes, self-doubt or inconsistency when it matters.

Learn how to break the Performance Spiral, reset after mistakes, build genuine self-trust and develop a repeatable mindset system for training, competition and everyday life.

Includes self-paced video lessons, a premium companion workbook, practical tools and access to a community of female athletes.

Stop waiting for confidence to appear. Start training it today.

📌ENROL NOW: https://gpozeihwelzhpruycara.app.clientclub.net/courses/offers/f828e2d6-19d4-423e-bc0f-583c1db9aa95

📌FREE 5-Minute Confidence Reset Tool for Female Athletes:

Feeling overwhelmed, overthinking or stuck after a mistake? Get your free 4TG Confidence Reset Tool to help you reset your focus, regain control and choose your next useful action to perform at your best!

Download it free here: https://go.4tg.com.au/4tg-confidence-reset-system

Connect With 4TG

Instagram: @4tg_podcast
Website: 4tg.com.au

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

Jess Curl's journey from collegiate and semi-professional soccer to becoming a gym founder was shaped by one of the hardest periods of her life. After rupturing her Achilles twice in one month, Jess spent seven months recovering and faced the challenge of rebuilding her confidence and identity beyond sport.

In this conversation, Jess shares what injury taught her about resilience, rest and finding value beyond athletic performance. She also talks about co-founding Project Better, creating a more welcoming and inclusive gym environment, and navigating the challenges of being a woman in the male-dominated fitness industry.

We talk about:

• Recovering from two Achilles ruptures
• Losing and rebuilding an athlete identity
• Returning to confidence after serious injury
• Why identity needs to exist beyond sport
• Building Project Better and creating inclusive fitness spaces
• Body image and shifting the focus from appearance to capability
• Being a woman running a business in fitness
• Lessons sport teaches about resilience, leadership and failure
• Why creating better sporting environments can help keep girls in sport

A powerful conversation about injury recovery, identity, women in fitness and what can happen when setbacks become the starting point for something new.

🙌 A big thanks to this episode’s sponsor Project Better : https://www.instagram.com/projectbetter.au/?hl=en

About Jessica Curl
Jessica Curl is the Co-Founder of Project Better, an inclusive gym community in Melbourne. A former collegiate and semi-professional soccer player, Jess shares her journey through Achilles injury, rebuilding her identity beyond sport and creating a more welcoming space in fitness.

Guest Socials:
Instagram: @jess.curl

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

What does it really take to build a career in sports science, and why are female athletes still facing such a high risk of ACL injuries?

In Episode 59 of the 4TG Podcast, Biomechanics and Performance Lab Manager Emma Rosario shares her journey from fitness instructor to working in sports science and research at Centaur Institute.

Emma opens up about the reality of building a career in the industry, including imposter syndrome, unpaid opportunities, long hours and why saying yes to small opportunities can eventually lead to bigger roles.

The conversation also looks at the female ACL injury crisis and why training history may play a bigger role than many people realise. Emma discusses the gap in female-specific sports science research, why girls are often introduced to strength and conditioning later than boys, and her upcoming PhD research into ACL injury prevention and psychological readiness to return to sport.

She also shares why having exercise scientists, physiotherapists, surgeons and strength and conditioning professionals working together can make such a difference to athlete recovery and performance.

In this episode:
• Emma’s journey into sports science and research
• Overcoming imposter syndrome in a male-dominated industry
• The reality of working in sports science
• Why female athletes face a major ACL injury challenge
• The importance of early strength training for young female athletes
• The gap in female athlete research
• Emma’s upcoming PhD research
• Psychological readiness after ACL injury
• The benefits of multidisciplinary athlete support
• Why representation matters in sports science

This episode is proudly sponsored by Centaur Institute , a multidisciplinary musculoskeletal healthcare and performance facility bringing together sports medicine, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, biomechanics and research.

Centaur Institute:
https://centaur.com.au/

Want to build an unwavering mindset to consistently perform at your best?

Join the 4TG Pressure Proof Online Mindset Course waitlist and learn how to train your mental game, not just your physical one. Built from the lessons of elite athletes. Made for every female athlete. Join the waitlist now for an exclusive early-bird discount 👇

https://forms.gle/FfPqhiyfFJ3AGGTAA

Guest Socials:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/emrosario_research?stkn=ZzV1bmg4eGhqd3Jp

Centaur Institute - https://www.instagram.com/centaurinstitute?stkn=MTk4dW0ybmlrMmRiMA%3D%3D

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

Blaithin Bogue’s journey from Gaelic football in Ireland to AFLW Premiership glory is a story of patience, resilience and believing in the process.

In this episode of the 4TG Podcast, Kylie Lynch sits down with North Melbourne star Blaithin Bogue to talk about her move from County Fermanagh to Australia, choosing her Pharmacy degree before pursuing professional football, and the challenges she faced during her first year in the AFLW.

After not getting a game in her first season, Blaithin had to learn how to focus on what she could control. Her patience eventually paid off, leading to a record-breaking 25-goal season, All-Australian honours and an AFLW Premiership with North Melbourne.

Blaithin also shares what it meant to represent Ireland, the importance of the Irish sisterhood at North Melbourne, and why connection can be just as important as performance.

In this episode:

• Moving from Gaelic football to AFLW
• Choosing education before professional sport
• Overcoming a difficult first season
• Building mental resilience through setbacks
• Breaking the AFLW record for goals by an Irish player
• Winning an AFLW Premiership with North Melbourne
• The importance of connection and the Irish sisterhood
• Representing Ireland on the international stage
• Advice for young athletes facing setbacks
• Why athletes should focus on the process rather than the outcome

A question for you:

How do you stay patient when your sporting career isn't going the way you planned?

Join the 4TG Pressure Proof Online Mindset Course waitlist and learn how to train your mental game, not just your physical one. Built from the lessons of elite athletes. Made for every female athlete. Join the waitlist now for an exclusive early-bird discount 👇

https://forms.gle/FfPqhiyfFJ3AGGTAA

About Blaithin Bogue

Blaithin Bogue is a North Melbourne AFLW player and Premiership winner who made the move from Gaelic football in Ireland to professional Australian Rules football. After a difficult first year in Australia where injury kept her from playing a game, Blaithin stayed focused on the process and went on to kick a record-breaking 25 goals in her debut AFLW season, earn All-Australian honours and win an AFLW Premiership.

Guest Socials:
- Instagram: @blaithinbogue

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

What does it really mean to represent your country as a professional female athlete and still need another job to pay the rent?

In this episode of 4TG, Kylie Lynch sits down with Kelly Porter, former captain of the Australian women's indoor volleyball team and current National Junior Head Coach for Volleyball Australia, to talk honestly about the financial and structural challenges facing female athletes in Australia.

Kelly shares her journey from a shy teenager discovering volleyball to leading the Australian national team. She opens up about playing NCAA Division 1 volleyball in the US, returning to Australia to train at an elite level while working full-time, and the major differences between the support systems available to male and female athletes.

The conversation also looks at the future of women's volleyball ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, athlete wellbeing, the importance of better funding, and what needs to change to give female athletes a genuine pathway to elite sport.

In this episode, Kelly talks about:

• The financial reality facing elite female athletes in Australia

• Why even national team captains can need a second job

• Her experience playing NCAA Division 1 volleyball in the US

• The difference between the US collegiate system and Australian sport

• The funding gap between men's and women's sport

• Her experience during the 2020 Olympic qualification campaign

• Why indoor volleyball needs stronger investment ahead of Brisbane 2032

• The changing focus on athlete wellbeing

• Why parents are the real MVPs behind young athletes

• How coaches can shape an athlete's confidence and future

• Why Kelly created Lean Edge to support junior athletes and their families

• Her message to young athletes who feel like they don't belong

A question for you:

Should elite athletes representing their country be able to rely on sport as their main source of income?

Build a bulletproof mindset for on and off the field

Join the 4TG Pressure Proof Online Mindset Course waitlist and learn how to train your mental game, not just your physical one. Built from the lessons of elite athletes. Made for every female athlete. Join the waitlist now for an exclusive early-bird discount 👇

https://forms.gle/FfPqhiyfFJ3AGGTAA

About Kelly Porter

Kelly Porter is a former captain of the Australian women's indoor volleyball team and Pathways Coach for Volleyball Australia, accredited wellbeing and youth mental health specialist, and founder of Lean Edge, a support platform created to help junior athletes and their families navigate the sporting journey.

Guest Socials:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kellporter_/

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-lean---/

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

Professional athlete doesn't always mean financial security.

In this episode of 4TG, Kylie Lynch sits down with Jess Brady, money educator, founder of The Greenhouse and host of Financially Fierce, to talk about the financial reality facing women in Australian sport.

From the A-League Women and AFLW to NRLW, Jess breaks down the gap between the demands placed on elite female athletes and what they're actually paid. They also unpack why many athletes need second or third jobs, how financial stress can affect performance, and why money education needs to become part of an athlete's development.

Jess also challenges some common beliefs about women and money, sharing her own financial mistakes and the lessons she learned along the way.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• The current pay gap across major women's sports
• Why professional athletes can still experience financial insecurity
• The myth that women are bad with money
• How to build better financial habits without living with a scarcity mindset
• Jess's Bamboo, Fruit Tree and Oak Tree approach to financial goals
• Building wealth during a short sporting career
• Investing, cash flow and superannuation
• Separating self-worth from net worth
• Preparing financially for life after sport

The sporting career might only last a few years. The financial decisions made during that time can shape much more of your life.

🎙️ Listen to the full conversation with Jess Brady on the 4TG Podcast.

💬 Do you think financial education should be part of every professional athlete's development?

Follow 4TG for more honest conversations about women's sport, athlete development, confidence, equality and the future of female sport.

Join the 4TG Pressure Proof Online Mindset Course waitlist and learn how to train your mental game — not just your physical one. Built from the lessons of elite athletes. Made for every female athlete. Join the waitlist now for an exclusive early-bird discount 👇

https://forms.gle/FfPqhiyfFJ3AGGTAA

ABOUT THE GUEST: JESS BRADY

Jess Brady is a money educator, financial adviser, founder of The Greenhouse, and host of Financially Fierce. She is passionate about helping women build confidence with money, make informed financial decisions, and create greater long-term financial security.

Through her work, Jess focuses on making money conversations more accessible and practical, helping women move beyond financial fear, build better habits, and create a stronger financial future.

Connect with Jess on Instagram: @jessbrady_financialadvice

View Jess' book here

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...

You don't just want to train your body for competition - you want to train your brain for it too.

What if you could train your brain to feel calmer, more confident and more prepared before you even step onto the field?

In this episode of 4TG (For The Girls), Kylie Lynch takes you through a guided mental visualisation exercise designed to help athletes manage pre-competition nerves, build confidence and perform under pressure.

Whether you're preparing for a big game, race, competition, trial or performance, mental preparation can be just as important as physical preparation. Through visualisation and mental rehearsal, you can practise responding to pressure, setbacks and nerves before they happen - so you’re better equipped when the real moment arrives.

Want to go deeper? 🔥

This episode is just the beginning.

Join the 4TG Pressure Proof Online Mindset Course waitlist and learn how to train your mental game — not just your physical one. Built from the lessons of elite athletes. Made for every female athlete. Join the waitlist now for an exclusive early-bird discount 👇

https://forms.gle/FfPqhiyfFJ3AGGTAA

In this bonus episode, Kylie covers:

• Why mental preparation matters for athletic performance
• How visualisation can prime your brain and nervous system for competition
• Using mental rehearsal to manage nerves, stress and anxiety
• How to vividly imagine your competition environment
• Creating a sense of calm and focus under pressure
• How to respond when things don't go to plan
• Building confidence by trusting your training and preparation
• Using your breath and awareness to reset in high-pressure moments
• Why confidence comes from preparation, not simply "feeling confident"
• An introduction to the 4TG Pressure Proof Mindset Course

The mental performance exercise

Throughout this episode, Kylie guides you through a visualisation designed to help you mentally rehearse competition - from arriving at the venue to handling pressure and performing when it matters most.

You can listen before training, competition or whenever you want to practise your mental game.

Come back to this episode before every game, competition, or high-pressure event - the more familiar you become with pressure, nerves and different competition scenarios in your mind, the more prepared you can feel when those moments happen for real.

Sound bites

Support the show

ABOUT THE HOST

Kylie Lynch is the Founder and Host of 4TG (For The Girls), a podcast and platform on a mission to keep more girls and women in sport.

A VFLW athlete, Australian representative in Polocrosse, coach, mentor and media/communications professional, Kylie has spent her career at the intersection of sport, media and community impact. Through 4TG, she shares the stories, lessons and experiences of elite athletes, coaches and industry leaders to help girls and women build confidence, navigate challenges and stay involved in sport for longer. Because sport doesn't just build athletes. It builds confidence, resilience, leadership, connection and opportunities that positively impact girls and women both on and off the field.

Connect with Kylie:

• Instagram: @kylie__lynch
• LinkedIn: Kylie Lynch
• Website: www.4tg.com.au
• Email: kylie@4tg.com.au

JOIN THE 4TG COMMUNITY

4TG exists to help keep more girls and women in sport.

Through powerful conversations with athletes, coaches, experts and industry leaders, we're building a community where girls and women feel inspired, supported and empowered to stay in the game.

• Instagram: @4tg_podcast
• TikTok: ...