Community, belonging, dedication, leadership and friendship… these are the life lessons Australian Olympic race walker Jemima Montag says are most important in her sporting career.
Jemima won two bronze medals in race walking at the Paris 2024 Olympics and had this to say post race.
This video is standing the test of time and I encourage sports parents to watch this video with all the budding young athletes in your life.
We often talk in sessions about finding stories and narratives that can help open up conversations particularly with teenagers and this could be one of those brilliant conversation starters for sporting parents.
Conversation Starters for Sports Parents
(Inspired by Jemima Montag’s Olympic reflections)
Community & Belonging
- “What does being part of a team mean to you?”
- “Who in your sport makes you feel like you belong?”
- “How do you think Jemima’s community helped her through tough moments?”
Dedication & Discipline
- “What do you think dedication looks like for you — at training, school, or home?”
- “When have you felt proud of sticking with something, even when it was hard?”
- “Jemima talked about commitment — how do you balance hard work with rest and fun?”
Leadership
- “What kind of teammate do you want to be?”
- “How do you show leadership, even if you’re not the captain?”
- “What leaders or teammates inspire you, and why?”
Friendship & Support
- “How do your friends in sport support you when things don’t go your way?”
- “What do you value most about your friendships in sport?”
- “Jemima mentioned friendship — how can friends make training or competition more enjoyable?”
The Bigger Picture
- “Jemima said sport teaches life lessons — what life lessons do you think you’re learning?”
- “If sport wasn’t about medals or wins, what would still make it worth doing?”
- “What do you think Jemima will remember most from her Olympic experience — the medals or the journey?”
Sports Parent Tips
Use these questions as open invitations to talk, not tests.
You do not need to ask them all in one sitting either, pick the ones that may be most relevant to you in your current situation.
Listen more than you speak and let your child’s reflections guide the conversation.
The goal isn’t to analyse performance — it’s to explore values, purpose, and joy in sport and getting them communicating.
