Every year the ASTMA endeavours to bring together a line-up of conference speakers that not only provide valuable insight and discussion around turf management challenges and practices but also food for thought regarding life in general and some of the complexities we all have to contend with, whether in a work environment or our personal lives. This year’s Plenary session on Tuesday 24 June, which opens the 2025 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference, will be blend of just that and while we will focus on the agronomic content in coming editions, this week we highlight two keynote presenters who will provide some unique perspectives given their very different journeys in life.

The ASTMA is excited to announce that Australian Olympic boxer Harry Garside (pictured right) will be delivering the opening address of the Sydney conference. A plumber by trade, Garside rose to prominence in 2021 when he secured a Bronze Medal in the lightweight division at the Tokyo Olympics. The youngest of three boys from Mooroolbark in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, Garside surprised his family with his desire to become a boxer as a nine-year-old. He would go on to become a nine-time Australian champion and at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018 won a Gold Medal in the men’s 60-kilogram division.

After a brief undefeated stint as a professional, he returned to the amateur ranks in order to qualify for the Olympics, gaining a spot on the Australian team for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Despite the Games being delayed until 2021 due to the COVID pandemic, Garside would go on to claim Australia’s first OIympic boxing medal in more than three decades.  

In a recent Instagram post Garside noted: “Boxing has become a spiritual journey for me – something my soul has needed since I was young. It’s one of the purest expressions of courage: two people standing face to face, looking each other in the eyes, and agreeing to put everything on the line. In that moment, respect is forged, and honour is earned. The ring forces you to confront parts of yourself you’ve spent years running from. It’s where I go to get closer to what it truly means to be human - and what it means to be an animal. There’s no escape, no illusion. In the ring, there’s only truth.”

While his feats inside the ring have been impressive, it is arguably his endeavours outside of it which have also won Garside many admirers. He aims to actively break down barriers and imparts a crucial message – never shy away from letting your unique light shine. Indeed, as part of his regime to prepare for the Olympics, Garside turned to a range of unusual training methods, among them ballet lessons, karaoke and army drills, which he says were critical to his success. He makes headlines for challenging gender stereotypes – some will recall the Olympic-themed nail polish he wore during his Tokyo campaign – calling out cancel culture and serving as a role model for young people who embrace their uniqueness.

Above all, Garside believes in the power of mindset and goal setting and is vocal about the importance of vulnerability, authenticity and emotional intelligence in reaching true potential. In his mind resilience is not just a buzz word, it is the key to succeeding despite the odds and it will be on this very theme that he will present at the Sydney conference.