AMELIE GUZIAK - JOIN HER SQUASH JOURNEY TO THE TOP

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Amelie Guziak, a junior squash player with a professional title, is determined to put Australia back on the map in her sport and inspire future athletes.

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Behind every Aussie athlete was once a kid with big dreams, and someone who believed in them. Be that someone! The dream is real, and so is the cost! Annually it reaches many thousands, only increasing each year. Most athletes are supported by the Bank of Mum and Dad, year after year. It’s a hard slog and not sustainable. Athletes find themselves balancing study, part time work, full time training, and little funds to support themselves, let alone funding interstate and international travel. Amelie needs your support! How can you help? Donate now, tell your friends and family, and share the donation link! In return, Amelie will share with you her experiences along the way, so you will know how your contributions support her journey, as well as enjoy some insight into the life of a squash athlete! Amelie is also on the lookout for a business that will help fundraise, network, mentor, and support her. Together, you and Amelie will work to raise the necessary funds to cover her training, travel, and competition costs. This business or individual will become an integral part of her team, which she is eagerly looking to expand.(Amelie is a confident public speaker, has strong interpersonal skills with people of all ages and backgrounds, and is an advocate for women playing sport.) *** NOTE: Amelie’s fundraising journey began in 2024 as part of the Aussie Athlete Fund Million Dollar Challenge, founded by 5x Olympian Nat Cook, which supported 100 selected athletes to raise a minimum of $10,000 each by 31st October 2024. Amelie has been very fortunate to be selected again for the 2025 Million Dollar Challenge. Having raised nearly $7000 since the first challenge which has been funding expenses along the way, she is combining both to raise $20,000 by the end of the current challenge period, which closes 31st October 2025. Amelie is aiming for her biggest year yet in 2026, with extensive training and competition planned. Your donation will support Amelie to perform at the highest level and continue her journey to the top.Support a dedicated Aussie athlete and make your tax-deductible donation today! READ AMELIE’S STORY ⬇️ THE BEGINNINGS…Amelie took an interest in squash through her dad, who is a squash player, and it was love at first sight. At only four years old, she would play between the adult’s matches, sometimes receiving tips or coaching from them. At age five she was thrilled to receive her very own squash bag and racquet for her birthday. By age six she was taking a weekly group coaching session. She decided she wanted to improve and eventually compete, so she started working with a coach on a regular basis. Her time on court, and passion, continually grew until aged 10, when she asked if she could compete at a tournament. That first taste of reality for Amelie, ready to win her first match only to be shocked by a smashing. The passion was strong from the beginning, always wanting to get straight back on court with the kids who beat her, never any hard feelings, just wanting to learn and improve. It was loss after loss… until one day, she won her first game against the no.1 player in Victoria at the time, someone so far ahead nobody could beat her. The post-match photo showed Amelie looking like the winner, so excited by her progress winning a single game during a match against the top player. The seed was planted… THE UPS AND DOWNS…Only recently turning 18, Amelie has already overcome many challenges in her squash journey, which have become the building blocks of strength and maturity. Whilst maintaining her national no.1 junior ranking for over three years, in 2024 she chose to take a different path, making two huge decisions in support of her long-term goals: 1.     She chose to step away from the junior squash circuit to focus on the senior professional circuit, where she is thriving.2.     She accepted a scholarship at The Maribyrnong Sports Academy to complete her VCE, to allow her to achieve her academic goals alongside her squash goals. It is this mindset which Amelie has had from a very young age, focussing on challenge and growth. She has already achieved a professional title (PSA Satellite) and is highly driven to chase more competition and experience against the best. Amelie has been selected to represent Australia above her age group numerous times, in Trans-Tasman team events against New Zealand, and as part of the World Junior Championships Women’s Team. Being an athlete who has always taken preference of a greater challenge over an easy win, speaks volumes of where her focus lies, on the long-term picture. What many do not know are the battles Amelie has faced behind the scenes. Her persistence, grit, and indomitable will to overcome these and keep looking forward make for a sturdy foundation for the long-term. Amelie has insight and experience far beyond her years, as many on the senior circuit will tell you. This is the stuff which builds an athlete for the long road ahead. Amelie is only just coming out of her most recent challenge which had her out of action for a few months; a double dose of pneumonia, devastatingly followed by injury because she worked so hard to return to her sport, she caused herself stress responses in both shins! A credit to her work ethic, however it was an important lesson, she learnt a great deal during the long recovery period. Never kept down for long, Amelie took the one-step-at-a-time approach, and also chose to use this time as an opportunity to focus on areas of her training which normally receive less attention during her usual training/competition blocks. A testament to her resilience and determination now sees her physically fitter and stronger than before. Amelie has also returned to competition, armed with a new coach and a solid team around her, which will make the next 12 months the most exciting stage of her progress yet. Amelie is currently balancing the challenge of year 12 studies with her sport. There may temporarily be a few less tournaments during the exam period, but she is maintaining her training as she prepares for her greatest squash adventures to come in 2026! This makes it a crucial time to build funding. The costs to cover accommodation, flights, fuel, coaching, training squads, medical expenses, clothing, shoes, court fees, and supplements, just to name a few, are huge! Your donation can make a real difference to Amelie’s potential! A WORD FROM AMELIE…Squash is my life, and everything revolves around it, but it’s also my happy place. Whatever is happening in my life I can go there. It has not been an easy couple of years personally and within my sport, but I feel I have never been stronger, more skilled, or more determined. I’m at a point now where things going wrong are only obstacles for me to work around, they are not the end of anything. I also learn so much every time, whether it’s about myself, or a new skill. I do train to win, but my motivation comes from the process. I trust the process. WHERE TO NEXT?...“One of my proudest moments was wearing the green and gold for Australia at the World Junior Championships. I soaked up the atmosphere and loved being on court with the world’s best. It was a bit of bad luck being injured before my first match, but I pushed through the whole event. It’s these times you learn the most about yourself. It was also special to walk away with new friends and connections from around the world.” “My focus remains on the senior circuit and my professional career. The ultimate dream is to wear the green and gold again for Australia, at the Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics. Squash is a highly intense sport both mentally and physically, I’m so happy it has earnt its place in the Olympics! I also really want to put Australia back on the map in this sport.” A WORD FROM RACV SQUASH PRESIDENT, GEOFF CHAMBERS…“Amelie has been a member of our pennant teams over recent years, and she is a young woman of exemplary characteristics. Most importantly she is a polite, respectful young woman at ease with people of all ages. At RACV we expect our players to be good hosts to our visitors, to play the game with integrity and respect for opponent and referee, and to contribute to the team by marking and refereeing matches. Amelie does all of these, and excels.” “From a squash playing perspective her record is outstanding. Amelie has achieved this through her unquestioned talent, combined with a mature application to the acquisition of fitness and skill. We believe, despite her already significant successes, that she has barely scratched the surface and has far to go in squash.” SUPPORT AMELIE’S FUTURE SUCCESS! BE PART OF HER JOURNEY, MAKE A DONATION TODAY!