Hi I'm Luke Ryan! I'm 20 years old and a Beach Volleyroo, training Beach Volleyball full-time in preparation for the 2025 World Championships, 2028 Olympics, and beyond!

ABOUT ME

I grew up in Brisbane, Queensland, and at age 18 moved to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra, since then I've moved again to join the Beach Volleyroos in Adelaide, changing my life significantly. I've been lucky enough to represent Australia at both the senior and junior international levels.

Graduating high school in 2022 as a Captain, saw the first big change in my life, I was offered a position in the Australian Volleyball Academy, and moved out of home to the AIS in Canberra, at only 18 years old. This move came off the back of my first major injury. In early 2022, after representing Australia for the first time in U19 Asian Championships, I developed a stress fracture in my lumbar spine and a Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis (vertebral slip). This put me off the court for 8 months.

Less than 2 weeks after concluding my rehabilitation, I dislocated my shoulder, a freak injury whilst playing, that occurred right before my anticipated move to the AIS. I still made the move and left home, but I ended up having my shoulder reconstructed in early 2023, an intrusive and traumatic surgery, that saw me out of volleyball for a further 10 months. This, combined with being in an unfamiliar place took a toll on my mental health.

This was a very challenging 18 months for me, moving out of home at a young age, experiencing a potentially life-changing back injury, undergoing my first invasive surgery, and learning to live on my own. But despite these challenges, my passion burned strong, and at the beginning of 2024 following lots of training, some competition, and hard work, I was offered a position in the Developing Beach Volleyroo Program, in Adelaide.

My love for beach volleyball, and my aspirations to perform at the Olympics got me through this rough period, and have molded me not only into a more dedicated and hardworking athlete, but also student, and presenter. My life in the Developing Beach Volleyroos sees me balancing:

• Full-time Training (2-3 sessions/day)
• Full-time University (Bachelor of Data Science)
• Olympics Unleashed Representation (Presentations and speeches)

I chose this lifestyle because I love to improve myself, and achieve my absolute best in everything I do. However, a life of professional sport and full-time study does not allow much time for employment, and instead demands higher expenses.

ACHIEVEMENTS

In my first year of international competition, I achieved:

• Bronze Medal - Taoyuan Open, Taiwan AVC
• Silver Medal - FIVB BPT Futures, Qingdao, China
• Competed in my first FIVB BPT Challenge Event
• Reached 92nd in the world rankings

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

By supporting my journey, you are helping me in achieve my Olympic dream, to represent Australia, and ultimately win GOLD at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. With the high demands of full-time training and university, finding flexible employment is difficult. Your support has significant impact on my sporting career, and my life outside of sport, allowing me to truly reach my potential. The major expenses in my life which your support would contribute to are:

• Travel to training costs
• International competition costs (flights, entry fees, accommodation, etc.)
• University fees
• Transport for Olympic Unleashed Representation (regional tours)
• Nutrition

Supporting my journey will not only benefit my sporting and university aspirations, but will also promote the message I represent of perseverance and passion. A favourite author of mine, R. Holiday, wrote, "The Obstacle is the Way", and I live by this. Supporting me will support this message, and represent the importance of perseverance, not only in sport but in every aspect of life. Passion can never be extinguished by an obstacle, the obstacle is the way forward, no matter how challenging.

So join me in this journey to success on the sand, and together we will push the limits of athletic ability, take the game to new heights, and ultimately, win an Olympic Gold Medal, no matter the challenges.

To Olympic GOLD and beyond!

@lukeryan.volleyball