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With over 15 years of experience shaping some of Australia’s most high-profile sporting moments, Mark Falvo knows how to build legacy from the ground up. From leading the charge on the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup bid to now spearheading the 2027 Netball World Cup as Chief Operating Officer, Mark has mastered the balance between operational excellence and long-term impact.

In this episode, Amber Daines speaks with Mark about what it takes to deliver a world-class event—from creating athlete-first experiences to building culture within a startup-like organization. Mark shares his insights on why women’s sports deserve more than just moments in the spotlight and how events like the Women’s World Cup can shift generational attitudes.

He also opens up about navigating career change after a long stint in football, taking time to reflect, and re-aligning with purpose. This is a conversation about performance, planning, and what happens when sport becomes a platform for real social change.

Connect with Amber Daines here https://amberdaines.com

Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au) , empowering your future through education.

With over 15 years of experience shaping some of Australia&rsquo;s most high-profile sporting moments, Mark Falvo knows how to build legacy from the ground up. From leading the charge on the 2023 FIFA Women&rsquo;s World Cup bid to now spearheading the 2027 Netball World Cup as Chief Operating Officer, Mark has mastered the balance between operational excellence and long-term impact.
In this episode, Amber Daines speaks with Mark about what it takes to deliver a world-class event&mdash;from creating athlete-first experiences to building culture within a startup-like organization. Mark shares his insights on why women&rsquo;s sports deserve more than just moments in the spotlight and how events like the Women&rsquo;s World Cup can shift generational attitudes.
He also opens up about navigating career change after a long stint in football, taking time to reflect, and re-aligning with purpose. This is a conversation about performance, planning, and what happens when sport becomes a platform for real social change.
Connect with Amber Daines&nbsp;<a href="https://amberdaines.com">here </a><a href="https://amberdaines.com">https://amberdaines.com</a>
Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (<a href="https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au">https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au</a>) , empowering your future through education.

Life After the Whistle with Amber Daines. Where sporting legends and athletes share their playbook for life as they navigate their second acts. Life after the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsors, the Central Coast Sports College, empowering your future through education and sports and Division Technologies, your partner for technology leadership & advice with top-tier, affordable technology services for businesses, professional services, and startups.

Connect with Amber amberdaines.com

Life After the Whistle with Amber Daines.&nbsp;Where sporting legends and athletes share their playbook for life as they navigate their second acts.&nbsp;Life after the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsors, the<a href="https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au"> Central Coast Sports College</a>, empowering your future through education and sports and <a href="https://divisiontech.io">Division Technologies</a>, your partner for technology leadership &amp; advice with top-tier, affordable technology services for businesses, professional services, and startups.
Connect with Amber <a href="https://amberdaines.com">amberdaines.com</a>

Life After the Whistle with Amber Daines

Building Legacy Beyond the Game with Mark Falvo

Jamie Young is a newly retired professional soccer player with a storied career of 25 years. He left home at the age of 15 to play soccer in England, which is considered as one of the most elite countries in world soccer. After 13 years, he decided to return home and play in the A-League which is the highest level of soccer in Australia. Overall, he played close to 600 professional games, was voted the best Goalkeeper in Australia in 2018, as well as winning the A-League in 2022.

Like most professional athletes who often view the runway to the end of their career with dread he knew that life off the pitch needed some deep thought and contemplation about what the next chapter of his life would entail.

Enter his PhD in Sports Coaching, where he focuses on high performance in elite sport (and indeed the elite business arena). Sports people are so often governed by the training regime and the restrictions and requirements of being a professional athlete that the knowing of the self if often secondary until they finish playing and are left with themselves.

Exploring the self and growing as a man is now the game Jaimie is most passionate about playing. He says it will make me a better man, better dad, better partner and that’s where the real marrow of a life well lived. This is an extremely candid and fascinating chat with Jaimie Young enjoy it.

Connect with Amber Daines here https://amberdaines.com

Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au) , empowering your future through education.

Jamie Young is a newly retired professional soccer player with a storied career of 25 years. He left home at the age of 15 to play soccer in England, which is considered as one of the most elite countries in world soccer. After 13 years, he decided to return home and play in the A-League which is the highest level of soccer in Australia. Overall, he played close to 600 professional games, was voted the best Goalkeeper in Australia in 2018, as well as winning the A-League in 2022.
Like most professional athletes who often view the runway to the end of their career with dread he knew that life off the pitch needed some deep thought and contemplation about what the next chapter of his life would entail.
Enter his PhD in Sports Coaching, where he focuses on high performance in elite sport (and indeed the elite business arena). Sports people are so often governed by the training regime and the restrictions and requirements of being a professional athlete that the knowing of the self if often secondary until they finish playing and are left with themselves.
Exploring the self and growing as a man is now the game Jaimie is most passionate about playing. He says it will make me a better man, better dad, better partner and that&rsquo;s where the real marrow of a life well lived. This is an extremely candid and fascinating chat with Jaimie Young enjoy it.
Connect with Amber Daines&nbsp;<a href="https://amberdaines.com">here </a><a href="https://amberdaines.com">https://amberdaines.com</a>
Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (<a href="https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au">https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au</a>) , empowering your future through education.

Exploring the Self to Better the Man with Jamie Young

Ben Lucas is the co-founder of Sydney’s leading fitness and yoga studio Flow Athletic and is a former NRL player for the Cronulla Sharks. Ben is one of Australia’s leading personal trainers, with a client list that includes Erin Holland, Sammy Robinson, and Elton John. Ben is also an ambassador for the Sydney Marathon and a member of Athletes for Life. Ben has also been named the head coach at Sydney Marathon. 

In this engaging conversation, Benjamin Lucas shares his journey from a young sports enthusiast to a successful fitness entrepreneur. He discusses his early love for sports, the challenges and triumphs of his NRL career, and his transition into the fitness industry. Benjamin emphasises the importance of resilience, mentorship, and continuous learning in both sports and business. He also reflects on the impact of fitness trends and the significance of adapting to change.

Connect with Ben Lucas here https://flowathletic.com.au/

Connect with Amber Daines here https://amberdaines.com

Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au) , empowering your future through education.

Ben Lucas is the co-founder of Sydney&rsquo;s leading fitness and yoga studio Flow Athletic and is a former NRL player for the Cronulla Sharks. Ben is one of Australia&rsquo;s leading personal trainers, with a client list that includes Erin Holland, Sammy Robinson, and Elton John. Ben is also an ambassador for the Sydney Marathon and a member of Athletes for Life. Ben has also been named the head coach at Sydney Marathon.&nbsp;
In this engaging conversation, Benjamin Lucas shares his journey from a young sports enthusiast to a successful fitness entrepreneur. He discusses his early love for sports, the challenges and triumphs of his NRL career, and his transition into the fitness industry. Benjamin emphasises the importance of resilience, mentorship, and continuous learning in both sports and business. He also reflects on the impact of fitness trends and the significance of adapting to change.
Connect with Ben Lucas here<a href="https://flowathletic.com.au/"> https://flowathletic.com.au/</a>
Connect with Amber Daines&nbsp;<a href="https://amberdaines.com">here </a><a href="https://amberdaines.com">https://amberdaines.com</a>
Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (<a href="https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au">https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au</a>) , empowering your future through education.

 Find Successful People and Follow their Path with Ben Lucas 

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Bronwen Knox is a four-time Olympian and one of Australia’s most decorated water polo players, with 399 international appearances and two Olympic bronze medals to her name. After nearly two decades in elite sport, she has built a parallel career as a lawyer and a governance and integrity leader.

She is the National Integrity Manager for Australian Taekwondo and Judo Australia, overseeing complaints, disputes, and safeguarding across the sports. She also works part-time as a specialist technical coach with the Queensland Academy of Sport Women’s Water Polo Program and as an education presenter, delivering sessions to athletes and support personnel on anti-doping, integrity, and rights and responsibilities in sport.

Alongside these roles, Bronwen serves on several boards and committees, including Water Polo Australia, the Queensland Olympic Council, and the Sport Integrity Australia Athlete Advisory Group. She was also Deputy Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team at Paris 2024.

Bronwen brings a rare mix of lived Olympic experience and legal expertise, making her a strong advocate for athlete rights, wellbeing, and good governance. Whether in the pool, the boardroom, or the tribunal room, she is driven by a clear purpose: creating environments where athletes can thrive and where integrity is non-negotiable.

Here Bron discuses the challenges she faced, her transition to life after competition and she also shares insights into the dynamics of water polo training, the importance of communication in the sport, and the defining moments that shaped her career. She reflects on overcoming adversity, the Olympic experience, and the rewarding role of mentoring the next generation of athletes. The conversation concludes with valuable advice for those navigating life changes, emphasising the importance of networking and exploring new opportunities. One thing that shines through in this conversation is how incredibly humble this woman is despite all her success and it's a key takeaway for life. 

Connect with Amber Daines here https://amberdaines.com

Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au) , empowering your future through education.

Bronwen Knox is a four-time Olympian and one of Australia&rsquo;s most decorated water polo players, with 399 international appearances and two Olympic bronze medals to her name. After nearly two decades in elite sport, she has built a parallel career as a lawyer and a governance and integrity leader.
She is the National Integrity Manager for Australian Taekwondo and Judo Australia, overseeing complaints, disputes, and safeguarding across the sports. She also works part-time as a specialist technical coach with the Queensland Academy of Sport Women&rsquo;s Water Polo Program and as an education presenter, delivering sessions to athletes and support personnel on anti-doping, integrity, and rights and responsibilities in sport.
Alongside these roles, Bronwen serves on several boards and committees, including Water Polo Australia, the Queensland Olympic Council, and the Sport Integrity Australia Athlete Advisory Group. She was also Deputy Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team at Paris 2024.
Bronwen brings a rare mix of lived Olympic experience and legal expertise, making her a strong advocate for athlete rights, wellbeing, and good governance. Whether in the pool, the boardroom, or the tribunal room, she is driven by a clear purpose: creating environments where athletes can thrive and where integrity is non-negotiable.
Here Bron discuses the challenges she faced, her transition to life after competition and she also shares insights into the dynamics of water polo training, the importance of communication in the sport, and the defining moments that shaped her career. She reflects on overcoming adversity, the Olympic experience, and the rewarding role of mentoring the next generation of athletes. The conversation concludes with valuable advice for those navigating life changes, emphasising the importance of networking and exploring new opportunities. One thing that shines through in this conversation is how incredibly humble this woman is despite all her success and it's a key takeaway for life.&nbsp;
Connect with Amber Daines&nbsp;<a href="https://amberdaines.com">here </a><a href="https://amberdaines.com">https://amberdaines.com</a>
Life After the Whistle is a winning podcast thanks to our founding sponsor, the Central Coast Sports College (<a href="https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au">https://ccsc.nsw.edu.au</a>) , empowering your future through education.

Building Legacy Beyond the Game with Mark Falvo

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