I would like to start off by saying what an honour it is to win this award here tonight. I would like to thank my friends family and the entire community for everyone’s support.
On the 10th of September 2016 I had a trampoline accident breaking my neck in 4 places and suffering a spinal cord injury leaving me a complete C5 quadriplegic
When I first had my accident in 2016 my manager Rebecca from the Phillip Island YMCA said to my mum that there are lots of people in wheelchairs all over the world working for the YMCA so my position as a gymnastics coach still stands.
My Speech:
After 6 months in hospital I finally came home, I went back to school at Newhaven College and have just completed year 12, I also started back gymnastics coaching initially I was just a helper for the other coaches
It took me a while to get back into coaching again mainly because I didn’t know how the kids where going to react and I had to learn a new coaching technique because I can no longer demonstrate skills. Lucky the kids were all very supportive and just happy to have me back in the gym. I now coach my own classes with the help of junior coach to help demonstrate skills and set up things for me
In June last year I completed 2 judging courses and I am now a qualified gymnastics judge for Victoria.
Since my accident I have been doing lots of rehab to hopefully prove the doctors wrong who gave me a 3% chance of walking again. I have been making lots of improvements with my recovery and continue to work every day on getting more function back. I like to show people especially the kids I teach that you can do anything you put your mind to.
I believe life is about choices and when I had my accident I could have chosen to accept that my life was over,
instead l chose to work hard to get back to doing everything that I was doing before my accident.
I would like to finish off by thanking the people of Bass Coast who modified my house and fundraised for me and my family, I wouldn’t be where I am today without all their support.
Hayden Marshall - One Nerve at a time 