You there, it’s your time.

How do I know this?

Easy.

Like you, I have been in a bunch of lock-downs and there has been a few key learnings along the way. Rather than state the obvious - that you, like me, have enjoyed too many Prime Video puddings, work-from-home toasties, and waaay too much Internet - I’d prefer to focus on the positive outcomes of your next iteration of yourself, as a true champion. I’m not just talking about adults here. This applies to all sportspeople, of all ages. Trust me.

Here’s my reasoning.

Every Australian has been in lockdown, and lock-downs - if anything- have leveled the playing field now. No-one has been playing anything, no-one can hit the gym (until now), staying back at training longer until lights out just to see if they can perfect that high checkside from the boundary, or the step that splits the defence in rugby league, that backhand down the line with power and accuracy.

No-one has been able to practise like such a goodie-two-shoes, and that my friend is actually heartwarming news.

I’ll explain more as we travel through this review of the Australian sporting summer, hopefully inspiring you to channel your desire to realise all that sporting potential YOU STILL POSSESS. Or if you are a youngster, realising you can really take your game to the next level from here and be a bit of a school champion next year.

But first, let’s start with The Ashes shall we? This upcoming series (December), follows arguably the most entertaining Ashes in history. This series on home soil is the piece-DE-resistance of sport this summer and will serve as a conception moment of Australia’s next band of international cricketers. We can expect in 20 years’ time to hear young Australian cricketers - men and women - saying this series inspired them.

Here’s all the other key moments on the sporting calendar this year. Community sport is slowly opening up across the nation. So get out there and support your local clubs and associations. Together let’s make sport the vehicle for our towns and business to recover from the past two years.

December

Dec 3 Soccer: W-League Regular Season, R1, Wellington Phoenix Women v W. Syd. Wanderers Women

Dec 5 Cricket: Big Bash League Group Game, Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars

Dec 8 - 12 Cricket: Test Match first test Australia v England

Dec 16 - 20 Cricket: Test Match,  2nd Test, Australia v England

Dec 26 - 30 Cricket: Test Match, 3rd Test, Australia v England

Now, back to you. Can I remind you that this is your time. Don’t you forget it. It’s time to get some fresh cricket whites, a new blade, pads, gloves, box, hat and bright green zinc and have a crack with me in Z-grade.

Get a bit of core fitness (at least 25 push-ups a day max) and you’ll be ready to roll that arm over again and terrorise the 16-year-olds we’re playing against. I’ll still always demand some chin music from fine leg just to keep them honest. Magic will happen, trust me.

Don’t fancy the long hours at fine leg? Me either. I must admit, however, that social tennis has caught my eye and it’s not just for the very nice swag you get to wear.

There’s the social aspects which cannot be underestimated at this time. Fortunately, I’m hilarious, and that has saved me several times throughout Covid from my understanding partner, but not everyone has been so lucky. What better way to break the shackles and conspiracy theories than a good game of tennis, busting a sweat in your new Nike Monarchs, and a bit of cheese and sav-blanc at the end? You, cos this is all about you, will re-discover that incredible backhand slice during this renaissance. Trust me, I can feel it.

January

Jan 5- 9 Cricket: Test Match, 4th Test, Australia v England

Jan 13 - 16 Golf: Australian PGA Championship

Jan 14-18 Cricket: Test Match, 5th Test, Australia v England

Jan 20 Soccer: Women's Asian Cup Group Game

Jan 27-29 Cricket: Women's Test Match, Only Test, Australia v England

Jan 27 Soccer: AFC World Cup Qualifier, R3, Matchday 7, Australia v Vietnam

Jan 28 Cricket: Big Bash League Final

Jan 30 Cricket: ODI Series, G1, Australia v New Zealand

February

Feb 2 Cricket: ODI Series, G2, Australia v New Zealand

Feb 2 Soccer: AFC World Cup Qualifier, R3, Matchday 8, Oman v Australia

Feb 4 Cricket: Women's Twenty20 Series, G1, Australia v England

Feb 4 - 20: Olympics: 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games

Feb 5 Cricket: ODI Series, G3, Australia v New Zealand

Feb 6 Cricket: Women's Twenty20 Series, G2, Australia v England

Feb 8 Cricket: Twenty20 Series, G1, Australia v New Zealand

Feb 10 Cricket: Women's Twenty20 Series, G3, Australia v England

Feb 11 Cricket: Twenty20 Series, G1, Australia v Sri Lanka

Feb 13 Cricket: Twenty20 Series, G2, Australia v Sri Lanka

Feb 14 American Football: NFL Super Bowl,

Feb 15 Cricket: Twenty20 Series, G3, Australia v Sri Lanka

Feb 16 Cricket: Women's ODI Series, G2, Australia v England

Feb 18 Cricket: Twenty20 Series, G4, Australia v Sri Lanka

Feb 19 Cricket: Women's ODI Series, G3, Australia v England

Feb 20 Cricket: Twenty20 Series, G5, Australia v Sri Lanka

And of course now is the time to get that rig into shape. Summer is here, and you simply cannot be a master of your chosen sport without at least a modicum of effort. Can I suggest you look up the community pages in your region and get that bad boy body of yours down to a sport of some type.

January beckons with the dawn of the new you. Oh sorry, you’re a youngster, huh? This is your time too, my friend. You’ve mastered your mental health having been home-schooled and will BRING THAT to the summer. Nothing will stop you from achieving your best results. It’s a done deal.

You there, mum and dad. It’s your time guys. I’ve never been surer. You will enjoy the simplicity of life and pride in busting a sweat two or three times a week from now on, even if it’s waiting for your turn to bat at indoor cricket, nursing a slight hammy through the early touch rugby season, or screaming CAR UP 30m behind the peloton.

It’s your time to be a champion again.