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“Off the Pitch with Active”
These episodes are to help parents accelerate their children’s development and confidence in their sport by applying the recommendations from professionals, coaches and specialised educators.
Active#006: Shane, a husband, a father, a Granddad and coach, living under extraordinary circumstances

59 minutes podcast. I have learned so much in my research into adult behaviours and how it affect our children in sport. My time with Shane taught the values of caring coaches and living in the moment.
Picture this: When life is busy and great, you got a lovely wife or husband, beautiful kids. Work is going great, perhaps you love coaching or helping out your children’s club on your free time. You just had a mile stone birthday and recently became a Grandparent, possibly the greatest gift any parent can get. And it gets better, you are about to pick up your youngest child from school on a Friday afternoon for a weekend camping with the whole family.
Then it is easy to feel on top of the world and full of energy. This is normal life for many parents. We may not coach but we are working hard to get kids to school, training and games. But it is worth it when we watch them play and see them develop and have fun. I think many of us take it for granted, we never really stop and think about how lucky we are. It’s much easier to complain, isn’t it?….. How stressed we are, how much work it is and how we really deserve a break we never get.
This is a story of Shane Hillman and his family. Shane’s story will teach us all to appreciate life, the opportunities we get and the friend around us while we still can. It will teach us, no matter what happens, we shall continue with a “can-do” attitude. Continue to do our best and most of all enjoy moments.
Shane, a husband, a father, a Granddad and coach of his son Josh team experienced all of this when he suddenly had his life turned upside down when diagnosed with brain cancer.


2:15 Introducing Shane Hillman
6:15 Shane’s back ground and how he met Deborah (a childhood sweetheart)
13:00 Shane start coaching
17:30 Shane step back to assistant coach to provide different opportunities for his son to develop.
21:45 Life is progressing everything is going great. Shane got a coaching role with an South Australia State Futsal team gearing up for the national’s but then life is taking a sad turn
27:15 Doctor’s prognoses and family adjustment into a new life
31:30 Journey back to coaching and competing in the Australian Futsal Nationals
44:15 In spite of the challenges at home Josh keep pursuing his soccer and futsal leading to great opportunities.
50:30 Deborah, Shane’s greatest support have the final words….for now?
53:30 This is the reason why you should care and understand both the kids you coach and their parents.
The Hillman family don’t wish any personal donations but instead they would encourage donations to
https://www.curebraincancer.org.au/donations
Here is a great article about Shane by Ross Monteleone
http://www.curebraincancer.org.au/news/1595/shanes-inspiring-brain-cancer-story


