Star athlete bringing her superpowers to the field

07/11/2022. By Carmelle Wilkinson.

Jane Claxton (Hockeyroo Captain). Credit: News Corp Australia, Bianca De Marchi.

Growing up Hockeyroo Captain and Curtin Occupational Therapist (OT) graduate Jane Claxton never dreamt about playing hockey for Australia.

While she knew she wanted to play an elite sport, itโ€™s safe to say hockey chose her.

Surrounded by mad hockey fans, including her dad Bob and older brother Matthew, who currently plays hockey for South Australia, Jane picked up her first hockey stick at age 4.

โ€œEvery weekend weโ€™d go watch dad play and me and the other kids would run around and play with our hockey sticks, while the mums sat on the side lines drinking wines,โ€™โ€™ she laughed.

โ€œFor as long as I can remember hockey has always been a part of my life.

โ€œWhen I was 5, I joined Minkey, which is like mini hockey, and I pretty much played right through. Although I did take a little sabbatical when I was about 10 or 11, because it got a little rough playing in a mixed team.”

It wasnโ€™t until her dad started a hockey team with her girlfriends when she was in high school, that Jane returned to the sport.

Jane with her dad Bob, who is a keen hockey supporter.

โ€œI think my mini break from hockey broke my dadโ€™s heart, so he created this team purely to bring me back to the sport,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œMy dad has been my unofficial hockey coach ever since. Heโ€™s retired now, but he still finds ways to get involved. He currently volunteers for the Oceania Hockey Foundation where he promotes hockey in nations like Samoa, Vanuatu and Fiji.โ€

Born in Adelaide, Jane moved to Perth in 2013 to take up a scholarship with the Hockeyroos.

โ€œWhen I was younger, I wasnโ€™t regarded as overly skilled, and I was told a few times that I wouldnโ€™t make it. Despite the comments, I was super fit, and I kept trying. I didnโ€™t stop trying.

“Iโ€™m probably the most competitive person I know.โ€

Jane said turning up to daily training sessions and giving 100 per cent finally paid off.

Jane in action at the World Cup in the Netherlands.

โ€œIt wasnโ€™t until I was in the under 20s playing at a national tournament that I was noticed,โ€™โ€™ she said.

Since becoming a Hockeyroo, Jane has played in over 100 international games, including the Commonwealth Games, two Olympics (Rio de Janeiro 2014 and Tokyo 2020) and a World Cup.

Off the field, Jane works as an Occupational Therapist at Konekt in Perth, which provides rehabilitation services to support veterans across Australia.

Graduating from Curtin in 2019 with first class honours, she started her OT career in vocational rehabilitation, assisting injured workers back into the workforce.

โ€œAt school I really enjoyed biology and the human anatomy side of things, so I always knew I wanted to work in the health space one day,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œWhile the medical profession appealed to me, it didnโ€™t really gel with elite sport, and I felt I wouldnโ€™t be able to juggle the two.

โ€œOT piqued my interest because it can be quite diverse and there are endless opportunities.”

Balancing work and a professional sporting career hadnโ€™t been easy for the Hockeyroos Captain, but her strong desire to make her younger self proud keeps her grounded.

Jane and the Hockeyroos during warm-up.

โ€œI remember watching the Sydney Olympics as a little girl thinking how cool it would be to play at such a high level and have thousands of people around the world watch you,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œRunning out on the field before a big game can be daunting and there are a thousand things racing through your mind. But I try to remember that there could be a little girl at home watching and I want to do them proud.

Jane admits accepting the title as Captain of the Hockeyroos took some convincing.

โ€œIโ€™ve never placed a lot of emphasis on being in a leadership role, so when I was first approached, I really struggled with it,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œBeing a captain is high-pressure role and suddenly you’re not worrying only about yourself and how youโ€™re playing, but the entire team.

โ€œI was super hesitant at first and I had to have a lot of conversations with various people to see how I would manage this, but in the end, it’s been an incredible experience, and I’m glad I accepted.”

Easing into her role, Jane said it was important to her that the team didn’t see her as a motherly figure, but rather a lead by example type of figure.

The Hockeyroos celebrate a win at this yearโ€™s World Cup.

โ€œObviously my advice to the girls changes with every game, but for the most part I always tell them to be themselves and bring that superstar power to the field,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œEvery game brings its own challenges and despite the pressures you may place on yourself to win, you need to get to a place where you can shut off the outside noise and just focus on you.

โ€œI always try to build their confidence before going out on the field and remind them that they were selected for the team for their skill and ability. They should never feel they need to be anyone but themselves.โ€

While it was important to keep one’s mental health in check, Jane said maintaining a healthy body image was equally as important.

โ€œJust as you shouldnโ€™t try to be anyone else, you shouldnโ€™t compare your body with someone else. Everyone has a different body shape, and as long as youโ€™re healthy and fuel your body right, there is no need to diet or deprive yourself,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œA good relationship with food is so important, especially in womenโ€™s sport. While I usually eat pretty healthy, I donโ€™t believe in dieting and if I want pizza or ice cream, I will have it.

โ€œMy ideology is that if you tell yourself, you canโ€™t have something, the more you want it. Just live in your own lane and do whatโ€™s right for you.โ€

Balancing life, work and gruelling training sessions can be a lot at times, but Jane wouldnโ€™t have it any other way.

โ€œI actually get restless if things are too quiet. I like to keep busy,โ€™โ€™ she said.

And her advice for a happy work/life balance?

โ€œDonโ€™t expect yourself to be motivated every day. There are times I rock up to training and I struggle to get through it,โ€™โ€™ she said.

โ€œBut I guess the key is to show up. Turn up, do the work and motivation will follow. Itโ€™s about removing those pressures and expectations, and being kind to yourself.โ€

Having won silver at the 2014 World Cup and gold and silver at the last two Commonwealth Games, Jane said her next big competition on the horizon was the Paris Olympics in 2024.

___

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Growing up in Perthโ€™s northern suburbs, Curtin Film and TV graduate Zak Hilditch felt like Hollywood was a million miles away from his home in Girrawheen, but he dared to dream. ๐ŸŽฅ๐ŸŽž๏ธ

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Dive into a world of ideas at the 2023 Curtin Fine Arts Graduate Showcase exhibition. ๐ŸŽจ๐ŸŽ“โœจ
ย 
Explore different notions of place, identity and connection, as you wander through the intriguing contemporary artwork created by some of our talented Fine Arts graduates.
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Congratulations to WA School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering graduate Raleigh Finlayson on being awarded the Professional Achievement Award (Science & Engineering) at the 2023 Curtin Alumni Awards. ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ“๐Ÿ’ซ

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Read about Raleighโ€™s impressive work via the link in bio. ๐Ÿ‘†

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๐: ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎโ€™๐ฏ๐ž ๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ง๐ž๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ž๐ฅ๐?
A: One of the most surprising aspects of diabetes that many people may not know is the intricate interplay between mental health and diabetes management. Working in the field has highlighted the profound impact that stress, anxiety, and depression can have on blood sugar levels and overall well-being for individuals with diabetes. Recognising and addressing the psychological aspects of diabetes is an integral part of comprehensive care.

๐: ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฃ๐จ๐›?
A: Witnessing the positive changes in someone's health and well-being, knowing that I played a role in empowering them to manage their diabetes effectively is incredibly rewarding.
ย 
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#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #WorldDiabetesDay #Diabetes #DiabetesAwareness #Dietitian #Healthcare #MentalHealth #Career

Curtin Nutrition graduate Savina Rego felt compelled to help improve the lives of the more than one million Australians living with diabetes. ๐ŸŽ“

After witnessing the pervasive impact of diabetes on peopleโ€™s health and wellbeing early on in her career, Savina knew she had to
help mitigate the biggest challenge confronting Australiaโ€™s health system.

Now working as a senior dietitian and diabetes educator, Savina plays a pivotal role in fostering positive lifestyle changes, promoting nutritional awareness, and enhancing the quality of life for those navigating the challenges of life with diabetes.

ย 
This #WorldDiabetesDay, Savina shares the most surprising things she has learnt in her career. ๐Ÿ‘‡
ย 
๐: ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎโ€™๐ฏ๐ž ๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐ง๐ž๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ž๐ฅ๐?
A: One of the most surprising aspects of diabetes that many people may not know is the intricate interplay between mental health and diabetes management. Working in the field has highlighted the profound impact that stress, anxiety, and depression can have on blood sugar levels and overall well-being for individuals with diabetes. Recognising and addressing the psychological aspects of diabetes is an integral part of comprehensive care.

๐: ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฃ๐จ๐›?
A: Witnessing the positive changes in someone`s health and well-being, knowing that I played a role in empowering them to manage their diabetes effectively is incredibly rewarding.
ย 
Get inspired, and dive into more graduate stories in #CurtinCommons via the link in bio. ๐Ÿ‘†
ย 
#CurtinUniversity #CurtinAlumni #WorldDiabetesDay #Diabetes #DiabetesAwareness #Dietitian #Healthcare #MentalHealth #Career
...