In this episode of Scoreboard, Olympic gold medallist and five-time Olympian Nat Cook joins Chris Titley for a wide-ranging conversation about sporting identity, mindset mastery, and her mission to support the next generation through the Aussie Athlete Fund. From the sands of Bondi to the halls of Brisbane 2032 planning, Cook’s story is as strategic as it is spirited.
The Sporting Start
“I was eight when I had the dream. I saw Lisa Curry get out of the pool with a gold medal around her neck, singing Advance Australia Fair… and I said, I want to do that.”
Her childhood was packed with variety.
“I played every single sport… cricket wasn’t available for girls, so I played Vigaro. BMX, Taekwondo, athletics—you name it. But volleyball stole my heart on a trip to America and Canada.”
Even then, the Olympic vision burned bright.
“I run my life in Olympic cycles. And I feel like 2025 is absolutely a recalibration, a reset, and a reignite year.”
Winning Isn’t Always the Scoreboard
Cook’s mindset mastery was forged under pressure.
“Winning isn’t on the scoreboard. It’s in your mindset, your attitude, your posture. Shoulders back, head up, smile, breathing—that’s how I want to see my daughter on the pitch.”
She recalls vividly the resilience it took in those moments.
“You can’t buy resilience off a shelf. The only way to learn it is to fail and get back up. Sport teaches you that.”
“Sometimes it’s a trigger—rubbing my Olympic ring or wiping my sunglasses. You release the emotion and focus on the next point.”
From Atlanta Heartbreak to Sydney Glory
In 1996, Cook and partner Kerri Pottharst won bronze in Atlanta. But the semifinal was a turning point.
“I had a mental implosion… I just thought, ‘They’re too good for us. I’m not good enough.’”
The recovery was mental, not physical.
“We found a success coach. Every time I dropped my shoulders, he’d say, ‘If you haven’t got the winning posture, how do you expect to win the next point?’”
That work paid off in Sydney.
“We visualised the whole thing. We even recited our winning speeches in our heads the night before.”
“We beat a Brazilian team we’d only beaten once in 17 matches. On paper, we shouldn’t have won—but belief and strategy delivered.”
“We won 12–11, 12–10. That scoreboard is still my favourite scoreboard ever.”
Gold Soap, Gold Shoes, Gold Everything
Nat took visualisation to another level.
“Everything in our lives was gold—gold sheets, gold toaster, gold sunglasses. I even washed in Palmolive Gold soap. We made gold part of our DNA.”
Even her daughter noticed when watching Team USA.
“She said, ‘Mum, is LeBron wearing gold shoes because you did?’ Of course, my dear.”
The Mission: Aussie Athlete Fund
Cook knows how hard it is financially to reach the top.
“At one point, my grandparents had run out of money. My parents said, ‘You have to stop.’ I told my coach—and he said, ‘We’re going to fundraise.’”
From pies to sponsors, the grind was real.
“I sold 486 Yatala pies to fund my first trip to Tasmania.”
That experience sparked the Aussie Athlete Fund.
“It shouldn’t happen in our country that an athlete picked in green and gold says, ‘I couldn’t go because I couldn’t afford it.’”
“Now we help athletes fundraise, match them with businesses, and teach them how to build sustainable support networks.”
“We’ve helped water polo players, kayakers, BMX riders. Everyone from gymnastics to table tennis.”
Advice for the Next Generation (and Their Parents)
Cook encourages variety and play over early specialisation.
“Play as many sports as you can. Let the sport choose you. It’s all in the mindset.”
And to parents?
“It’s their journey. Cheer when they win—and when they don’t.”
“Ask them what they want you to say if it doesn’t go to plan. Some just want a hug. Others want a hamburger.”
The Scoreboard Moment
“The final point in Sydney. The scoreboard read 12–11, 12–10. I still see it in my mind at Bondi Beach.”
“Every year on 25 September, we celebrate. This year is the 25th anniversary—and we’ll be going hard.”
To Listen to Nat Cook on Scoreboard, the Podcast click here:
To Listen to the full guest list on Scoreboard click here:
Other episodes here:
https://scoreboardpodcast.com/2025/04/03/scoreboard-podcast-episode-44-rosie-popa-rowing/
https://scoreboardpodcast.com/2025/03/06/scoreboard-podcast-episode-20-georgia-godwin-gymnastics/