Under The Cap

Surf Life Saving Queensland
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  • Non-Profit

Hosted by Sarah and Macca, each episode dives into the stories of people who embody the values of surf lifesaving, both on and off the beach. They uncover the real journeys, unexpected career paths, challenges and lessons from the incredible humans empowering the next generation of lifesavers. From volunteers and leaders to changemakers and trailblazers, these are honest conversations and real stories proving that when the noddy cap comes off, the impact of surf lifesaving is only just beginning.

  1. 3d ago

    Constable Kai Edwards – The Next Race: Life After Elite Sport

    In this episode of Under the Cap, we’re joined by Constable Kai Edwards, a former Australian Dolphins swim team member who competed at the 2019 World Championships and the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games before retiring from competitive swimming in 2023. After years of competing at the highest level, Kai explored new opportunities, including working as a lifeguard and now pursuing a career in policing. Now progressing through the First Year Constable program, he’s navigating a new challenge, learning on the job and giving back to his community We chat about life after elite sport, finding a new sense of purpose, what it feels like to graduate as a police officer and the realities of being a new recruit. This podcast miniseries is created in partnership with the Queensland Police Service, exploring pathways from the noddy cap to the police hat and the stories behind the badge. As a lifesaver, you might be more ready than you think for a career with QPS. Want to find out more or take the next step? Visit policerecruit.qld.gov.au to explore a career with QPS. CONNECT WITH UTC: Instagram → @_theyouthcollectiveWebsite → www.theyouthcollective.com.au CONNECT WITH QPS: Instagram → @qldpolice Website → www.policerecruit.qld.gov.au/

    Constable Kai Edwards – The Next Race: Life After Elite Sport

  2. 3d ago

    Constable Sophie Christie – Teamwork Under Pressure: IRBs to Police Academy

    What do you learn from working as part of an IRB crew that could help prepare you for a career in policing? In this episode of Under the Cap, we’re joined by Constable Sophie Christie, a Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club volunteer who has transferred her experience in surf lifesaving to building the skills and confidence she now brings to her role with the Queensland Police Service. After years competing in IRB racing, Sophie knows the importance of communication, trust, teamwork and making quick decisions under pressure. These are skills she developed through lifesaving and has continued to draw on in policing. We chat to Sophie about not giving up after getting knocked back on her first application, how her surf lifesaving experience helped her application, what police training is really like and what surprised her most about starting the job. She also shares what she enjoys about policing and her advice for other young lifesavers thinking about following a similar path. This podcast miniseries is created in partnership with the Queensland Police Service, exploring pathways from the noddy cap to the police hat and the stories behind the badge. As a lifesaver, you might be more ready than you think for a career with QPS. Want to find out more or take the next step? Visit policerecruit.qld.gov.au to explore a career with QPS. CONNECT WITH UTC: Instagram → @_theyouthcollectiveWebsite → www.theyouthcollective.com.au CONNECT WITH QPS: Instagram → @qldpolice Website → www.policerecruit.qld.gov.au/

    Constable Sophie Christie – Teamwork Under Pressure: IRBs to Police Academy

  3. 3d ago

    Senior Constable Peter Elford – Where Can Policing Take You?

    In this episode of Under the Cap, we’re joined by Senior Constable Peter Elford, whose journey from surf lifesaving volunteer to Queensland Police Service officer began at just 14 years old at Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club. Peter shares how his time in surf lifesaving helped shape his decision to pursue policing while still in high school. Chatting with police officers at his club gave him an insight into the role, what to expect and where a career in policing could take him. Since joining the QPS in 2015, Peter has worked across Queensland, from the Whitsundays and Mount Isa to the Sunshine Coast and Gympie, before moving into child protection investigations. We chat about what policing is really like, the variety of roles and locations available, and how the skills developed through surf lifesaving can translate into real-world situations. Peter’s story highlights how the experiences, connections and skills you build through lifesaving can open doors to opportunities you might never have considered. This podcast miniseries is created in partnership with the Queensland Police Service, exploring pathways from the noddy cap to the police hat and the stories behind the badge. As a lifesaver, you might be more ready than you think for a career with QPS. Want to find out more or take the next step? Visit policerecruit.qld.gov.au to explore a career with QPS. CONNECT WITH UTC: Instagram → @_theyouthcollectiveWebsite → www.theyouthcollective.com.au CONNECT WITH QPS: Instagram → @qldpolice Website → www.policerecruit.qld.gov.au/

    Senior Constable Peter Elford – Where Can Policing Take You?

  4. 3d ago

    Sergeant Laticia Whalan - Behind the Badge: Kindness, Courage and Care

    In this episode of Under the Cap, we’re joined by Sergeant Laticia (Teesh) Whalan, who shares her journey with the Queensland Police Service over the past 16 years, from Logan to QPS Headquarters. Teesh opens up about what inspired her to put on the blue uniform and what it means to serve her community, keep people safe and lead with care and courage. We get a behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day life of a general duties officer, what it’s like to be a woman in policing, and how compassion and strength can go hand in hand on the job. For Teesh, being a good police officer means knowing when to be kind, when to be fierce and always treating people with respect. As a passionate mental health ambassador and QPS Peer Support Officer, Teesh also shares why looking after your mental health is so important, particularly for first responders. She reflects on the importance of approaching others with kindness and humility, recognising that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have. This podcast miniseries is created in partnership with the Queensland Police Service, exploring pathways from the noddy cap to the police hat and the stories behind the badge. As a lifesaver, you might be more ready than you think for a career with QPS. Want to find out more or take the next step? Visit policerecruit.qld.gov.au to explore a career with QPS. CONNECT WITH UTC: Instagram → @_theyouthcollectiveWebsite → www.theyouthcollective.com.au CONNECT WITH QPS: Instagram → @qldpolice Website → www.policerecruit.qld.gov.au/

    Sergeant Laticia Whalan - Behind the Badge: Kindness, Courage and Care

  5. Oct 28

    The Power of Unexpected Opportunities | Wade Sinclair on Building a Career in Sport

    What if walking into the wrong class at uni could lead to a career working with some of the best athletes in the country? In this episode, we’re chatting with Wade Sinclair, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at James Cook University, manager of the JCU Performance Science Hub and performance analyst working with Australian Life Saving teams and elite rugby league teams. From lecturing at university to working behind the scenes in professional sport, Wade’s career shows just how many different directions a Sports and Exercise Science degree can take you.  We chat about what it’s really like to work in elite sport, the science behind athlete performance, and how Wade went from accidentally walking into the wrong university class to building a career that combines research, teaching and high-performance sport. His passion for coaching began through lifesaving in Townsville, inspiring him to combine coaching with sports science and research, including investigating the effects of junior lifesavers wearing stinger suits for his Honours thesis. Wade shares why taking opportunities when they arise, following your interests and getting involved through volunteering can open doors you never expected. His story is a reminder that you don’t need to have your entire career mapped out from day one. Sometimes, the opportunities that shape your future start with simply showing up and giving something a go. In this episode, we cover: The different career pathways available with a Sports and Exercise Science degreeWhat it’s really like to work behind the scenes in elite sportHow performance science helps athletes and teams perform at their bestHow volunteering and building connections can open doors in your careerWhy following your passion and saying yes to opportunities can make all the differenceCONNECT WITH UTC: Instagram → Follow usWebsite → Youth Collective Every episode we sit down with inspiring people to explore careers, purpose, mental health and what it means to make a difference in your community. Subscribe now so you never miss a conversation that could change yours. Think you’d make a great guest or know someone who would? We want to hear from you. DM us on Instagram and let’s have a conversation.

    The Power of Unexpected Opportunities | Wade Sinclair on Building a Career in Sport

  6. Oct 14

    The Unexpected Path | How Travel, Volunteering & the Ocean Shaped Charlie Bennett's Journey

    What happens when you say yes to an opportunity and let it take you somewhere unexpected? In this episode, we’re chatting with Charlie Bennett, whose passion for the ocean has taken her from scuba diving in Thailand to studying a Master of Ocean Governance and Policy in Tasmania, across the country and across the world. We explore how volunteering can open doors you never expected, help you build valuable skills, and connect you with incredible people along the way. We also chat about protecting the environment that you love, the value of travelling, gaining life experience, stepping outside your comfort zone and how the people you meet along the way can shape who you become. Charlie’s journey is a reminder that some of the best opportunities come when you put yourself out there and embrace the unknown. Whether you’re figuring out what comes next, exploring a career in the environment, or wondering where volunteering and travel might take you, Charlie’s story is a reminder that you don’t need to have it all figured out to get started. Sometimes, you just need to say yes and see where it takes you. In this episode, we cover: How Charlie’s passion for the ocean has shaped her journeyFrom scuba diving in Thailand to studying ocean governance in TasmaniaHow volunteering can open doors to unexpected opportunitiesThe power of storytelling in the digital age and protecting what you loveThe life experience, personal growth and friendships that can come from travellingBuilding skills, confidence and connections by putting yourself out thereFinding your direction without having all the answersWhy saying yes can be the first step towards something biggerCONNECT WITH THE YOUTH COLLECTIVE: Instagram → Youth Collective Website → Click Here Every episode we sit down with inspiring people to explore careers, purpose, mental health and what it means to make a difference in your community. Subscribe now so you never miss a conversation that could change yours. Think you’d make a great guest or know someone who would? We want to hear from you. DM us on Instagram and let’s have a conversation

    The Unexpected Path | How Travel, Volunteering & the Ocean Shaped Charlie Bennett's Journey

  7. Oct 1

    Pressure, Performance & Backing Yourself | Surf Lifesaving Hall of Famer Jen Parry

    What does it take to perform at the highest level, handle the pressure of the big stage, and find your place in surf lifesaving beyond competition? This episode, we sit down with Jen Parry, one of Australian surf lifesaving’s most decorated athletes and a recent inductee into the SLSA Hall of Fame. From joining a small surf club in Emu Park to representing Australia, winning 15 world titles, 29 world championship medals and setting multiple world records, Jen’s career has taken her around the world and across almost every part of surf lifesaving. But her story doesn’t end when the racing does. From athlete to Australian team selector, mentor and commentator, Jen has continued to find new ways to contribute to the sport. And as we discover, calling surf sports is a whole different challenge to competing in them. In this episode we cover: What it’s really like racing on the world stage and dealing with pressureThe transition from elite athlete to Australian team selector and mentorWhy Jen made the move into commentary and what makes surf sports so difficult to callThe preparation, research and nerves that go into commentating live competitionWhy some of Jen’s favourite memories have nothing to do with medalsHer advice for athletes chasing selection and competing on the world stageThe one thing Jen wishes she could tell her younger self: back yourself CONNECT WITH UTC:Instagram → @_theyouthcollectiveWebsite → www.theyouthcollective.com.au Every episode we sit down with inspiring people to explore careers, purpose, mental health and what it means to make a difference in your community. Subscribe now so you never miss a conversation that could change yours. Think you’d make a great guest or know someone who would? We want to hear from you. DM us on Instagram and let’s have a conversation.

    Pressure, Performance & Backing Yourself | Surf Lifesaving Hall of Famer Jen Parry

  8. Sep 17

    What Are You Actually Drinking? | Body Armor Co-Founder Tony McQuinn on Hydration, Performance & Building a Business

    What if the secret to performing better, feeling better and going home safer was as simple as how you hydrate?This episode we sit down with Toni McQuinn, co-founder of Body Armor — the Gold Coast based health and performance brand on a mission to bring sports science to the people who need it most.From compulsory military service in Finland to 12 years in mining and eventually building a business with his brother and best mates, Toni’s journey is anything but ordinary. And his passion for helping people perform at their best, whether they're an elite athlete or a lifeguard on patrol, is contagious.In this episode we cover:-What to actually look for on a sports drink label and why most of what's on the shelf isn't doing what you think-The five key electrolytes your body needs and what happens when you get them wrong-The hydration protocol Tony challenges everyone to try for 24 hours-What it's really like to start a business with your brother and best mates100 no's before the first yes — how Body Armor got its foot in the door-Why Body Armor partnered with Surf Life Saving Queensland-Tony's one piece of advice to his younger selfCONNECT WITH UTC:Instagram → @_theyouthcollectiveWebsite → theyouthcollective.com.auCONNECT WITH BODY ARMOR:Website → bodyarmour.com.auInstagram → @bodyarmour.auEvery episode we sit down with inspiring people to explore careers, purpose, mental health and what it means to make a difference in your community. Subscribe now so you never miss a conversation that could change yours.Think you'd make a great guest or know someone who would? We want to hear from you. DM us on Instagram and let's have a conversation.

    What Are You Actually Drinking? | Body Armor Co-Founder Tony McQuinn on Hydration, Performance & Building a Business
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About

Hosted by Sarah and Macca, each episode dives into the stories of people who embody the values of surf lifesaving, both on and off the beach. They uncover the real journeys, unexpected career paths, challenges and lessons from the incredible humans empowering the next generation of lifesavers. From volunteers and leaders to changemakers and trailblazers, these are honest conversations and real stories proving that when the noddy cap comes off, the impact of surf lifesaving is only just beginning.

Information

  • Creator
    Surf Life Saving Queensland
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Surf Life Saving Queensland
  • Show Website
    Under The Cap