August 13, 2025
Six Months post Canada: How Sport Is Keeping Team Australia Alumni Connected and Strong
For many in the defence community recovering from injury, adaptive sporting events like the Invictus Games can open the door to renewed purpose and possibility through sport. Findings from the Beyond the Finish Line report, commissioned by the Invictus Games Foundation and Forces in Mind Trust, support this idea, suggesting that an Invictus Games can be a powerful catalyst for post-traumatic growth, renewed personal strength and the belief in new possibilities.
Crucially, the report also confirmed that the most significant long-term benefits are realised when participants are supported to remain engaged in sport beyond the competition itself.
Six months on from the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, we spoke with members of Team Australia to learn how they have maintained this connection. Some have returned to sports they once loved, others have embraced new challenges, and some have stepped into roles that allow them to inspire and support their communities.
However, what these alumni have in common is how sport is enabling them to continue to build on the confidence, connection and sense of purpose fostered through their Games campaigns.
Dane Greenstreet
After returning from Vancouver, Dane found himself lacing up the boots once again for his beloved AFL Masters team, the Leschenault Crabs. While the footy is important, Dane emphasised that the club’s real strength is its support network.
“Although the main aim of the group is to play footy, the general focus of the club is about getting people out, active and making sure everyone is healthy both physically, with the game play, but more important, that we all look after each other and make sure we are all staying on track with our mental health.”
For Dane, the Invictus Games gave him the confidence to continue his sporting journey and reconnect to community post injury. “The Games gave me an immense amount of confidence that I’m still able to do cool things despite my injuries/illness,” Dane explained
Had it not been for the Games, I likely wouldn’t have maintained my involvement in footy, purely due to self-doubt.”
Aside from these benefits, getting back into AFL meant Dane was able to reconnect with fellow Team Australia competitor Danny Giles, which made his return to the sport more special.
Doug Griffiths
For Doug Griffiths, the Games were a launchpad to not only continue competing, but to help others discover their own sporting journeys.
Since he began his journey with the Adaptive Sports Program, Doug has become a qualified triathlon coach, completed the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, and is currently training for the UTMB Kosci 100, a 106km ultra trail run.
Participation in the Invictus program gave me the confidence to continue in sport. It would have been too easy to sit back and give up, thinking that just because I have an incurable cancer that I had no part to play in sport. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Now supporting others through coaching, Doug finds purpose in helping people discover what’s possible. His journey with adaptive sport gave him a renewed sense of identity and belonging.
“The joy I have found in remaining engaged with a community through sport has been life-changing. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the support of the Invictus Games program.”
Jake Christie
Jake Christie’s experience at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 gave him the push he needed to get back into Rugby League for the first time post injury, a long-term goal of his. “With all my injuries, I didn’t think it would be possible to return to contact sports,” he admits. “There wouldn’t be too many people that have played rugby league with a hip replacement, so I just wanted to prove to myself that it was possible.”
That milestone became even more special when he was able to play alongside his brother for the first time in 13 years and share the field with his good mate, who he met during the 2024 DoD Warrior Games, Harley Dodds. For Jake, these moments were all about connection, resilience and proving to himself that he could still take on the sport he loves.
Jake’s wife Lauren was a huge supporter of Jake’s recovery throughout his time in the Adaptive Sports Program. Now that Jake has ticked off his goal of getting back on the Rugby League field, they’re prioritising Lauren’s sporting achievements. She’s currently playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the BMD Women’s Premiership and Jake relishes the chance to be on the sidelines cheering her on.
For Jake, the benefits of staying connected to sport extend well beyond fitness. “Just training in general is great for my mental health, but being in and around a great bunch of blokes every week is the most enjoyable and beneficial part,” he says.
The Games, he adds, were instrumental in giving him the confidence to return to contact sport: “Through all my training in the lead-up to the Invictus Games, I felt my body was ready to take that step back into rugby league.”
Off the footy field, The Invictus Games also sparked a love for snowboarding for Jake, a hobby that has taken him to Perisher, where he was able to reconnect with fellow Alumni.
Since competing, I know that no matter what injuries I have, or might sustain in the future, there’s always some form of sport I can be involved in.”
Tricia Reynolds
After her time at the Games, Tricia wanted to try something new, connecting with Invictus Australia Veteran Engagement Manager Debbie to take up e-mountain biking.
“Debbie put me in contact with an Army veteran who is heavily into mountain biking. He’s shown me the ropes, and we’ll often ride 2-3 times a week. My injuries don’t allow me to ride a normal mountain bike, but an e-bike means I can climb hills I never would have dreamed of being able to,” Tricia explained.
Not only have I found a new hobby, but I’ve found a new friend to share these experiences with. It’s been life changing for me, to find a hobby that I can enjoy all year round which doesn’t exacerbate my injury.”
Tricia attributes the ability to remain connected through sport to being part of the welcoming and safe environment created by Team Australia.
“Before the Adaptive Sports Program, I was so hesitant in trying any sports that put too much impact through my hip. I was accepting of the fact that archery was probably the only sport I was going to be able to do with my injury. But how wrong I was,” Tricia shared.
“The Invictus Games have shown me that it’s OK to try new things and not necessarily have them work out. But to keep trying and find the things that do work.”
Adam Jackson
Since the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, Adam Jackson has taken his competitive journey to new heights, winning the HYROX Adaptive World Championships in the Neurological Major category and earning an invitation to the Adaptive CrossFit Games.
Back from Chicago post Hyrox Championship and currently training for the Adaptive CrossFit Games, Adam attributes the confidence the Invictus Games gave him to allowing him to keep competing.
“Team Australia was about more than just the sport. The fact that I went over to Chicago to compete was something that, 2 years ago, I would have never thought I could do by myself,” Adam shared.
The Games, for me, were about putting myself out of my comfort zone and connecting with the community of the sport I am interested in.”
Eager to remain connected to his community, Adam has also taken up parkrun, seeing firsthand how something as simple as showing up can change lives.
“It gets people out of the house. I actually had a really good experience in Cairns, one of the locals ran with me and we talked the whole race. He said it got him off the couch every Saturday and has led to healthy changes in his life.”
Adam’s still setting big goals, like this year’s Adaptive CrossFit Games, but his focus remains on growth, not outcome.
“For me, it’s about the experience. About going over there and just being in that environment. I just want to compete and give it my all, and then you never know what is going to happen.”
Six Months, Lifelong Impact
For many participants, sport continues to be a powerful source of connection, purpose and wellbeing. Whether they’re reconnecting with old teams, stepping into new roles, or discovering new passions, one thing is clear: the Invictus spirit lives on long after the Games are over.
This enduring impact is also reflected in the Beyond the Finish Line report, which found that 87% of participants experienced increased confidence after taking part in a Games experience. For 73%, it sparked new social connections, while 82% felt more engaged with their wider community. Perhaps most significantly, 85% reported a stronger sense of belonging, something clearly evident when we checked in with Dane, Doug, Jake, Tricia and Adam, each of whom continues to embody the Invictus spirit in their own unique way.
These outcomes demonstrate the ongoing transformative potential of adaptive sport. By fostering better mental health, building resilience, and enhancing overall life satisfaction, programs like the Adaptive Sports Program play a vital role in long-term recovery and reintegration that can last a lifetime.
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