Australian BMX champ dies in celebration accident

The following story, which appeared today [25/11/2011] in the papers across Australia, really disheartened me and made me both sad and angry.

blog bmx

'A top Australian BMX rider has died from massive injuries he sustained while apparently trying to leap from a balcony into a swimming pool. Dane Searls, 23, had been fighting for his life since he fell from a first-floor balcony at a nightclub in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast on Sunday night. Reports said he had been attempting to dive into the pool but hit the concrete around the water instead.

"The man... was taken to the intensive care unit of the Gold Coast Hospital after the incident, however he died this morning,"

Queensland police said in a statement, adding that a report would be forwarded to the coroner. Searls, famous for completing huge dirt jumps on his bike, was at the nightclub celebrating after pulling off one of the biggest leaps ever attempted. The extreme sportsman had achieved a series of BMX jumps across gaps of up to 18 metres (60 feet).

"On the weekend he had been performing on 60-foot BMX jumps with backflips and other tricks and doing them comfortably," Paul Everest from Unit, one of Searls' main sponsors, told the Courier Mail newspaper.'

This week sees thousands of HSC students celebrating the end of their exams. Sometimes in the midst of celebration there are judgements made that are less than wise. For Dane Searls, a brilliant BMX rider, a judgement made at a time of genuine celebration cost him his life.

Many years ago a wise old Pastor told me, “Peter, be as cautious in the times of euphoria as you are when all seems lost.”

I have never forgotton this advice and encourage those who find themselves with much to celebrate to do the same.

Yours

Peter

Peter Brooks, 25/11/2011

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a changed man

This weekend grand final fever will hit Sydney and the Northern Beaches where our local team Manly will play. One of the unsung stars of the Manly team is a guy called Brent Kite, who is pictured below.

Brent Kite

The following article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on 29th September 2011.

'Sitting among the 82,000 fans at ANZ Stadium on Sunday will be Brent Kite's grand final inspiration - his cousin Mosiana Vaigalo.

A month ago, Mosiana, who grew up in the same house as Kite, was fighting for her life in hospital after she was swept out in a rip at Maroubra beach with her sisters, Rubey, 14 and Manu, 15.

When Rubey and Manu were discharged from hospital, Mosiana, who had celebrated her 21st just two days earlier, still wasn't breathing. She was put into a coma and, while the doctors were hopeful, her family weren't given any assurances. Kite didn't leave her side.

''I was in there praying with her and talking to her,'' Kite said.'

As I read this article I was so encouraged because I know Brent Kite's faith is real.

Can I urge you to take 5 minutes 16 seconds of your day to watch the following video where Brent explains, along with his wife, his conversion.

It is real and wonderful!!!!!

Get the Flash Player or an HTML 5 compatible browser to see this player.

I hope Manly win on Sunday but even if they don’t, Brent Kite and I know that there are more important things than Rugby League at the end of the day, and at the end of life!!!!

Yours Peter

Peter Brooks, 29/09/2011

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Stosur wins US open

stosur blog

The following article appeared in the Australian by Will Swanton and as a proud Aussie I so enjoyed reading it. Samantha Stosur is a real battler and she so deserved her victory in the US Open tennis. I often feel sport brings out the best and worst in people. The US LADIES OPEN TENNIS OF 2011 was such an example.

Yours Peter

First day of a new dawn for Samantha Stosur

Stosur's victory was phenomenal in scoreline and composure. She was dignified and dripping in Australian-ness. Her acceptance speech was humble and endearing, amounting to little more than a "thanks for having me" to the people of New York before she climbed into the grandstand a la Pat Cash at Wimbledon.

An American reporter enquired about the roll-up-your-sleeves psyche of Australian athletes compared with Williams's more . . . confrontational approach. "We grow up being taught that whether you're playing tennis or whatever other sport, be respectful and friendly and nice to people," Stosur said. "In tennis nowadays, maybe that kind of gets lost. I think it's important you go out there and play between the lines and play a good match. That's the way I was always taught to play, go out there and have respect for every single opponent you play." The surface at Melbourne Park is cut from a very similar cloth to Flushing Meadows'. A full-blown tilt at the Australian Open looms. "Hopefully this is the first day of a new beginning for me as a player," Stosur said.

By Will Swanton.

Peter Brooks, 14/09/2011

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Australian BMX champ dies in celebration accident

a changed man

Stosur wins US open