As CTO and co-founder of Athlinq, I bring together over a decade of professional cricket experience with years of software development expertise to solve problems I've lived through firsthand.
Table of Contents
My Cricket Journey: Over a Decade in Professional Australian Cricket
I've been fortunate and privileged to spend over 10 seasons as a professional cricket player in Australia, currently representing the Tasmania Tigers in Sheffield Shield and domestic competitions. My journey through Australian cricket has given me experiences I'll never forget:
BBL Championship with Sydney Thunder
An incredible experience that taught me about playing with the greats of the game and what success looks like
Hobart Hurricanes BBL Championship Victory
Another title that reinforced my understanding of relationships but more importantly team connection
10+ Seasons Across Multiple Premier Teams
Each bringing unique insights into how professional sports really operates with the highs and lows athletes deal with everyday
Front-row Access to Partnership Deals
Athlete sponsorship deals, brand partnerships, and agent negotiations - the experiences that would later inspire Athlinq
What most people don't see behind the highlight reels and match reports are the countless hours spent navigating partnership opportunities, brand relationships, and commercial negotiations. I've watched talented teammates struggle with partnerships that didn't align with their values, seen agents overwhelmed trying to manage multiple client relationships, and experienced firsthand how brands often struggle to find authentic connections with athletes.
From Professional Athlete to Full-Stack Developer
From the age of 18 while trying to push my case for higher honours in cricket, I discovered coding - and it changed everything. What started as curiosity about technology quickly became a serious pursuit that would eventually reshape my life outside of sport.
Building Real Solutions, Generating Real Results
My development journey has been focused on creating actual value:
- Certified Shopify Partner Professional specializing in e-commerce solutions
- Generated over $5 million in Shopify sales for clients across various industries
- Built comprehensive SaaS applications for enterprise-level clients
- Developed expertise in modern web technologies
- Combined my sports industry knowledge with technical skills to identify unique opportunities
My Preferred Technology Stack
I've gravitated toward modern, scalable web development technologies:
The technical skills allow me to personally architect and develop solutions, but more importantly, my sports background helps me understand exactly what is needed.
Why I Had to Build This Solution
The intersection of my professional cricket career and software development created a unique perspective on problems that desperately needed solving. Currently building Athlinq's entire platform from the ground up, I represent something different in the sports tech space - a founder who's actually lived the user experience.
Finding Peace in Code
This mindset shift has been crucial. Cricket taught me about high-performance teamwork and handling pressure. Coding gives me the tools to build solutions to problems I've experienced firsthand. The combination feels natural and necessary.
Building Athlinq: The Platform I Wish I Had Sooner as a Player
Athlinq represents my vision for fixing the partnership challenges that have frustrated me throughout my cricket career. As the all-in-one platform powering athlete partnerships, I'm building exactly what I wish had existed when I was navigating my early brand relationships but also coming through the pathway systems.
What I'm Building for Athletes Like Myself
For Athletes
- Personal brand commercialisation tools designed by someone who understands the athlete mindset
- Contract management and vault
- Get paid in app on the platform
- Prove ROI through on field and off field performances
- Partnership opportunity discovery that actually matches athletes with brands that make sense
- Revenue tracking and analytics
- Direct brand communication channels eliminating the frustrating back-and-forth through intermediaries
What I'm Building for the Agents I've Worked With
For Agents
- Multi-client dashboard functionality for efficient athlete representation
- Roster management to save time and scale
- Partnership pipeline management from initial contact through contract completion
- Performance analytics and reporting to demonstrate real value
- Automated administrative processes so agents can focus on relationship building
What I'm Building for Brands Who Want Authentic Partnerships
For Brands
- Targeted athlete discovery based on genuine engagement and demographics
- Partnership performance tracking with transparent, real-time analytics
- Streamlined negotiation processes that reduce time-to-market
- Authentic relationship building tools based on mutual value creation
Every feature in Athlinq addresses a real pain point I've observed or experienced during my cricket career. This isn't theoretical - it's a solution built from lived experience.
The Perks Locker: The Feature I'm Most Excited About
When people ask me about upcoming features, I get genuinely excited talking about one in particular:
Why This Feature Matters So Much to Me
The Perks Locker represents my understanding of how real relationships develop in professional sports. Throughout my cricket career, I've learned that the best partnerships need meaningful relationships but the opportunity needs to come first - they begin with genuine connections and authentic experiences.
Here's what I'm building:
- Brand familiarity opportunities through product trial and genuine experience
- Authentic endorsement pathways based on actual product use and satisfaction
- Low-pressure relationship development before anyone commits to formal partnerships
- Mutual value demonstration without the pressure of major financial commitments
Looking Ahead: Beta Launch and What's Next
I'm personally developing every aspect of Athlinq's technical infrastructure. Building an entire sports tech platform from scratch is exciting but does produce challenges, but it's also been incredibly rewarding. I can't wait to show what myself and the team have built.
My 2025-2026 Vision
Here's what I'm working toward:
- Beta launch that provides real value to initial users while gathering crucial feedback
- Core partnership management functionality built specifically for how the sports industry actually operates
- Continuous improvement based on user feedback from athletes, agents, and brands who understand the space
- Full platform launch in early 2026 that transforms how athlete partnerships happen
Why I Believe Athlinq Will Succeed
I'm not building this as an outsider looking in. Every feature decision, every user experience choice, every technical architecture decision comes from my understanding of:
- What it's really like to be a professional athlete navigating brand relationships
- How agents actually work and what tools they need to be successful
- What brands are looking for when they want authentic athlete partnerships
- How to build scalable, reliable software that solves real problems
My Message to the Sports Industry
My journey from professional cricket player to sports tech represents something I hope becomes more common. Athletes have unique insights into industry problems, and many of us also have the skills to build solutions.
The future of sports partnerships should be faster, more transparent, and mutually beneficial. I'm building Athlinq because I believe technology can make that future possible - and because I've experienced firsthand why the current system needs to change.
