Meet Oscar Nielsen, a participant in our Flinders Elite Athlete Program who is achieving great sporting success while in his graduating year at Matthew Flinders Anglican College. Oscar is committed to two sporting passions - basketball and high jump. He is enjoying the support of the FEAP to maximise his sporting and academic potential.
Oscar, please share some of your sporting achievements.
I have been a Sunshine Coast Representative in basketball for the Sunshine Coast Phoenix Basketball Association from 2015 to 2022. I was selected in the Regional Schools 15-years team in 2021 and the 19-years team in 2023. I won the Champion Basketball School Queensland title in 2021 with the Flinders Firsts. I am a three-time SQJBC Champion for Sunshine Coast Phoenix (U14, U16 and U18) and won the Bronze medal for the U14 State Championships in 2019 for the Phoenix.
In terms of high jump, I was a Bronze medallist at the U16 Queensland All Schools Athletics Championship in 2021 and received Queensland Selection for my efforts at the championships. I finished in 4th place in the 16-years high jump at the Queensland School Sport State Championships for 2022. I finished 2nd in high jump at the recent 2023 Queensland Athletics State Championships and later in the season finished 4th overall in Australia in high jump at the Australian Athletics Championships held in Brisbane in April.
What are your sporting goals for 2023 and beyond?
My sporting goals for 2023 are to go to college in America to play basketball and high jump and then make it back to Nationals for the school sport season and aim for a medal. My goals for beyond are to play in the NBL for basketball and to jump 2.15m eventually.
What are your academic goals at Flinders?
To achieve the highest possible results that I can through hard work and dedication. I hope to make the most of the academic opportunities given at this great school to maximise my potential.
Please tell us what support you are enjoying through FEAP?
The constant guidance and support from FEAP Director, Ms Nourse is amazing. FEAP has made my time at Flinders much more enjoyable and less stressful. The awareness and acceptance of other teachers at the school to help combat my busy schedule with whatever that may be, changing due dates or giving extra help when I miss days, has been greatly appreciated.
Please share with us the new skills and strategies you are learning through FEAP?
Each workshop comes with its own new skills and information to learn about, whether that be to assist with mindset and self belief, diet and nutrition, or other ways to enhance your performance, like breathing and marketing your brand.
Do you have a favourite FEAP workshop so far?
The Perform Dietetics workshop has been the most enjoyable so far. It has been great to learn about what is needed for my body and the necessary foods and nutrients that can help to give me an edge.
What else have you enjoyed about FEAP?
The massive amounts of support from Ms Nourse and other teachers around the College has been beneficial for me as a person as well as for my academics and sporting aspirations. It helps to make life at school much more enjoyable and easier to go by with a busy schedule.
Tell us about your sporting role model.
My sporting role models are Joel Embiid and Brandon Starc. Embiid is a Cameroonian center for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. Brandon Starc is an Australian high jumper who achieved 5th place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is the brother of Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc.
To learn more and watch short videos of some of our FEAP athletes, workshop presenters and the FEAP Director, go to the FEAP home page here.
