Olympics Unleashed (AOC)

Olympics Unleashed is the Australian Olympic Committee’s school program that brings Olympians and aspiring Olympians into schools (or into classrooms online) to help students connect real sporting journeys to real-life skills. It’s designed to inspire and motivate students to be their personal best, using athlete stories that feel authentic, relatable and memorable for kids.

For teachers, the value is that it’s simple to run and easy to justify. The program follows a clear, classroom-friendly flow: schools register and nominate preferred dates, the AOC confirms a date and assigns an athlete, teachers can prepare students using lesson plans linked to their curriculum, then on the day students are encouraged to ask questions and reflect on their own goals and passions. After the visit, you can keep the momentum going with follow-up activities supported by the same resources.

Learning-wise, Olympics Unleashed sits naturally inside PDHPE / wellbeing, personal development and values-based learning. Athletes share how they set goals, overcome challenges and build resilience, which gives teachers concrete language for lessons on mindset, perseverance and positive choices. It also supports English outcomes in practical ways: students practise purposeful listening, developing questions, and speaking confidently in a real-world Q&A setting.

Who it suits: the target year levels vary by state, but overall it’s aimed at upper primary and lower secondary (roughly Years 4–9). In NSW, for example, it’s aimed at Years 4–6 and Year 9; QLD focuses on Years 4–6; SA targets Years 7–9; and WA targets Years 5–6 and Years 7–8.

Practical note for planning: Olympics Unleashed is promoted as free for schools, and includes lesson plans mapped to curriculum, plus options to engage via online delivery (including Olympics Unleashed TV during school terms).