Ryley Batt was born on 22 May 1989 without legs and had surgery to separate his webbed fingers. Up to the age of twelve, he did not use a wheelchair, preferring to move around on a skateboard. He was convinced to use a wheelchair when he saw a demonstration of wheelchair rugby at his school, and took up the sport shortly afterwards in that year…
Ryley Batt was born on 22 May 1989 without legs and had surgery to separate his webbed fingers. Up to the age of twelve, he did not use a wheelchair, preferring to move around on a skateboard. He was convinced to use a wheelchair when he saw a demonstration of wheelchair rugby at his school, and took up the sport shortly afterwards in that year.
He first participated in the Australian Steelers in 2002 and was part of the national team at the 2004 Athens Games, where he was the youngest Paralympic rugby player in the world at the age of 15, the 2008 Beijing where the team won a silver medal, and the 2012 London Games when the team won a gold medal.
From 2006 to 2010, Ryley was recognised as the national team’s most valuable player. He competed in the 2010 World Rugby Wheelchair Championships, where his team won a silver medal, and he won the most valuable player award. He was a member of the Australian team that won its first world championship gold medal at the 2014 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships at Odense Denmark.
He was a member of the team that retained its gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics after defeating the United States 59–58 in the final. At the 2018 IWRF World Championship in Sydney, he was a member of the Australian team that won the silver medal after being defeated by Japan 61-62 in the gold medal game. Ryley was the only Australian named in the 2018 IWRF World Championship All-Tournament Team.
He lives in the New South Wales city of Port Macquarie and leads the New South Wales Gladiators and the San Diego Sharp Edge in the United States.
Hi Ryley! Thank you for being part of the Health and Fitness Travel, Strong Healthy Men Interview Series – Father’s Day Edition, with the goal to shine a light on the importance of self-care for physical and mental well-being, not just for fathers but for men across Australia!
While each day varies, what does your ideal day look like?
My ideal day starts at 6:30am, with a coffee and breakfast, followed by a light push with my dog. By 8am training starts for at least 2 hours followed by recovery, then it’s work. My afternoons are always filled with kids activities.
You’ve never let anything stop you from reaching your goals, tell us, what motivates you?
As a child I have always been really determined to never be left behind. Once I found a sport that I could succeed in the opportunity to represent my country became my new motivation. To be able to wear the green and gold jersey while doing the sport I love is something I find hard to put into words.
Can you tell us about a time when your physical or mental health was challenged and what you did to turn it around?
Just before 2012 London Paralympics I had my first physical injury, a dislocated shoulder. For anyone in a wheelchair you will understand just how debilitating having an upper body injury can be. Lucky my family helped me stay on track mentally while my body healed. My best advice for anyone with an injury is don’t push through, rest your body when it needs it, as someone who is always busy I know this can be difficult but without rest and proper recovery the body doesn’t heal.
How does being a father motivate you to stay focused on your overall well-being?
Being a father makes me realise that I need to be fit not just for my sport but also my health. Being able to keep up with my girls and their sports is motivation for me to eat healthy and train hard. Being a good role model for my girls is definitely something I hold close to my heart.
Outside of family and career, do you have a pet project that you have worked on or been part of that is close to your heart?
Over the years I have had my projects that I have worked on that are close to my heart. I really enjoy visiting schools to introduce children to wheelchair sports, while helping them with their motivation and courage. Recently I worked with Omincare Alliance and opened their liberty swing in my home town Port Macquarie. This one has most definitely made an impact on my life, seeing the smiles on some of the kids faces that were able to use this swing for the first time is something I’ll never forget.
Ryley Batt Launches Omnicare Alliance’s Liberty Swing
Have you ever taken a holiday or time off specifically for your well-being? If so where did you go and what did you do?
I always get holidays over Christmas from my sport, I take this time to refocus and unwind. I spend this time with my family either camping or at our family farm. This is usually when we water ski, jet ski and ride motor bikes, generally anything that gets the adrenaline pumping.
Everyone’s idea of self-care is different, please tell us about yours?
Self care for me is knowing when I need time to take a breath and step away from “the world”. Usually after a big tournament I take a swag and my dog and go camping for the weekend. This gives me time to recover and reconnect with the simple things in life.
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