Brenton Kock creating pathways for inclusion in sport

For Brenton Koch, sport has always been about passion. “I grew up playing footy and cricket on the Sunshine Coast. It was everything to me — the friendships, the competition, the sense of being part of something bigger,” he recalls. When he acquired a disability later in life, sport became more than just a pastime. “I didn’t want my story to be that sport stopped for me. I wanted to find a way back in, and I wanted others with disability to have that chance too.”

That determination took on new meaning when his son was also born with disability. “I realised the systems we had in place weren’t built for everyone. If my son was going to have the same opportunities I had growing up, things needed to change.”

Since then, Brenton has worked with clubs and community groups to adapt programs, building pathways for participation. “It doesn’t take much — a willingness to listen, to adapt — and suddenly people feel like they belong,” he says. Seeing his son pull on a club shirt and be part of a team has been one of his proudest moments. “The joy you see when kids with disability get their chance to play — that’s the reward.”

“It doesn’t take much — a willingness to listen, to adapt — and suddenly people feel like they belong.”

Brenton is a strong advocate for data to drive change. “If we don’t measure who’s playing, we don’t know who we’re leaving out. Data gives us a baseline and makes sure we’re not just guessing.”

His vision is simple and personal: “Every child, every adult — regardless of ability — should be able to pull on a club shirt and feel like they belong. That’s what inclusion delivers.”