“We’ve been working really hard in the past 12 to 18 months to put together a performance like that consistently,” Ellyse says of her team when we congratulate her thrilling Ashes effort. “So it was really cool just being part of that.”
You’ll hear a similar response if you ask Ellyse the secret to making it to the top of not one, but two sports. If you’ve been living under a rock, here’s a quick refresher: Ellyse made her debut in international sport at just 16, playing in World Cups for both the Matildas and the Australian women’s cricket team. She starred in both codes, but hung up her soccer boots in 2014 to focus on bat and ball. She’s the only dual international our country has ever seen – an extraordinary feat that she largely credits to the support of her family and coaches.
Dig a little deeper though, and you’ll find that what really drives this athlete is a burning desire to keep getting better. There’s no resting on her records – each win is simply a new benchmark to top. “I just really enjoy the process, probably more so than actually playing matches,” she admits. “I really enjoy being able to wake up every day and go to training and being challenged to evolve as an athlete. I find a lot of joy in that.”
For more of our chat with Ellyse Perry – and our celebration of women in sport – pick up the November issue of Women's Health.
