More Than a Coach: A Tribute to John Carr

Hey Baddies,

This blog post is a bit of a heavy one — and it continues on from the one I shared recently about coaches.

One of our incredible ambassadors, Alena McDugle, who throws the ball beautifully and has been such a joy to support, just made her first ambassador sale. I was in the middle of creating her celebratory post when I saw on Instagram that her coach of four years had passed away.

In one of my last blogs, I talked about the special bond between an athlete and a coach — how sometimes it just clicks, and when it does, that relationship can shape you not just as a bowler but as a person. It’s truly one of a kind. From what I’ve seen, that’s the kind of bond she had. I’m so deeply sorry for her loss, and while no one can replace a coach like that, I'm sure she will find someone in her future career who truly gets her. Take everything you learnt from him and go on and make him proud!

This brought up some feelings I haven’t really spoken about — and think it is important to speak about. 

Growing up in Cairns, I had one coach who really shaped my bowling journey and had a lasting impact on me: John Carr.

John was literally family, so from the beginning, it was a bond built on trust and care. He dedicated countless hours to my game. He coached me at home, traveled with me as my North Queensland junior rep coach, and NQ adult rep team. He was always there — guiding me, listening to me, helping me through every setback and celebrating every win.

He coached me to my 2012 Australian Junior Masters Win, one of my biggest achievements. I almost forgot — he was also my coach when I represented my town at the Intercity Championships. Under his guidance, I won Bowler of the Year 3 times — and that wasn’t a female-only award. It was the top bowler out of everyone in the state for the Intercity. That was one of my greatest achievements, and it was ours.

John gave me his blessing when I moved on to a new coach. Even when I left for college in the U.S. and drifted away from Australian bowling, he was always cheering me on from afar. Whenever I visited home, he was there — supporting me, proud of me, still talking about me to others with such love.

When I visited home in 2022–2023, we saw each other for the last time. He wasn’t well, and was retired, but we still had a coaching session together. He even drilled me a new spare ball - came out of retirement one last time. It felt like everything just clicked again — like I was still that eager young bowler who wanted to learn everything. It was a beautiful moment.

When I returned to the U.S., he passed away.

John, may you rest in peace.
I hope you knew how much your coaching meant to me — how your belief in me shaped my game, my career, and my life. Every success I’ve had was built on the foundation you helped lay. I’m forever grateful. We will always be family.

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This blog is deeper than usual, so thanks for letting me be vulnerable here. This site is a safe space. It’s not just about looking good on the lanes — it’s about all stages of life as an athlete. There are so many things we don’t talk about — the feelings, the doubts, the grief.

And thank you to my ambassador, Alena for supporting us and letting us be apart of her journey. And to my other ambassadors, who are also grieving this loss, we are here for you all. 

t’s okay to feel things.
It’s okay to speak out.
It’s okay to not go through things alone.

I hope you find your people — the ones you're comfortable enough with to talk about the hard things in life. I know not everyone finds that. I know from experience.
But please, let us be the people you need.

This space — this community — was built to be more than just about bowling. It’s about connection. It's about being real. And it’s about showing up for each other, even when things feel heavy.

If you're going through something, my inbox is always open. The contact page is there for a reason — don’t be afraid to use it. We’re all Baddies together.

Love you guys,

💖