people make judgments about you probably the business is success i just want to get really into the what's happening behind the scenes and some of the real challenges you've had but i guess quickly for people who don't know you who don't know ah fencing maybe just take us give us a backstory how did it start what do you do and where are you now as a business overall and then we can sort of get into your own personal journey

Yeah.

Yeah.

So AH Fencing, we supply and install security fencing and gates for commercial builders and developers across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne.

We started the business eight years ago.

I started with my best mate, Matt.

We've known each other since we were seven years old.

And people don't see that side of it, I don't think.

Upgrade your next brew day with Viking 3G Extra Pale.

Yeah.

So, uh, you know, I've, I've been a longtime beer fan.

Um, I came from, like, the retail side, like craft beer bars and retailers, and we just had a, a real fascination with beer in general and wanted to learn more about it.

But also, I moved to Kansas City, like, 25 years ago and just fell in love with the city and the community and the culture.

And Boulevard is, was such a, even then, was such a pillar of Kansas City.

They were kind of one and the same.

[laughs]

Okay.

And anyway, I was in Melbourne just a few weeks ago, and I was walking around, and in the background I heard, "Hey, Adam Hall.

Adam Hall." And I looked down this alleyway, and there's this guy, now homeless, but he's got a, he's got a mobile phone, and he's going, "Hey, mate.

How are you?" And he's the guy that's been leaving hate comments.

So it had never occurred to me that there's homeless people and crackheads out there with mobile phones too.

Mm

... then I take away all his accountability and his control over that department, and, you know, he's an amazing leader, and if I start undercutting his, his leadership in the business, it'll make him look b- look bad to his sales team, and he'll feel less motivated as well.

So as much as I wanted to come in and make those calls, I knew the right move from a leadership point of view was just to talk to Rob about what's his strategy, what's his plan, give my point of view on it to him.

I remember the switchover.

We were all Iverson shoes.

At the time, Iverson was the king when it comes to shoes.

We had a big deal with them.

But going into that senior year, we're coming off the tournament.

We're preseason top 10.

We ranked all the way in the top five, top one during the beginning of the season.

Can you just speak a little bit about how you've now transition into this part of your life, you know, post-playing career after recently actually putting up, putting those shoes up.

Yeah.

I mean, I didn't have any other choice.

Uh, so you know, it was just part of the family.

I mean, we grew up in here, uh, just like any other...

I guess, I guess we were always employees, right?

Interesting

... it's basically trial, and there's a certain standard that we're looking for.

But when you do over 700 a day, you need a good tool that keeps up with what you're doing.

It looked like some pretty tough conditions out there.

Yeah, it was really tough.

I mean, we woke up this morning in the village with about 30 centimetres of snow, which it wasn't really expected to have that much.

And then, yeah, just some pretty tough conditions throughout the whole day, really, with not just snowfall, but the fog coming in.

especially that second run I felt like I got to the bottom and I couldn't really see much of the scoreboard in the background so yeah it was it was tough but you know we in New Zealand we thrive in those kind of conditions so we were we were ready and prepared for it because we knew that that the chance of that was pretty high and that's what we got we were just hoping for a bit more rain but you know just amazing to be able to You know, put down a really, really good run that how I've been training and to be rewarded with that is a huge accomplishment, not just for myself, but my whole team, the whole nation, really, family and friends, everybody that has been behind me all the way along, not just the last couple of years, but the last campaign and campaign.

So it's amazing.

What was going through your mind at the top of that final run?

Yeah, I mean, I just remember I was on the top and, you know, we had a really good ski set up and something that we've been waiting for and knew that my set up would be really good for today's conditions and I knew that I had no option.

It looked like some pretty tough conditions out there.

Yeah, it was really tough.

I mean, we woke up this morning in the village with about 30 centimetres of snow, which it wasn't really expected to have that much.

And then, yeah, just some pretty tough conditions throughout the whole day, really, with not just snowfall, but the fog coming in.

especially that second run I felt like I got to the bottom and I couldn't really see much of the scoreboard in the background so yeah it was it was tough but you know we in New Zealand we thrive in those kind of conditions so we were we were ready and prepared for it because we knew that that the chance of that was pretty high and that's what we got we were just hoping for a bit more rain but you know just amazing to be able to You know, put down a really, really good run that how I've been training and to be rewarded with that is a huge accomplishment, not just for myself, but my whole team, the whole nation, really, family and friends, everybody that has been behind me all the way along, not just the last couple of years, but the last campaign and campaign.

So it's amazing.

What was going through your mind at the top of that final run?

Yeah, I mean, I just remember I was in the top and, you know, we had a really good ski set up and something that we've been waiting for and knew that my set up would be really good for today's conditions and I knew that you know I had no option my only option was to go as hard as I possibly could and ski how I have been skiing and you know some of those conditions allowed me to do that just with the training conditions that I've had as well so yeah I literally had no other option apart from to just give it all i could and not get to the bottom and have any regret of thinking you know if or maybe if i had done something different and you know there were sections that were better than the other and yeah from from the bottom section uh it was really really good skiing we've seen some good stuff down there which was really good but just remember as well just pulling out a little bit of the prunamu that we were uh that we were gifted when we entered the village here a couple of weeks ago as well and just trying to Just dig deep and find some extra inspiration and something extra that would kind of help get me down there the best way that I possibly could.

How's the preparation been? How's the body? And what does it mean to be going to another Paralympics?

Yeah, I mean, it's pretty amazing to think that, you know, I have lasted all this time and over 20 years down the track.

We're back here in Italy where it started for me, yeah, all those years ago.

And, yeah, I guess I'll have time to reflect on that journey at some stage.

But at the moment, yeah, obviously it's always...

Huge honour and a privilege to be able to put that fern on, you know, one of the, well, the biggest Paralympic show.

And, you know, our preparation has been really good.

I'm freezing in my cabin at the moment.

How's the preparation been? How's the body? And what does it mean to be going to another Paralympics?

yeah i mean it's uh pretty amazing to think that you know i have lasted all this time and over 20 years down uh the track we're back here in italy where it started for me yeah all those years ago and yeah i guess it's uh i'll have time to reflect on on that journey at some stage but at the moment you know obviously it's always a huge honour and a privilege to be able to put that fern on, you know, one of the, well, the biggest Paralympic show.

And, you know, our preparation has been really good.

We've had, you know, really good training.

I've had a really good World Cup season leading up to this point.

And, yeah, we've just been ready for anything, really, whether that would be schedule changes or anything.

But so far, so good.

you're inspirational adam you truly are and um you spent over over half your life on the snow and the cold so so why why snow why skiing what what stood out for you i'm thinking about i'm freezing in my cabin at the moment