Gold medallist returns to Mazenod

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13 June 2018

Gold medallist returns to MazenodPut everything into whatever it is you love, was the message from a Commonwealth Games gold medallist to the students of his former Catholic college.

Former Mazenod College, Mulgrave, student and teacher Damien Schumann last month returned to the place he used to call home, taking the opportunity to pay tribute to his old stomping ground.

In April, Mr Schumann and his teammate Christopher McHugh defeated a duo from Canada to secure a gold medal for Australia in the men's beach volleyball.

‘This school gave me everything,’ Mr Schumann said.

‘Without having come here I would never have started playing volleyball and when I was teaching they were so accommodating, allowing me to have a job while working up the ranks and work around my international schedule.

‘It’s how I was able to do what I love, coaching and teaching, while still competing for Australia.’

The 30-year-old spoke to students about how he had overcome setbacks to achieve what he wanted.

‘I’ve had a lot of setbacks and was told a few times, especially when I was younger, that I wasn’t good enough,’ Mr Schumann said.

‘But you have to keep pushing through and persevering. If you love what you’re doing, just put everything into it.’

This article was originally published in the Monash Leader on 6 June 2018.