Boccia requires ‘as much art as it does science’ – Daniel Michel

On the eve of Daniel Michel’s next challenge, the 2025 NSW State Boccia Titles, the Paris Paralympic Games silver medallist provided some tremendous insights into his approach to sport; and the impact his mother Susan, coach Ken Halliday and former Australian cricketer Steve Waugh have had on his extraordinary career – and life.

Michel will pit his skills against the best in the state from Sunday 11 May until Wednesday 14 May at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre in the western Sydney suburb of Cambridge Park. In a wide-ranging interview Michel explained why he’s hoping the sport’s new wave of players will give him a run for his money.

NSWIS: Daniel, as a child you were consigned to never playing sport, but then you found boccia as a 15-year-old through a Muscular Dystrophy NSW camp. What happened?

Daniel Michel [DM]: My earliest memories of sport was watching it on television, talking to my dad and brothers about it. We really valued sport as a family; really enjoyed it. But for a long time, I never thought I’d be able to play it as a result of my disability. I lived my sporting life vicariously through my brothers and watching them. And while that was awesome, it wasn’t quite the same as being able to do it myself. When I found boccia a whole new life opened up to me – and playing sport was one that I jumped at.

NSWIS: And now you’re a multiple Paralympics medallist . . .

DM: Yes, silver in Paris and a bronze in Tokyo. I’m working my way up to gold – hopefully in Los Angeles – to complete that collection. I’m gradually climbing the ladder, and while its taken a long time I’m doing everything to get that gold.

NSWIS: Does winning a Paralympic medal change your life?

DM: Not really. Obviously, [winning a medal] was something I set my heart on when I started the sport. I wanted as much success as possible, but while it is good to tick that off the checklist it doesn’t really change my life, or what I love about the sport. I just love playing. I love the challenge of preparing for a match and trying to beat another really good player. That’s what drives me, it’s less about the results. But, of course, it’s lovely to have. It’s a nice recognition but, for me, sport is about much more than that.

NSWIS: Have you thought about what your success in Paris means to people?

DM: Definitely. The support for the sport has grown massively. After Tokyo I head from so many people who saw me on TV who said that they’d either started playing, or they knew someone with a disability who they’d encouraged to start playing. It was the same after Paris and that shows the effect of the Paralympics. It has transferred through to the boccia community – we’re better funded and participation is growing – and that’s a great legacy.

NSWIS: Is the influx of new players putting pressure on athletes such as yourself?

DM: It is, and it’s great to have it because there’s nothing better than a bit of competition to drive you to greater heights. Having hungry new players is tremendous, and I value contribution. I like to pass on my knowledge and what I have learnt; pay it forward to the next generation of athletes. If I can be a mentor to them, that’s great and I hope one day they really push me and give me a run for my money.

NSWIS: What should someone who wants to start boccia know about the sport. For instance, I imagine it’d be mentally draining.

DM: It is, and its a very tactical sport. There are many technical elements that people probably wouldn’t appreciate. It’s very detailed and you need a high level of focus and concentration and the ability to persevere. It’s a game that can be frustrating at times, and you need to push through. That’s why you need perseverance, commitment, dedication as well as attention to detail. They’re the traits you need to be a good boccia player.

NSWIS: What other personal qualities help?

DM: You need to be mathematical; have the ability to comprehend geometry and angles. It’s by no means three-dimensional chess or calculus, but it is geometric and there are algebra concepts. So, you need to have a brain for numbers, movement, and geometry. But in saying all of that you don’t need to be Einstein to play. It’s a game that requires as much art as it does science. It’s a game for everyone, really.

NSWIS: Your relationship with your ramp assistant, Ashlee Maddern, is crucial. How did you join forces?

DM: Ashlee and I have been working together for going on 12-years, so it’s been a long time. She’s been with me since the beginning . . . when I made my debut for Australia in 2013. Our relationship has propelled us to great heights, and I wouldn’t be where I am without her. My mum was working for a disability services company as a physiotherapist and Ash was working there as a support worker. Mum told the house manager that her son had just started playing and we were looking for a ramp assistant. The house manager said Ash would be brilliant and everything has gone from strength to strength since we met.

NSWIS: There appears to be no room for error.

DM: Everything has to be efficient . . . down to a tee. That includes the communication between me and Ash; the way we move around and operate in the box. There is an operational component to boccia, and it has to be crisp and clear. You only get four ends – that’s 24 balls -and one mistake in a high-level game can really cost you. You have to be ‘on’ from the first ball to the very last.

NSWIS: Firstly Dan, is it a tiring sport? Secondly, what joy does it bring you?

DM: For sure. We just had four hours on the court at training and my brain is fried! We did drills, recalibration stuff and match play. Lots of match play. But there’s nothing better than executing what you ‘see’ on the court. When you plan to play your shots and the way you want, and then have the balls move exactly as you saw them move in your head, it’s special. There’s no better feeling. It’s less about winning . . . it’s about that feeling of expression and doing what you can on the court and having it go to plan.

NSWIS: Your Australian teammate and training partner Jamieson Leeson, like you, won silver in Paris. How highly do you rate her?

DM: She’s brilliant. Jamieson only started in 2017 or 18. She’s a young player but has oodles of experience. Her silver in Paris was a real highlight. She’s on top of her game in the female division and she pushes me every day. We’re pushing each other to be better, and it’s benefited both of us.

NSWIS: You also enjoy a friendship with former Australian cricket captain Stephen Waugh. How did that come about?

DM: Steve Waugh is a sensational supporter of mine. He’s actually a man of few words and doesn’t talk for the sake of talking. But it’s good to listen when he does because it’s impactful. He’s given me great pieces of advice and knowing the success he had; the way he went about his career and how it translated for him, I make sure I glean all I can from him when we speak. It’s invaluable. Our relationship began when his Foundation [the Steve Waugh Foundation] helped to fund my robotic arm. Once he found out about my boccia career it took the relationship to another level. We’ve stayed in touch, and I really value his friendship. His Foundation does amazing work. He supports people with rare diseases – who are generally an under-supported group of people – and Steve is doing great work. Through his Foundation Steve has made a huge impact on my life, my independence – and I’m indebted to them.

NSWIS: Where has sport taken you to?

DM: There are too many countries to list. Pretty much every continent except Antarctica! [laughs] We’ve been to America, Canada, South America, all over Asia and throughout Europe. I haven’t been to Africa yet, but my passport is full! Our sport doesn’t shut down after the Paralympics, we travel to qualify for big events and ultimately the next Paralympic Games. The show definitely rolls on for us. We’re off to Thailand for the ‘Regionals,’ and next year we have the world championships in Korea. It’s pretty much a fulltime commitment, I have university on the side – I’m doing economics, that is something that really interests me – but it’s full on.

NSWIS: When you’re asked to name the world’s best players, who comes straight to mind?

DM:  Jeong Ho-won from South Korea is my arch nemesis. He beat me in the final at Paris Games, and he’s the best to have ever played the game. I have bucketloads of respect for him, and the way he goes about his business is second to none. I really fancy myself against everyone, but he’s the guy who is just that little bit better than I am. We always have great matches. I have beaten him once and I love the challenge of getting prepared to beat him again.

NSWIS: What’s the camaraderie like among the players off the field?

DM: It’s brilliant. I compare boccia to tennis in terms of we travel around, we normally stay in the same hotels, we see each other at dinner or at the breakfast buffet. So, you do bump into each other off the court – and the camaraderie is brilliant. Obviously, there is a competitive aspect to it but there is also a real bond and sense of us being in it together.

NSWIS: Is ‘community’ the right term to describe the foundations your sport is built upon?

DM: It’s a community because people are working together from all different walks of life. There’s the athletes with disabilities; the ramp operators and coaches who are usually without disabilities but together they form the machine that works to produce on outcome on the court which is awesome! And it is very unique.

NSWIS: Who has had the biggest impact on you?

DM: First and foremost, it’s my mother Susan. She has had a huge impact on the way I view life and the way I go about my life. I consider myself to be a very stoic person and I get that from mum. She was a single mum and had a hard time bringing me up with my disability and my two younger brothers, but we never saw her struggle. She managed everything with aplomb and [what appeared to be with] great ease. It wasn’t until later in life I realised that would’ve been a tough thing for her to do. But the way in which she was so resilient and never took ‘no’ for an answer is something I try to bring into my own life. I try not to get too down about things; try not to let things that may come up affect my zest for life or the way I do things. In boccia, I’ve had my coach, Ken Halliday, for a long time and he’s been a huge influence. We’ve grown in this sport together.

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Photos: Gettys; Rachel Tingey