SKATE. SURF. BEATS. HAPPY EVER MORE 2444.

HEM PROPERTY ARE PROUD TO SPONSOR THE RIDE THE WAVE FESTIVAL 2023

Set over three awesome days at Town Beach, we’ll see surf & skate comps, a music festival, a battle of the bands, markets, food stalls and much, much more!

It is going to be an incredible event, so we encourage everyone to get down to enjoy the festivities and local talent, whilst also helping to raise money for local charity M.A.D. (Make A Difference) who support those in need.

28 -30 APRIL 2023 ridethewavefestival.com.au for full details

See you there!

Well I don’t know about you but I feel like I blinked and March was over.....

It seriously only feels like last week we were putting together our March edition and here I am doing the team note for our April edition....

We hope you loved reading our March edition. We have had such amazing feedback on it and are so grateful that you loved it as much as we loved putting it together.

Now with summer over I guess we look into the next quarter of the year. Easter, school holidays, cooler mornings and nights and the return of our weekends filled with kids sports

(for those parents out there) and, speaking of parents, our very own Sarah Baker will leave us next month to have baby number 2. Sarah will be on maternity leave for the rest of 2023 and rejoin us at FOCUS early next year. I’m sure our readers will join me in wishing Sarah all the best with the newest addition to the Baker household.

Inside our April edition

One big welcome to the newest members of the Port Macquarie Dolphins... the Andres. The Dolphins are super pumped for a huge year. We caught up with Andre and Andre to ask them about their careers in basketball and what made them come all the way from the USA to live and play here in Port Macquarie. We also check in with our very own Blake contacts.

MANAGING EDITOR Jay Beaumont jay@focusmag.com.au

EDITION COORDINATOR & ADVERTISING SALES Annette Wannell annette@focusmag.com.au

O’Conner fresh off his CMCRocks 2023 gig. Blake has just released a new album and will be playing at The Butter Factory Telegraph Point on April 8th.

Once again FOCUS is jammed packed with great stories, and lots of local businesses with so much to offer. We have an amazing Kids Health and Wellbeing feature with two amazing interviews that you must read. 8 year old Ozzie Roper tells us about his early childhood and coming out the other side of cancer, and we catch up with Irene Mifsud from Hastings Little Wishes. Happy Easter, if you are on holiday these school holidays, near or far, have a great time with your family and loved ones and enjoy our April edition of FOCUS!

ART DIRECTOR Dylan Gaul dylan@focusmag.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kyle Rathbone kyle@focusmag.com.au

PHOTOGRAPHY Gavin Moroney gavin@focusmag.com.au

ADDRESS 2/28 Fernhill Road, Port Macquarie

POSTAL PO Box 690, Port Macquarie PHONE 02 6584 7433 WEB www.focusmag.com.au IG focus.mag E info@focusmag.com.au

ADVERTISING SALES Sarah Baker sarahmay@focusmag.com.au

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR Daisy Moroney daisyfocusmag@gmail.com

CIRCULATIONS COORDINATOR Steve Foye steve@focusmag.com.au

COPY EDITOR Bev Mulcahy info@focusmag.com.au

Daniel Hend is best known for his large scale murals and surreal painting style. He is currently living on the Mid North Coast and has painted murals in QLD, NSW Victoria and even Tassie.

Blake O'Connor is a local singer who has performed on stages in Nashville and the UK. He will be putting on a special performance on April 8 at The Butter Factory, Telegraph Point.

Irene Mifsud decided to start Hastings Little Wishes in 2022 after wanting to see local families receive quicker and more personal assistance for children living with serious illness.

Featuring the best local Port Macquarie acts including: JackLL, Nic Burton, Spiral Time (Tom and Susan), The Salty Seamen, Force 10 and Gail Nickolina River. Special Guest Comedian Maureen French

MC Dave Reneke from 2WAY FM

Devonshire tea, hot cross buns, sausage sizzle, DV Wine sales, beer and soft drinks available at Cellar Door. Entry donation - Singles $2 Families $5. Free outdoor games. Bring your picnic rug. Strictly no BYO.

Easter Sunday 8th April 10am-3pm

(02) 6584 3792 | douglasvale.com.au events@douglasvale.com.au

Get your family and friends together and come and celebrate Port Macquarie Sharks R.L.F.C Race Day at Port Macquarie Race Club.

Entry: $10 Adult $6 Concession & Kids under 15 FREE Gates Open at 11:30am

Brad will be taking to the stage at Players Theatre to perform an acoustic, sit down show. Special guest - Sammy White Tickets - playerstheatre.org.au

Adults $61.50

Come along and enjoy a fun-filled day out with family and friends at the 2023 Wauchope Show! With a range of exciting events, exhibits, and activities, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss out on this fantastic community event!

Gates open at 9:00am April 15th & 16th

FREE PETTING ZOO WITH OLD MACDONALD’S FARM

Old MacDonalds Farm returns to Port Central! These April school holidays let the kids enjoy meeting and interacting with various farm animals in our FREE petting zoo!

Dates; 17th,18th & 19th April 9.30am-2.30pm

Ground Floor Outside Target

NSW STATE VAN TITLES AND CUSTOM STREET MACHINE SHOW

Custom Vans Australia presents The 2023 NSW State Van Titles and Custom Street Machine Show at Brigadoon Holiday Park at North Haven.

Spectators will pay $10 an adult, $5 for school aged kids or $25 for a family of 4 (2 adults & two kids). Food & Drink availably on-site, with trade stands and kids activities. Contact Ashleigh 0413 765 712

Andre Wolford and Andre McPhail are basketballers from the USA who have both come to Australia to spend a year playing with the Port Macquarie Dolphins, and coaching after school clinics and in-school programs delivered through some local sporting schools.

hat inspired you to start playing basketball, and how did you get started in the sport?

Andre Wolford: My oldest brother, Shawn, put a basketball in my hands at 2 years old! I used to stand in my baby crib and shoot the basketball in the hoop and ever since then, I was in love. Being on the court is how others may feel about swimming or being in the water; it is my safe haven, my escape, my peace, my world.

Andre McPhail: What first inspired me to get into basketball was my parents. I started playing in local youth leagues around the age of 5.

Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from and where you play basketball at home in America?

Andre Wolford: I am from Cleveland, Ohio. I don’t play for any teams in America, but I do play in leagues from time to time that are more local to me or we play a lot of pick-up. Cleveland is a nice city and is where my heart is. There are many cool things to do and experience such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame or going to watch the Cavaliers play at Rocket Mortgage arena.

WAndre McPhail: I’m from San Francisco, California. While I’m at home, I usually play in local pro am leagues all throughout California.

How did you find yourself playing in Port Macquarie and what are you hoping to get out of the experience?

Andre McPhail: What drew me to come and play basketball this year in Australia was that I had actually played basketball here in Australia in 2020. Right before the pandemic started, I was playing in the Darwin Basketball Association, in the Northern Territory. I really enjoyed my time out there and was determined to get another opportunity here in Australia once my season was cut short and I had to go back home to the States. I ended up getting connected with one of my friends that I played professionally against in the Maldives, and he helped link me to this opportunity to play for the Port Macquarie Dolphins. Now that I’m back in Australia, I’m hopefully looking to remain within the Australian market and continue progressing throughout my career here.

Can you describe your playing style and what you’ll be aiming to bring to the Port Macquarie Dolphins?

Andre Wolford: My play style has always been doing what my team needs me to do. I can play point guard or shooting guard. My biggest talent is my 3 point shooting and shot making ability though.

It may differ from the playing style of others because I have good range with my 3 point shot, I love the mid-range game and using footwork and creative ways to create space, and I am also athletic and finish very well, so I can score at all 3 levels.

Andre McPhail: My role here on the Port Macquarie Dolphins will be me playing both the centre and the power forward position. The team is looking for me to bringing a level of intensity, and to come in and set the tone on both ends of the court. Defensively I’ll be looked upon to anchor the defence and remain vocal on that side of the ball. Offensively, I believe my role will be to get my teammates in the proper positions for them to score and to bring a level of intensity on both offensive and defensive rebounding. How do you prepare yourself mentally and physically for a game, and do you have any pre-game rituals or routines?

Andre Wolford: I usually pray and meditate to remind myself how blessed I am to be able to play basketball at all, and to enjoy every moment I get to continue to do so. I get work in at the gym, get lots of shots up, and just try to relax my mind. On game day, I like to listen to music and zone out until it’s time to focus on the game. Then I pretend my family and friends are here watching me play.

How do you work with your teammates on and off the court to achieve success?

Andre Wolford: We practice very hard with each other during our given training days which is helping to build our chemistry and trust within each other. But we also will meet outside of those times to shoot together. Lots of the guys in the team are involved in coaching together, either in schools or the Aussie Hoops program. We’ve hung out at the lake, the beach and the gym together when our schedules allow it as well which is all about building a positive team.

Andre McPhail: I believe my previous experiences in universities and other countries

I’ve played in helps bring a competitive edge on and off the court. I have strong leadership skills that’ll help anchor a team, particularly when we have a number of young players. I believe the skill set and edge I bring to the game allows my teammates to thrive around me.

What motivates you as a basketball player and coach?

Andre Wolford: I am an import professional basketball player and a basketball coach for the Dolphins, so life is getting pretty busy! In everything to do with basketball I try boosting the level and love of the sport of basketball in any way I can, whether that be going hard in practice and pumping up the young guys, or doing coaching sessions at schools or running the 3x3 pick-up comp on the uni campus, I aim to provide a good role model for the community.

How have you adjusted to life in Australia so far?

Andre Wolford: I love it in Australia so far. It is very far away from home and the time difference away from my family and loved ones Is hard to manage sometimes, but as a pro, you learn to adapt and work through those things. In Cleveland, it is cold and snowing right now, so being in Port Macquarie and not having to shovel my car out of snow feels like heaven on earth! We are lucky enough to be living at Charles Sturt University which has given us plenty of people to get to know outside of the Dolphins.

Andre McPhail: So far I feel like I’m adjusting to life here fairly quickly. At first it did naturally seem weird driving on the left side of the road and all the roundabouts that are here in Port Macquarie, but I’m getting the hang of it. I really do like the slower change of pace here and just the overall vibe of the city of Port Macquarie. We’ve met a lot of people so far within a short span of time, and everyone has been very supportive, especially Miedecke Motor Group with their car sponsorship. That’s made a huge difference to sticking to the schedule!

What do you hope to achieve during your 12-month stay in Australia, both on and off the court?

Andre Wolford: I just hope to be able to give kids a good example of someone who never gave up on themselves, someone who has faith in God, and someone who is kind and compassionate to all human beings. In the world we live in, kids have and always will need positive role models to follow. I hope that I can inspire kids and players around the country to be their best selves and to be good human beings and to be competitive so they can take advantage of any opportunities that come their way.

What are your thoughts on the Australian basketball league, and what do you see as its strengths and weaknesses?

Andre Wolford: Us Americans have loads of respect for Australian basketball, with many great players such as Josh Giddey and Patty Mills players in the NBA. People play with great IQ and play together pretty well, from what I have seen so far. I have also been amazed at the athleticism that people have here. Being new to Australian basketball, I can’t really speak on what strengths and weaknesses there are until I have experienced more of it for myself.

Andre McPhail: I believe the competition here is pretty good. Within the States, you play against a lot of guys who are really athletic and/ or very skilled. In comparison, I believe the skill level here is pretty good, but it’s more of an IQ game than an isolation game. Teams play more team orientated basketball, while in the States it’s more of a one-on-one game. Can you describe your long-term career goals and how your experience in Australia may contribute to achieving those goals?

Andre Wolford: My long term goals are to play in the NBL, to be the best basketball player I can possibly be, to win championships, and to continue my basketball training career and keep growing to continue helping kids all around the world be the best version of themselves they possibly can. My experience here in Australia will help me to achieve these by getting my name out there in the market and allow me to showcase my gifts and talents to the world.

Andre McPhail: My goal within the sport of basketball is to compete at a high level, and really see how far I can take this. After basketball, I’d like to stay around the game and possibly get into coaching. I’d also like to be a sports agent as well, and help others get their basketball careers started. I have friends and colleagues in both fields, so hopefully when I do decide to transition out of playing, I can find success within that side of basketball. Thanks Guys.