Some believe our professional sportspeople are well equipped to inspire young Australians. Several sporting codes have actively participated in programs where famous athletes visit schools to teach students how to play certain sports. The youth suicide prevention organisation Here for Life has also recruited 60 professional athletes to visit Australian schools and talk to young people about their problems. Sportspeople who come from poor backgrounds and attain international fame are also very inspiring to their legions of young fans. The story of Sir Donald Bradman, a country boy who practiced hitting cricket balls against a rainwater tank and became the greatest batsman in the world, sends the message that anything is possible.
Sport is also an arena where indigenous people have excelled.
Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman is often hailed as a positive examples not just to Aborigines, but to all Australians. It's a catch-22. In their thinking, as long as they're doing OK on the field, then that's all that matters. They think they can get away with anything because they're good - the public will forgive them, clubs will fight to get them off. They can't see the problem.