Team North makes its mark at inaugural Para Futures Cup
A contingent of 13 Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) athletes and six QAS performance staff proudly represented Queensland a...
Every Paralympic journey is built on more than talent alone. Behind every breakthrough performance is a team of experts helping athletes unlock their potential, overcome barriers and perform at their best.
In a significant milestone for Para sport in Queensland, the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) has welcomed its first dedicated full-time Para physiotherapist, Ashlee Unie, marking a new chapter in support for the state’s aspiring Paralympians. The groundbreaking role will provide dedicated physiotherapy support to the QAS’s wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball and Para archery programs, while also supporting athletes as they transition from the QAS Para Unit into elite sporting environments.
The appointment reflects the QAS’s ongoing commitment to building world-class performance environments for Para athletes and ensuring they have access to the specialist expertise required to thrive on the international stage. As the QAS continues its focus on LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032, the role represents another important step forward in helping Queensland athletes pursue their Paralympic aspirations.
For Ashlee Unie, the opportunity is about more than a new role. It is the chance to contribute to something bigger.
“What drew me in initially was the chance to expand my expertise into new areas and sports,” Ashlee said.
“I’ve genuinely loved getting stuck into the unique clinical challenges that come with Para sport and I’ve been fortunate to work alongside a fantastic team.
Ashlee also brings first-hand experience of the demands of elite sport, having played professional netball for both the Queensland Firebirds and Sunshine Coast Lightning.
“The QAS role feels like the perfect intersection of my high performance sport background and a desire to deliver world-class physiotherapy care.”
Ashlee brings extensive experience from across Australia, Japan and Ireland, having built a career supporting athletes in a range of high performance environments. One of the highlights of that journey was working as part of the support team for Australian snowboard cross athletes in the lead-up to the Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Working alongside world-class Para athletes chasing gold on the biggest stage helped shape my perceptions of Para sport and showed how far our athletes can go when they’re given the calibre of support they deserve,” she said.
That experience reinforced something Ashlee now sees every day within the QAS Para Unit: when talented athletes are provided with the right support, extraordinary outcomes become possible.
As the QAS’s dedicated Para physiotherapist, Ashlee’s role centres on keeping athletes healthy, maximising performance and helping them navigate the unique challenges that can come with Para sport.
“At its core, it’s the same job with the aim to keep athletes healthy, optimise their physical performance and manage load and injury risk,” she said.
“The difference is our athletes present with a much broader range of body types, impairments and equipment which demands a more creative approach.
“In Para sport, there’s far less relying on the textbook and far more individualised problem-solving.”
The role requires a deep understanding of the unique factors that influence athlete performance and wellbeing, from health considerations and classification requirements through to travel demands and equipment needs.
“Para athletes can experience some unique challenges compared to those who have progressed through traditional pathways,” Ashlee said.
“This can range from health complexities like autonomic dysreflexia or skin integrity issues to multi-sport participation, travel and logistical considerations.
“Classification is also a major factor, shaping not just an athlete’s role within the team but many of my clinical decisions too.”
For Ashlee, the creation of a dedicated Para physiotherapy role sends an important message about the future of Para sport in Queensland.
“Having someone dedicated to this space means athletes get care that’s proactive rather than reactive and embedded within their sport,” she said.
“It also signals the QAS’s belief in Para sport and its ability to garner success in LA, Brisbane and beyond.”
While Ashlee’s expertise will help athletes perform at their best, she says it is the athletes themselves who have left the biggest impression since joining the program.
Behind every training session, competition and milestone is a determination that inspires those around them.
“I’ve learned so much from the athletes and staff within the program since coming on board,” she said.
“They show a tenacity and sense of professionalism that’s contagious.”
Looking ahead, Ashlee is focused on helping build stronger systems, raising performance benchmarks and ensuring Queensland’s Para athletes continue to receive the support they need to reach their full potential.
“Success looks like robust programs with an enhanced understanding of Para sport benchmarks and how we can continue to raise that level,” she said.
“As always we are chasing the extraordinary.”
As Queensland’s Para sport pathway continues to grow, Ashlee Unie’s appointment represents more than a new role. It is a statement of intent.
By embedding specialised support within the Para Unit, the QAS is helping create an environment where more athletes can pursue Paralympic dreams, transition into elite sporting systems and perform with confidence on the world stage.
For Ashlee, the focus is clear: build stronger programs, raise the benchmark and help more Queensland athletes achieve the extraordinary.
