Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie, Tom Doedee, Rosanna Mangiarelli share pictures, memories from childhood
From celebrity crushes, to first cars, jobs and loves – here some of our favourite South Aussies share memories of “growing up” to help lighten the mood.
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Tired of bad news, suffering Covid overload? For a bit of lighthearted relief in what has been a difficult time, we’ve asked some of our favourite South Aussies to share with us their “firsts”.
And they’ve obliged, not taking themselves too seriously to tell us about a whole host of momentous “growing up” moments, from first car, to first job, first nickname – and first crush (real or celebrity).
They also reveal the one person who, amid all the firsts, has influenced them more than anyone else.
The weekend good sports include cricket legend Jason, “Dizzy” Gillespie, basktball great Rachael Sporn, Crows defender Tom Doedee, newsreader Rosanna Mangiarelli, Adelaide 36ers’ recruit Mitch McCarron, Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas and media veteran Keith Conlon.
Jason “Dizzy” Gillespie; Redbacks head coach
The former SA and Australian fast bowler, who also coaches the Adelaide Strikers BBL team, wasn’t always known as Dizzy – his school mates had another name for him, inspired by the dad of a famous childhood fictional character.
The sporting legend also discloses he, like many of his era, had a secret crush on Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree after she started on the long-running travel show in 1996.
First car: Datson 1600, a 1971 column shift auto that was slow off the mark. My mates called it the “pageant float”.
First job: Delivery driver for Pedro’s Dial-a-Pizza at Daw Park.
First Pet: A cattle dog called Smokey.
First (celebrity) crush: Catriona Rowntree … managed to have a photo with her in the late 90s at Adelaide Oval for a TV promotion. Happy days!
First date (with love of life): My wife Anna and I met at school (Cabra Dominican College). We were in the same class for a couple of years in early high school.
She moved schools and I saw her out at a pub about eight or nine years later … I asked her out and, unfortunately for her, the rest is history!
First nickname: Mates at school called me “Geppetto” (Pinocchio’s father), In reference to my big nose.
First suit: I rented a tux for my year 10 social at Cabra College. Don’t remember much about it other than I got my braces off that day.
First sport: Soccer was the first sport I played.
First premiership memory: Won a grand final in underage cricket and “C” grade cricket for Adelaide Cricket Club.
Rosanna Mangiarelli; Adelaide newsreader
Here, the favourite 7NEWS Adelaide personality, reveals how family hasbeen there by her side for every milestone first, including her teenage crush on Michael J Fox who she admits she’d have likely “giggled, screamed and cried” if she’d actually met him at the time.
First car: A Mitsubishi Sigma. It was metallic orange. I loved her because she gave me freedom, but she was an old girl who was falling apart.
My sister and I shared it. We affectionately called her “the death trap” … at one point the driver door wouldn’t even open, so we’d climb in through the passenger side.
She had her fair share of dents and scratches after I sideswiped a Stobie pole and then a petrol bowser.
First job: I worked in a snack bar in the city called Monty’s. I found the ad in the paper, called them and went in for an interview.
Turns out the owner was after someone who was more flexible than a student and didn’t give me the job.
I asked if he could just give me a chance by doing a trial – he gave me the job!
First pet: Fritz wasn’t our first pet, but he was my favourite as a child. He was a terrier of some sort. We called him Fritz because that’s the first thing we fed him.
First (celebrity) crush: Hands down Michael J Fox. My sisters and I were obsessed.
We were huge Family Ties fans, then Back to The Future came out in the mid 80s.
I probably would’ve giggled, screamed and cried if I’d met him back then.
He’d be interesting to meet now, given his battle with young onset Parkinson’s and the awareness he’s raised about the disease.
First date (with love of life): My husband (Andrew) was my camera operator in my first job as a journo at Central Television in Port Pirie.
It was more like “hate at first sight”; he saw me as an entitled city slicker – I saw him as a lazy country bumpkin.
We eventually became friends and then it just blossomed. We were both wrong and these days laugh about it.
First nickname: “Shun” or “Shunny”. My sister, who is 14 months older than me, couldn’t quite get out Rosanna … it was more a “Ro-shun” and it stuck.
My parents still call me “Shunny”.
First formal dress: In a word, woeful. I tried to channel Audrey Hepburn’s iconic black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
I made my poor mum make it; she did a great job, but it was just wrong (and it) didn’t help that I went the gloves and beehive hair too!
First sport: Netball was always my game. I remember getting a silver “medal” once. I played centre or WA.
The person who influenced you most growing up: Without a doubt my family. My Dad, my Mum and my two sisters.
We were, and still are, such a tight-knit family and it helped that my sisters and I are very close in age.
We did everything together and still do today.
My Dad would always tells us fascinating stories about his colourful childhood and shares many pearls of wisdom.
My mum has always been a complete angel; so nurturing, selfless and loving.
I still speak with her everyday. My sisters are both older than me and have been there for me every step of the way.
Tom Doedee; Crows defender
The key defender who is also part of the leadership group has only known one job – as a professional footballer – not that he didn’t try to get a job stacking grocery shelves while at school.
First car: A 2008 Toyota Aurion that I bought when I got drafted to Adelaide … it had leather seats and a polished wooden steering wheel, so my former teammate Harry Dear used to call it the “D-Grade Bentley”.
First job: I’ve been very lucky, my first job was as an AFL Footballer.
I applied for a job at Coles in Year 12 but could only work Sunday nights due to study commitments and playing basketball and footy, so they politely declined.
First pet: I grew up with a relatively placid border collie – which was weird, considering their usual temperament – named Oscar. He was around for about 15 years and was an absolute king.
First (celebrity) crush: Probably Natalie Portman in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (which didn’t seem as terrible a movie when I was young as it does now) and then again in V for Vendetta.
First date (love of life): I actually got a photo with my partner of nearly eight years, Emily, when we first met at the Under 16 Vic Country Basketball presentation night.
I wouldn’t say it was love at first sight exactly but also wouldn’t say I was shattered that our friends made us get a photo together either.
First nickname: Nothing special, “TD”, “Doedee” and “Tommy, Doods”.
First suit: I wore a plain black suit with a white shirt, purple tie (horror look) and Justin Bieber circa 2012 haircut to match, to the Under 16 Vic Country Basketball Presentation Night (mentioned above).
First sport: I have a memory of dunking a basketball in a mini ring when I was about three-years-old but didn’t start playing competitively until I was six, and became hooked.
From about 12-years-old, all I had on my mind was to play college basketball until I picked up a Sherrin when I was 16 and never looked back.
The person who influenced you most growing up: My Dad, Steve. My two older brothers and I all get our work ethic, self sufficiency and comfort in our own company from him.
My love of all sports (especially American), curiosity and taste in music all come from my old man.
Rachael Sporn; basketball legend, three-time Olympian
Former Adelaide Lightning superstar Rachael Sporn remains a country girl at heart, having grown up in the Victorian Mallee at Murrayville. She shares with us a story of how she put her bush strength to use, to tackle a shoplifter during her first job in Adelaide.
First car: A Chrysler Gallant station wagon which was a very lovely (duck) egg blue colour.
I was lucky enough to be given the car in my first year in Adelaide by the West Adelaide Basketball Club.
While, I do remember the shock absorbers were never in such great shape, it was perfect at the time for a uni student.
First job: I would take harvest leave and work on the testing unit for the Grain Elevators Board at our local (grain receival silo).
Once I moved to Adelaide to go to university in the mid 1980s, I worked at “Sportslover” in Rundle Mall. I went straight into the role with no knowledge of the science of footwear at all and just had to wing it with the customers.
My most memorable moment was lunging at – and tackling – a shoplifter as the would-be thief tried to make a getaway up the stairs. I am tipping I would be up for assault it happened in 2021.
I am tipping I would be up for assault it happened in 2021.
First pet: A beautiful Samoyed (dog) called Prince; he was a majestic boy, however living on the farm did not team up well with the prickles that got in his tail.
First (celebrity) crush: Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill). Star Wars: A New Hope was in cinemas in 1977 and I had to wait until it came out on VHS before I could watch it.
I used to pause the video when Luke was looking nostalgically at the two moons on planet Tatooine. I thought he was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen! Unfortunately, Hamill has not aged well, so the crush has waned somewhat.
First nickname: Nothing too original, just “Sporny”.
First sport: In our small country town we didn’t have a junior basketball competition so I started playing netball first at the age of seven.
My first grand final win was when I was 10. I was the shortest in the team as I was playing with older girls (I am the incredibly skinny girl at the back of this photo.)
The person who influenced you most growing up: My mum Pam. She was a brilliant sportswoman herself and had such a great work ethic – she was a great role model for me growing up. Basketball was introduced to Murrayville in 1968, the year I was born. I am so thankful that Mum played and loved this new amazing sport and therefore introduced me to it
Brenton Ragless, Adelaide TV presenter
The Nine News Adelaide presenter reveals it was someone at his high school who influenced him most growing up.
First car: Having grown up in the south, it was only right that my first car came from the Tonsley Mitsubishi plant – prior to it being a car-manufacturing hub, the land was an almond orchard where my grandfather worked.
I spent my hard-earned cash from voicing the “Telstra Dial-it Weather Information Service” on a white, second-hand 1989 TN Mitsubishi Magna GLX.
These cars were as common as the Commodore with spare parts from any street corner deli. Seeing it proudly on display at the National Motor Museum now makes me wish I kept it!
It was a manual – there were times I loved driving a manual, and there were plenty of times I didn’t – and her name was “Maggie” (original, I know!).
First job: My first job was working in Coles’ fruit and veg section. Every so often, the supervisor would take me off stocking the shelves to have me dress up as a giant chicken to spruik the hot chooks on special … I guess my presenting career had to start somewhere!
First pet: Our first family pet was a beagle called Barnaby. He was great company during my childhood, passing away once I finished high school.
First crush: A fellow student in primary school; she was the first to laugh at my jokes and called me “cute” … I was hooked!
First date (with love of life): My wife, Hayley. She, too, laughed at my jokes and called me cute, but I suspect that has now passed.
We first met at a photo processing lab where she worked and our relationship “developed” from there. Our first date was the Royal Adelaide Show … I knew by then I’d won “first prize”.
First nickname: “Raggy”.
First suit: No suit, just the funky 90s formal shirt with “Mambo”-coloured sleeves. My hair was much longer than it is today!
First sport: Swimming at the Marion Swimming Club. I didn’t achieve much in the individual events but my greatest winning moment was gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay at state championships.
The person who influenced you most growing up: Sam Thomson – the state’s longest-serving school chaplain, who is still mentoring students at Blackwood High today.
Peter Malinauskas; leader of the Opposition
First car: My first car was a poo brown Torana. The ‘T’ had fallen off and everyone at school used to call it the ‘Orana’.
First job: My first job was at Woolies. I loved it. I was 15-years-old and I wanted to go to the Show but Mum and Dad said, “That’s fine, but you have to earn some money to pay for it.”
We drove around the area, and put my name down at a bunch of places. The next day, I got a phone call from Woolworths Mitcham and a few days later I started the job.
That job taught me to save, I put $35 a week away for five years – then I went to the Sydney Olympics and spent it all on tickets to see Cathy Freeman win.
First pet: Our grandparents’ pet dog Raja was always our favourite pet growing up.
First (celebrity) crush: I was a teenager when Elizabeth Hurley came onto the scene.
First date (with love life): Annabel and I had our first date at Gaucho’s, I knew I was on a winner when she ordered a massive steak.
First nickname: “Mally”
First suit: (It was) a suit I hired from Ferrari Formalwear.
First sport: Cricket … my first grand final win (came much later) was when I was captain of the Adelaide University Scum in 2013.
The person who influenced you most growing up: Apart from my parents, definitely my grandparents had the most influence on me growing up. They were the hardest workers I know – and they drilled into me the value of the opportunity Australia provides.
Andrew “Cosi” Costello; TV personality, radio host
He might be the face of South Aussie with Cosi, taking viewers to fabulous locations around the state each weekend, but he recalls the day, he couldn’t get a hitchhiker to accept a ride as his car smelt so bad.
First car: I used to have a XF station wagon. In fact, for 18 months I pretty much lived out of my car – literally. I was working on pig farms across SA and, to save money, I decided not to rent anywhere and just camp at the farms … I was saving to try to buy a house.
So, I had the swag in the back of my car and just lived out of (it).
My car was terrible, an absolute heap of crap that used to smell like pig poo.
One time, a hitchhiker near Pt Wakefield looked in my car, saw all the mess and obviously smelt the smell and said, “thanks for the offer but I’ll see what else comes along!”
So, I was rejected by a hitchhiker!
First job: My first job was working at a pig farm at Bute on the Yorke Peninsula and I loved it. I got paid $180 a week and (could get) an extra $30 if I worked Saturdays.
I remember working in what they called the “mating shed” where the pigs were mated … it was essentially Tinder for pigs (and) a weird thing for a 14-year-old boy to be doing: I had to find the females pigs that were on heat (you do this by pressing their backs, if they arch their back they are on heat), then I would select a boar (male pig) that I thought would be a good match, take the boar to the sow … I used to call it “makin’ bacon”.
I was essentially tinder for pigs but I got to choose who slipped left or right! It was a very weird thing for a 14-year-old-boy to be doing!
First pet: I had lots of animals. My favourite were my guinea pigs. I started with three and they bred like flies and I ended up with 50.
I used to sell them to all the other kids at my school. In fact, there wouldn’t have been many guinea pigs on the Yorke Peninsula that weren’t bred by me in the late 80s.
First crush: The first time I watched the Man from Snowy River I saw Sigrid Thornton and fell in love.
I was only a young buck but I wanted a wife that loved the Outback and horses like she did.
Instead, I ended up with a wife that loves Unley Shopping Centre and Louis Vuitton, so I dipped out there.
I have been lucky enough to interview Sigrid several times over the years and I always tell her how much I loved her as a kid.
First date: The first time I kissed a girl was sadly when I was nearly 17 … Kadina High School did a snow trip with Underdale High School, (on) the way back from Victoria, I sat next to Tina from Underdale and was lucky enough to score my first kiss.
First nickname: “Fatso”, “Mud Guts” or “Fatty” were all favourites … I was teased a fair bit growing up for being overweight. Later, the bullies settled on “Cosi” which I liked much better … from about 13-years-old people stopped calling me Andrew and started calling me “Cosi”.
First suit: I went to the formal with Janina Hendy from Wallaroo … I wore a hired suit and brought her a teddy bear and big red rose. Sadly, Janina was never interested in me.
First sport: I used to so badly want to play football but my mum would never let me, as she said it was too dangerous. Instead, I played hockey and squash.
Every Saturday, I would play hockey watching the football oval wishing I was playing there. When I was 15 I broke free and signed myself up for the local footy club at Paskeville.
I had no idea how to play, was a terrible footballer but I fell in love with that club and the people there.
Who influenced you most growing up: (Australian adventurer and documentary filmmaker) Alby Mangles. When I was about seven we went to the cinema to watch one of his movies.
He was a true adventurer – I loved watching his shows and following him around the world.
Keith Conlon; SA media veteran
The much-loved veteran Australian broadcaster has been in the media since the late 60s but his first job was anything but glamorous.
First car: A second hand Volkswagen, it was a muddy green colour and I was 19 or 20 years old – I don’t remember how old the car was but it was a pretty crapped out old Volksy (but) it did the job.
The big test was,“ Will the drum kit fit in?’ Once we satisfied that test, I was pretty happy.
First job: My first temporary job, I was about 18, I had the esteemed position of chief dunny cleaner at the Woodside Army Barracks.
You could do the job in just over four hours and you’d get a day’s pay for it. It was fantastic fun.
My first real, substantial job after uni, in the early days of talkback (radio) … was doing research for Bob Francis on his 5AD show in 1968.
That was the beginning, I’ve been involved in the media ever since.
First pet: A scotch collie called King when I was about 11 years old.
It was such a big moment in my life. I still remember going on the tram down to Torrensville where the breeder lived and bringing the pup home on the tram.
Scotch collies are wonderful dogs, we had a wonderful time.
First crush: My first real crush was the drums, and getting a drum kit organised based on my dad’s old country dance kit, which looked like something out of the 1920s.
I bought a second hand kit when I was about 18 and I still have it.
First nickname: I didn’t have a real nickname in primary or secondary school but my first nickname was “Gaffer” at uni.
That was because going to uni, you’d go to the pub, of course, (slightly illegally back when the legal drinking age was 21) and I was known to have a few portergaffs, which is Coopers stout and Pike’s lemonade.
That was my preferred winter drink and it just seemed to stick.
First suit: I was able to buy my first real dinner suit pretty early on, again when I was 18 or 19, because I got lucky and got in with a pair of musical twins, Martin and Peter Wesley-Smith. We formed the Wesley Three in the 1960s, sort of a folk and comedy trio, when folk was going crazy.
First sport: Probably football. I got dropped from the under 13s and then luckily there was a B team playing school footy and I loved playing footy. I could have been a champion if it wasn’t for a lack of speed and skills.
The highlight of my sporting career was a mention in the school magazine in the under 16s: “Conlon did useful work around the packs”.
I also played soccer and tennis when I was a kid at primary school, all fairly badly.
The person who influenced you most growing up: There are two and they’re quite different. A huge influence on my life was my mother. She left school as soon as she could when she was 13 I think, and she led a very difficult early life but had a phenomenal inner strength and quiet will to do the right thing.
(As a) teenager I got a scholarship to St Peter’s College and she made enormous sacrifices for that to work out because it was a half scholarship.
It was only on reflection that I realised how much she was doing. The other one is John Bannon. He was a contemporary hero in that he was only a year ahead of me … but he was a phenomenal all-rounder and he became a role model for me, one year ahead. He was a notch above the rest of us by a fair way.
Liam Stapleton; radio presenter/ host
One one half of Ben & Liam on Nova 919, Stapleton reflects on his short-lived career as a tradesman.
First car: I had rusty second hand ‘98 Laser that used to run like death … (it) screeched all the way from A to B.
First job: I was actually a labourer and absolutely hated it. Once I stole some copper cut-off one of the tradesmen was keeping in an ice cream tub, he started screaming and I got scared so I returned it the next day and quit before he found me.
First pet: I had a little Cavoodle (before they were cool) called Coby dawg.
First crush: It’s Emma Watson for me, I’d love to be the Ron to her Hermoine.
First date: I took my now beautiful girlfriend Sarah to Parisi’s in Hyde Park for our first date, one of my favourite joints. I didn’t want the night to end, 90 per cent because of her and 10 per cent because of the ravioli.
First nickname: Never had one. Liam Stapleton doesn’t really lend it self to cool nicknames.
First suit? I was rocking a hire from Ferrari formal wear and I had ya classic 2000s’ metro haircut – blonde tips, straightened fringe, the works.
First sport you played? I played soccer for Modbury Vista, (Adelaide Croatia) Raiders, (Adelaide) Blue Eagles, Campbelltown and Modbury Jets. Why so many teams – was it because I was such hot property? No, I kept getting cut!
The person who influenced you most growing up? Noel Fielding from (British comedy) The Mighty Boosh, I was obsessed with that man. That show and his stand up made we want to pursue the path that I’ve taken … I also wanted his hair.
Neil Fuller, Paralympian
The inspirational sportsman, and former director of sport at St Peter’s Girls’ School had the lower part of his right leg amputated following an injury during a soccer match (he played at state level). The four-time Paralympian runner and South Australia Sport Hall of Fame inductee, rates being captain of Salisbury’s Sapsasa District soccer team as a 12-year, an early highlight.
First car? A two-door Toyota Corolla. Nothing great but affordable.
First job? I was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship as a carpenter … I had my accident in my first year but the Master Builders (Association) kept my position and I completed my trade, mostly in cabinet-making.
First pet? While our family had pets, my first pet was a German shepherd pup I named Maverick. When I left home, I couldn’t take him, so my parents kept him with them.
First (celebrity) crush? When I was 14 or 15, like so many young guys, it was probably (singer and model) Samantha Fox … for the most obvious reasons. I was also keen on (actor) Dana Delany, in her role in the China Beach series.
First nickname? A mate at school used to like calling me “Neil, Neil Orange peel”, I’m kind of glad that didn’t stick! Mostly it was “NeRF” after my initials NRF.
First suit? I reckon I had a few borrowed suits early on but the most memorable – and best purchase – was a formal suit I bought for the 1994 Young Achiever of the Year Awards. A great investment when I was named both Sportsperson and SA Young Achiever of the Year.
First sport? As a junior I played soccer in winter and tennis in summer.
Even as a youngster I have many individual and team trophies.
A very early highlight was being captain of the Salisbury Sapsasa District soccer team that won the state carnival when I was 12.
The person who influenced you most growing up? My running career was influenced and directed by my coach Marius Ghita (1992 to 2000). We had a love/hate relationship, especially training for the 400m and 800m but no matter what time of year, or how I felt, he always got me in the best shape to perform.
As well as him, it would definitely be my parents, Bob and Linda, who have been influential and supportive throughout my life.
Matt Pantelis, Adelaide radio host
The FIVEaa evening presenter started out selling newspapers on street corners when Adelaide had an afternoon edition, costing 12 cents.
First car? Growing up, we didn’t have a car, my dad thought they tied up so much money in the purchase, instant depreciation and running costs (I’ve since found out he was 100 per cent correct).
When I got my licence at 16 and a full-time job at 17, my mum saw the writing on the wall and bought the car that was everywhere in 1982, a Mitsubishi Sigma.
It was OK – reliable but way too small. It wouldn’t have been my pick … I was eyeing off a 1977 HZ Statesman for $6500, my annual salary at the time.
First job? My very first job – over the summer of 1976/77 – was in the media.
I was a news boy, selling the afternoon paper on North Tce outside the Strathmore Hotel and other spots.
It was a little after the cost of The News rose from 10c to 12c and in those days, my maths skills were challenged by people giving me 52c and immediately expecting back … “um (was it 30c or 40c?”
First pet? My first pet came when I was in reception and was the opposite of the dog I wanted … it was a cat and I named it Sparky, because I was reading a book called Sparky the Space Chimp. (It was 1969, after all).
I don’t remember the chimp’s fate but the cat was run over by a neighbour and I have to say, I didn’t miss it because, apparently, it had given me ringworm.
A dog, Ben, finally followed and he was great company for the next 15 years.
First crush? My first crush was probably Ms Roberta from Romper Room and I was about 5. My parents helped me write to her and I received a very nice reply (but) it didn’t go anywhere!
First date (with love of life)? I saw my wife (Nancy) at a christening, we didn’t speak there but I found out where she worked and went to ask her out.
Our first date was at the Pizza Hut, at Everard Park. We were engaged two weeks later.
First nickname? I was christened “Pants” in primary school, short for Pantelis. Still “Pants” today but I understand it has a completely different meaning in the UK.
First suit? I had my very first suit, it was brown, at age two, made by my mum, who was a seamstress.
It was the mid 60s, and everyone wore suits for everything – I reckon people even gardened in suits back then.
First sport? Basketball at school.
The person who influenced you most growing up? My first full-time boss John Evans drummed into me to earn my pay check, not expect it.
Mitch McCarron; Adelaide 36ers
Speaking of basketball, the recent signing of Alice Springs-born point guard McCarron – the former championship-winning Melbourne United star – is cause for excitement, after he knocked back offers from the Brisbane Bullets and Sydney Kings to join the Adelaide 36ers on a three-year deal.
On top of the championship, he was named in the All-NBL second team.
Here he shares some “firsts” here, to let us get to know him better, including the first time he played basketball in SA – as a 12-year-old.
First car? A 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer. I bought it in 2016 for a low price and loved it from the very first test drive.
I copped a lot of trash talk from friends for how old the car was, but it never (well, rarely) let me down. Wish I still had it!
First job? My first job was technically my first playing contract as a professional, which was in Palencia, Spain.
I was excited to check out a new country with a completely different culture and it was incredible.
I was super lucky to get a great club made up of lots of good people and my teammates helped me settle and adjust to the new surroundings really quickly.
I spent my first afternoon walking around town a bit, and ended up popping into one of the many tiny bars.
The guy working there didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Spanish, so trying to order was a bit of a funny struggle.
I ended up enjoying some great tapas in the warm sun, and reflected on the journey that got me there. Can’t forget moments like those.
First pet? The family dog growing up was a blue heeler called Tilly.
My wife (Abby) and I now have an eight-year-old boxer cross staffy called Murphy, who’s the biggest cuddler ever.
First crush? I always liked Jennifer Aniston, even though I never liked Friends. She always seemed like a fun person to be around, at least those were the characters she played for the most part.
I’ve never met her and I have no idea what I would say. Probably just a quick ‘hi’ – and grab a photo!
First date? I met my wife for the first time at University in Denver. Abby played college soccer and I played college basketball, so we shared a few first-year classes that were full of student-athletes.
One afternoon we were waiting for the student housing shuttle bus to arrive and I think I opened with, “Hi”. (Smooth, I know).
A few nights later she was in my DMs (true story) and almost 10 years later we are happily married with our first child, (baby Oslo) … time flies.
First nickname? My first nickname is the one that has stuck, and that’s “Macca” … shortened to “Mac” by some.
First formal suit? My aunty’s wedding was the occasion, and my hairstyle was a bowl cut.
First sport? I did a little bit of Little Athletics but I think basketball was the first one I played.
I started when I was six years old and have never thought about stopping since.
I was fortunate to win a lot of state championships around U12/U4 age groups and remember earning the right to go and compete at the U14 National Club Championships two years in a row.
One of those was in Gawler, which was my first trip to South Australia.
The person who influenced you most growing up? There are so many but I’d have to say my parents. Both my mum and my dad helped me get to where I am today, both on and off the floor.
Kris Lloyd; cheesemaker/ entrepreneur
First car? A beige Torana with a white roof not sure what year it was. What I loved most about it was that it was manual and it was mine. I named it Buba.
First job? Working in a deli making toasted sandwiches. It was awesome until I was told off for using way too much butter inside and outside of the sandwiches … I thought butter makes everything better!
First pet? Trixi a little black and white terrier she was super cute.
She had a little skip in her walk she died of old age so was around for a long time and would follow me where ever I went so cute.
First (celebrity) crush? David Bowie – because he was David Bowie. I would dream about meeting him.
I did go to his concert here at Adelaide Oval, I think I remember fainting because I saw him in real life concert!
I was gutted when he died.
First nickname? ”Cheese”.
First formal dress? Yellow Bohemian style with multiple layers of chiffon, it was so awful and I matched it with equally awful crimped hair which was all the fashion!
First sport? Netball, I loved it. Centre, wing attack – I was quick. (We) didn’t win too many games, nevertheless it was fun being a part of a team
The person who influenced you most growing up? My grandmother
How Adelaide nightclub titan’s tragic death unfolded
Nightclub icon Paul Glen has left an impressive legacy on his adopted city. But who was Mr Glen, and how did he become so influential in the Adelaide night-life scene?
Are these Adelaide’s answer to the viral Crumbl cookies?
Biscuit lovers were left crying into their milk after an unofficial pop-up for a viral cookie brand left a bitter taste in fan’s mouths. Now, an SA influencer thinks they’ve found a local version.