Victorian representative Ryan Sinclair and the Aussie Steelers are rapping up their final preparations ahead of the 2019 WBSC World Championships that begins this week.

SV Media caught up with Sinclair for an exclusive look into his journey to Steelers selection, how he believes Coach Kere Johanson has influenced the playing group, and what it means to be an Aussie Steeler.

Catch up on Part 1 here:

Having already represented Australia in World Championships in 2015 and 2017 respectively, Sinclair has played under a range of different coaches.

However, it’s current Steelers Coach Kere Johanson’s (KJ) unique training regime, which has added a different dynamic to the mindsets among the Steelers team.

“KJ is a whole new level, in terms of being the most in-depth coach that I’ve played & trained under.”

“He breaks down a physically skilled game into mental skills and building mental toughness on your technique.

“It’s been an eye-opener to learn some new skills where you don’t actually use your body to train, but rather train your mind.”

“It’s really interesting and it has really elevated the level of where we’re at, from a World Class team to a better squad all over.”

The Steelers travel to Prague with a serious purpose to make a big impact on the International stage, with Championship glory firmly in their sights.

“We’re aiming to be there on the last day – on championship day anything can happen and we see ourselves with the Gold medal around our necks.”

“It’s just a matter of putting it all together throughout the week to give ourselves the best chance.”

From a personal perspective, Sinclair is honoured to represent Australia and is passionate about helping shape the long-term success of softball in the country.

“It’s something I have worked at for the past 10 years. I’ve been lucky enough to represent Australia twice now, it’s always a big honour to put on the green and gold.”

“I hope that if young kids that play see us winning the Gold, they’ll be inspired to also be part of that, take their game to the next level and as they grow up – they’ll want to be an Aussie Steeler!”

The team spent last week in Canberra, before heading over to Amsterdam for a lead-up tournament. They arrive in Prague, Czech Republic in the coming days before opening their WBSC World Championships campaign against Singapore on Saturday.

Stay tuned on Softball Victoria’s website and Facebook page for updates on Sinclair & the Steelers progress in Prague.