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Olympic team culture isn't built on the podium—it’s forged on day one.

In this episode, we unpack what it truly takes to establish uncompromised standards in high-performance environments, drawing from the legendary careers of Olympic rowing medalist Jackie Gowler (Rowing NZ) and Black Sticks hockey striker Hugo Inglis (Hockey NZ).

Whether syncing every stroke in an elite boat or navigating high-stakes penalty shoot outs on the hockey turf, sustainable success hinges on setting non-negotiables before the whistle blows.

Jackie and Hugo share raw, actionable insights on how early standard-setting creates team accountability, builds trust, and converts high potential into world-class performance.

This has incredible relevance for anyone onboarding new team members, setting a culture and passion for high performance.

They now work together at Ice House Ventures and have recently launched an Athlete's Fund with All Bird's Tim Brown and Barnaby Marshall. 

• The Day-One Rule: Why early expectations dictate your team's ceiling, not just its floor. Hugo had amazing support from one team member who picked him up for training every day and another told him - "You're in the Black sticks. This is the standard." Jackie joined a team with Emma Twigg and Mahe Drysdale already setting the standard. The job - get to their numbers. 
• Looking for 1%ers as a team: How Jackie worked with her team to find areas of competitive advantage from diet, technique, mindset and training stats
• Tournament Strategy: Hugo Inglis on playing to win and performing in Olympic tournaments as a team. Creating and performing in genuine moments that matter and the team talk it takes to do that. 
• Pressure-Proofing: Practical ways to protect and sustain high standards when fatigue, adversity, or setbacks hit.

Find out more

• Rowing New Zealand - https://rowingnz.kiwi/
• Blacksticks New Zealand - https://www.blacksticksnz.co.nz/
• High Impact Athletes - https://www.highimpactathletes.org/
• Ice House Ventures - Athlete's Fund - https://www.icehouseventures.co.nz/iv-athletes-fund-1