About UniquelySport

UniquelySport covers the sports most sites skip. Adaptive sport and the pathways into it, cultural and traditional games and the communities that keep them alive, the unusual and the extreme, and the technology changing how all of it is played, coached and watched.

Who writes it

I'm Shane Riddle, the founder and writer behind UniquelySport. I'm Chief Information Officer at YMCA Victoria, where I lead technology across community recreation, aquatic and leisure centres, and programs for people of all ages and abilities.

I've spent more than 25 years leading technology teams in finance, manufacturing, hospitality and not-for-profit organisations, and in 2017 I was named in CIO Australia's top 50 CIOs. For most of the last decade my work has centred on community sport, health and recreation, which is where the idea for this site came from. I kept seeing sports and technology that could change people's lives, and very little plain, accurate writing about them.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Our mission

UniquelySport exists to open up the whole world of sport, not just the codes that fill the back pages. That means showing how technology is changing traditional sports and creating new ones, and making sure there’s a place here for every kind of sports fan.

Adaptive sport sits at the centre of that. I want people with disability, and the families and coaches around them, to find clear information on what’s possible and where to start. Alongside it, I cover cultural and traditional sports with respect for the history and communities behind them, and the extreme, unusual and unexpected, including sport played in places you’d never expect.

I also follow competitive gaming and e-sports, and how they fit into the wider sporting world. Through all of it, I share practical insights on technology, health and performance from experience I've gained over the years so you can get more out of whatever sport you choose.

What you'll find here

Adaptive Sports: How adaptive and para sports work, how classification works, and where to start, with real organisations you can contact.
Cultural and Traditional Sports: The history and meaning of traditional games around the world, and how to see them respectfully.
Unique and Unusual Sports: Sports you may never have heard of, explained properly, from rules to where to play.
Adrenaline Sports: Extreme and outdoor sports, with the safety and training detail you need before you start.
Technology and Sport: What's available now, what's in trials and what's still an idea, with a clear line between them.
E-Sports: Competitive gaming and where it fits in the wider world of sport.

How we write

Every post on UniquelySport is held to the same standards. Statistics, studies and claims link back to the governing body, research paper or official source they came from, so you can check them yourself. I only name clubs, programs and governing bodies I’ve confirmed exist, and I link to their official sites.

Technology gets particular care, because a lot of it is hyped well before anyone can use it. Each development is labelled as available now, in trials or proposed, so you know what you can actually use today and what’s still on the way.

When my day job connects to a topic, I say so at the top of the relevant section. Older posts are reviewed and updated, and the date at the top of each one shows when it last changed.

If you spot something that’s out of date or wrong, tell me on LinkedIn and I’ll fix it.

Reader-supported

UniquelySport is reader-supported. When you buy through links on the site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we cover or recommend. Read the full disclaimer.

Shane Riddle

Founder, UniquelySport