There’s a lot riding on the shoulders of BMX hopeful Memphis Blake.

In August Memphis will be joining a select group of athletes travelling to Glasgow in Scotland to represent Australia in the 2023 UCI BMX Racing World Cup.

The eight-year-old from Burleigh Waters, who has been riding BMX since the age of three, appears unphased by the task ahead.

“I’m not nervous. I love riding my bike and seeing my friends, so it’s just fun,” Memphis says. “I am very excited about seeing Glasgow though.”

The financial cost of being able to participate in such an elite event is enormous, and had the Blake family not reached out to Kollosche, Memphis may have missed his opportunity to compete.

“We were so excited to find out Memphis had made the team, but that’s also when the stress set in,” says Memphis’ dad Scott Blake.

“BMX is an expensive sport. The competition entry and insurance fees alone are more than $2000. Then you have to get the bikes there, pay for airfares and accommodation. We had no idea how we were going to pay for it.”

Scott knew he needed to find a sponsor for Memphis and reached out to Kollosche in a heartfelt letter. Kollosche responded through its Community Fund, offering the Blake family $10,000 in sponsorship.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The Kollosche Community Fund was established in 2021 to provide a platform for the business and its agents to be able to give back to the local communities in which they live and operate.

A percentage of every property sale goes to the Fund which, along with additional corporate donations, places up to $500,000 annually back into the community in the form of donations, sponsorship and fundraising initiatives.

“I wasn’t even aware of the Community Fund when I approached Kollosche,” Scott says. “I was amazed to learn about it. It’s such a good thing. Without their help, Memphis would not be able to go to Glasgow, which would have been really disappointing.”

While the Fund already sponsors a number of sporting organisations and clubs, this is the first time it has sponsored an individual athlete.

Fund committee member and sales agent Kara Christensen says: “There was just something about Scott’s letter that struck a chord with one of our committee members, who was helped in a similar way when he was younger. We decided to give Memphis that same opportunity.

“It’s important that we aim to support a broad cross-section of organisations, charities, sports clubs and individuals in the community and we are very excited to be able to help Memphis continue on his journey as an athlete in a sport that he loves.”

NATURAL TALENT

Scott says Memphis is a natural when it comes to burning up the BMX track.

“I rode BMX when I was younger. I have a bit of a two-wheel addiction, but I never pushed Memphis into it,” Scott says. “In fact, it was him, at the age of three, who asked if he could take his training wheels off to go to the BMX track.

“So one day we did go and what I saw him do there, at his age, just blew me away. He really has a natural talent.”

For Memphis, who will be competing against athletes from all over the world in Glasgow, the ultimate goal is to ride away with a W1 plate.

“It’s the highest ranking you can get,” Memphis says. “It’s what everyone wants to win.”

Find out more about the Kollosche Community Fund