Meaning behind our Rugby SASS Jersey

James Ambrosini’s significance and representation of the High Performance S.A.S.S Academy Training Jersey

The Two Feet (left and right of the Centrepiece)
The Two Feet on the S.A.S.S jersey signifies all of the athletes that have taken part in S.A.S.S Academy to date and all of those who decide to take part in future. Founder and CEO James Ambrosini has a deep desire to impact 15,000 athletes in the next ten years with the biggest dream to have coached athletes to the 2032 Australian Olympics which will be held here - on the beautiful land of Australia, that we fortunately get to call our home.

James and his team aim to coach the younger generation of youth athlete to become not only better athletes, but also better humans. The team aims to build individuals with a 360-degree approach to their life, relationships, education/career, spirituality/relationship with self and of course their training.

SASS strives to have the athlete develop the self-confidence, trust and belief that they all innately have inside of them, to then in turn unlock there physical, mental and emotional potential. Believing and nurturing every single athlete and meeting the individual where they are at is what makes the difference between SASS and the rest.

The Centrepiece (In the middle and on the sleeves) is the SASS Family
The centrepiece in the middle of the jersey represents those closest to Founder and CEO of SASS, James Ambrosini, as well as the family of each and every athlete that is apart of the SASS Academy Program. We are all one, we are the SASS Family.

In James Ambrosini's own words:
"My family story is one that I am very proud to acknowledge and show through the SASS jersey. My amazing Mother Debbie Ambrosini and Father Alan Ambrosini, have supported me through my entire sporting journey and career from the age of 8 up until 30 years of age. They are represented as the two circle dots in the centre surrounding myself represented through the circle in the middle. Having not once missed a game throughout my childhood years, they went there through all ups and downs and were my number one support system that never once left my side. My father was the coach of both my cricket and rugby teams and always made time to be there for the boys, whilst my Mother was the one who provided all of the lollies, oranges, ice blocks and lunches for my team-mates and myself. Still to this day she is the one that brings the cookies, lollies and ice blocks to SASS Academy. She is the Mum that went and still goes above and beyond and was also the most enthusiastic and avid supporter of the team screaming in support of team mates and myself. She was often the one you would hear screaming the loudest from the sideline at my school and club rugby games growing up. She just absolutely loves the game and for me it was amazing to be able to dedicate games to her and my father and now honour them for everything they have done for me through this jersey.

The next two layers of circles represent my two sisters Melissa and Katherine Ambrosini. You may or may not get along with your siblings at present when growing up, however as you mature you become more appreciative and grateful for your family and friends that have been there since day one. These four people are at the core of the centrepiece and they represent my family. The next layer of circles represents the coaches, mentors and friends closest to me that make up my entire support system and bubble that have helped me on my journey and still do help me to this very day. They have been there for me as much I have been there for them and I will never ever lose sight of those that I love the most.

What is the outer chain of the circle is YOU, the SASS athlete. YOU are the most important element to why I do what I do. You are my purpose and because of this, it is you that closes and locks the circle! My mission is to reverse engineer absolutely everything that I have learnt on my journey along with all of my amazing coaching staff. Today, YOU have decided to invest in being the best version of yourself and it is YOU that makes up the 15,000 athletes that I want to coach over the next 10 years. You are a special link to the outer chain and every single one of you here today is supported and nurtured 100% by myself, my coaching staff, and whole team here at SASS along with your parents. It is a team effort and I could not be more honoured and privileged to be a part of the SASS Family and for what is now your journey!”

The Road (through the middle of our SASS Family Centrepiece)
This road resembles the journey each and every athlete takes when choosing to be a part of the SASS Family and the Elite Rugby High Performance Camps. This is the road to better yourself – it can be a long and lonely one at times, however very rewarding and satisfying at the same time. With so much going on in the world James believes sport is the fundamental aspect in one kid’s life that provides stability, drive, ambition, dedication, and more from a young age. It allows the youth generation to learn certain values and build resilience while they are still young. Certain characteristics such as teamwork, leadership, persistence, commitment, respect, honesty, loyalty, fun and more are all values in which James strives to instil into all of his athletes.

James and his high-performance coaching staff strive to support and nurture each and every individual athlete alongside the parent/guardian throughout their sporting and schooling journey. A program like no other – SASS is the place where the youth generation go to level up in all areas of their life!


The Circles surrounding the middle SASS Family centrepiece at the core
The Circles surrounding the middle SASS Family centrepiece are your club, school and other sporting teams that you take part in and the ripple effect you have on your team mates that have not yet been a part of SASS and the Elite High Performance Programs. You are a key leader amongst your community of sporting teams and the best thing you can do is be an example of what we represent here at SASS. We want you, the athlete to take what you have learnt from the amazing high-performance coaching team at SASS and yourself as best as possible through your speed, agility, strength and skills that you have developed here. We only want the best for you so it is your time to show yourself how good you really are and how much of an impact you have on those people closest to you being your friends, family and team mates.


The Stingray (bottom left)
The Stingray represents James' Nonno Nicolo and Nonna Ines (Italian grand father and grand mother). Nonno Nicolo Ambrosini was 50 years of age when he built up the courage to get on a boat from the Italian Shores of Rome and hit the seas to travel solo to the amazing and beautiful country called AUSTRALIA. All while Nonna Ines was left back in Italy in the small country town of Chieti with the rest of the family including my father Alan Ambrosini.

Nonno left Chieti which is a small country town in the Ari region of Italy - at a time when his daughter Donatina (aunty Donna) was only just born. He left three sons, Tony & Mod (uncles) and Elpidio (James’ father) and his beautiful wife Ines Ambrosini (his Nonna - grandmother) with the intention to find a better place and better living for the Ambrosini family. The country town of Chieti did not have many opportunities for work, therefore Nonno Nicolo built up the courage and determination to take matters into his own hands for his family. He first went to Venezuela and tried a few other countries to make money to support his family. Without much success, the once captured prisoner of war Nicolo Ambrosini decided to try one more destination.

So, once again, he hopped on a boat from Rome and a few months later after arriving he wrote a letter dedicated to the family to receive back in Chieti. In this very letter directed to the Ambrosini family, he wrote a few simple, however, life changing words that altered the course of the whole Italian Ambrosini tribe. The words were simply “Dear Ines, my love, I have found Paradise!”. The country he referred to as Paradise was of course without no doubt the beautiful land of AUSTRALIA.

Conclusion
In summary, Founder James Ambrosini wants the youth generations of today to appreciate the original custodians of this land. He aspires that we acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the Traditional Custodians of this land, with deep respect. And may the Elders, past and present, be blessed and honoured. May we also join together and build a future based on compassion, justice, hope, faith, and reconciliation.

After spending 12 years away from family playing professional rugby Union, now more than ever, James appreciates the beautiful land that we live on here in AUSTRALIA. He appreciates and loves his family more than ever every single day and he absolutely loves what he does for a living - coaching some of the best athletes in Queensland. James also respects and loves the indigenous people of Australia.

He loves that Indigenous Australians are getting more and more recognition through sport via particular sporting events such as the NRL All Stars Rugby League game held every year between the best Indigenous and Māori NRL players at present. This is James’ WHY behind implementing Australian Indigenous cultural education and practical sessions into the High Performance S.A.S.S Academy programs. In paying respect of those that came before us on this land, may we all rise for a better future for this country and for the love of sport!

James Ambrosini
CEO and Founder of High Performance S.A.S.S Academy
*I would like to also personally pay my respects and immense gratitude to Daniel Evans, the designer of the indigenous print on the SASS Rugby High Performance jersey. You will find his work via Instagram at @walkabout_warriors_.

Walkabout Warriors - Spirit Connection
"Our elders past and present have walked and paved a way for us to respect, understand and acknowledge what has been the traditional owners of this beautiful country we call home.

When we all past into the Dreamtime, our spirits never fade we live on through animals, human life or even special places we are most connected to.

The centrepiece piece is a gathering of people connecting to spirits in the Dreamtime."