Community & Business
15 July, 2025
Academy a rising star
FROM humble beginnings with a donation bucket and a bag of soccer balls in the park, Malanda-based F.L.I.C.K. Sports Academy has grown into a powerhouse of community engagement now welcoming over 500 children each week across a range of programs in the Tablelands.
Co-founded by husband-and-wife team Kristina and Graham Haren, this dynamic duo is being recognised on a national stage, with Kristina now a finalist in the Rising Star category of the 2025 AusMumpreneur Awards.
“It’s an honour to be recognised,” Kristina said.
“F.L.I.C.K. is about so much more than sport – we use it as a tool to build confidence, connection, and leadership in young people.”
F.L.I.C.K. – which stands for Fun-Loving Independent Caring Kids – has transformed the region’s sporting landscape.
The Malanda Gymnastics Club alone has experienced a staggering 600% increase in registrations since F.L.I.C.K. took over coaching three years ago.
Programs now span sports in the park, school-based activities, fitness sessions, and partnerships with local institutions like Six Degrees Gym and the Ashley Cuppit Boxing Academy in Atherton.
This year, Malanda Gymnastics Club received a $35,000 Gambling Community Benefit Fund grant to install vital ventilation in the gym ahead of summer.
“This upgrade will make a huge difference to the comfort and safety of our participants,” Kristina said.
A former publisher of What’s On & Where to Go magazine, Kristina has a passion for building community. She credits her success to collaboration.
“We are so grateful to our incredible committee, dedicated coaches – especially the inspiring Amy Le’Gear – and the families who show up week after week. They’re the heart of everything we do.”
