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No Apologies
Before Sharni Layton became an All-Australian AFLW star, she was a gun netballer. By 2017, she had been named ANZ Championship Player of the Year, was captain of the Diamonds and had won Commonwealth Games Gold along with two World Cups for Australia. On the outside it looked as if she was living the dream. On the inside, it was different. Her confidence was shot and a career's worth of suppressed anxiety finally boiled over, leading to full-blown burnout.No Apologies is a candid, inspiring and hilarious account of how one woman bounced back from rock bottom - and gave herself permission to fly.
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Published February 23, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 24, 2021
Sharni was already my favourite and I love her even more now.
July 3, 2021
Amazing read! So much thought and willingness to share. Well written and puts everything in her words!
January 24, 2021
I received an ARC of this book.
Sharni says it all in the title of this book - No Apologies.
She is upfront and honest about her life and what it took to become an elite netballer and AFLW player. It was not easy for someone who came to netball a little later than most who aspire to represent their country. It was also not a tried and true path that she followed to get there. However, this is her story...
Sharni opens with a segment from her childhood that shows us who she will become as an adult. She doesn't shy away from her teenage misdeeds or what it was like growing up with passions for more than one sport and dreaming of the highest honour in what she thought would be her crowning achievement.
I must say that I found it inspiring to read of someone whose path was different. Most elite sportspeople gloss over their younger years and how they achieved their goals through hard work, makes it seem almost easy. Sharni shows that it is not all sunshine and roses. She shows us that there are challenges to overcome, setbacks and how hard it is to nagivate this world as a growing girl, without the emotional and physical support that we all now come to expect our elite sportspeople receive.
We all know that there are two sides to every situation that involves more than 1 person. Sharni's perspective is one side, but it is important as every single coach and assistant and people on the periphery had an effect on who she became and how her netball career moved. You can see the admiration she has for some of those coaches and teammates. You can also see when she struggled. There will be some people who are not happy with what she has to say but again, there are two sides and sometimes there are hidden reasons behind every interaction.
I was impressed with the way Sharni spoke about her battles with an eating disorder and her mental health. These are things that are not spoken about at any level, let alone the elite. Reading about her demons and what she went through in such a personal way made me feel horrified, on the one hand and honoured on the other. This was something that as a fan, I did not know. It reminds us that although we see the public persona of sportspeople and celebrities, we do not know what they are going through behind closed doors.
Thank you Sharni for sharing your journey. I think it will help future generations see that sometimes it takes more than hard, physical work to reach for the stars. Some times you need a little bit of extra mental work and you definitely need a strong mindset and plan to get you through.
This book is going to be a hit with fans of netball, football, sports and anyone who wants to read about someone who confronts their mental health issues and learns to live with them. It is a reminder that we can't do it alone, that we need our family, friends, teammates and sometimes, a doctor or two on our side to help us up that ladder.
Great read and the best part, for those who have watched Sharni grow, it is her 'husky' voice in your head reading it out to you, one word at a time!
Sharni says it all in the title of this book - No Apologies.
She is upfront and honest about her life and what it took to become an elite netballer and AFLW player. It was not easy for someone who came to netball a little later than most who aspire to represent their country. It was also not a tried and true path that she followed to get there. However, this is her story...
Sharni opens with a segment from her childhood that shows us who she will become as an adult. She doesn't shy away from her teenage misdeeds or what it was like growing up with passions for more than one sport and dreaming of the highest honour in what she thought would be her crowning achievement.
I must say that I found it inspiring to read of someone whose path was different. Most elite sportspeople gloss over their younger years and how they achieved their goals through hard work, makes it seem almost easy. Sharni shows that it is not all sunshine and roses. She shows us that there are challenges to overcome, setbacks and how hard it is to nagivate this world as a growing girl, without the emotional and physical support that we all now come to expect our elite sportspeople receive.
We all know that there are two sides to every situation that involves more than 1 person. Sharni's perspective is one side, but it is important as every single coach and assistant and people on the periphery had an effect on who she became and how her netball career moved. You can see the admiration she has for some of those coaches and teammates. You can also see when she struggled. There will be some people who are not happy with what she has to say but again, there are two sides and sometimes there are hidden reasons behind every interaction.
I was impressed with the way Sharni spoke about her battles with an eating disorder and her mental health. These are things that are not spoken about at any level, let alone the elite. Reading about her demons and what she went through in such a personal way made me feel horrified, on the one hand and honoured on the other. This was something that as a fan, I did not know. It reminds us that although we see the public persona of sportspeople and celebrities, we do not know what they are going through behind closed doors.
Thank you Sharni for sharing your journey. I think it will help future generations see that sometimes it takes more than hard, physical work to reach for the stars. Some times you need a little bit of extra mental work and you definitely need a strong mindset and plan to get you through.
This book is going to be a hit with fans of netball, football, sports and anyone who wants to read about someone who confronts their mental health issues and learns to live with them. It is a reminder that we can't do it alone, that we need our family, friends, teammates and sometimes, a doctor or two on our side to help us up that ladder.
Great read and the best part, for those who have watched Sharni grow, it is her 'husky' voice in your head reading it out to you, one word at a time!
April 11, 2021
A beautiful debut memoir, this book is a no holes barred look at the world of sports women, mental health and the kick-arse life of Sharni Layton.
Sharni chronicles from the first moments she became obsessed with sport (and also the starting point for many of her mental health struggles that come later), to where she is now, going into huge detail about her experience playing all sorts of sports, before turning it into her career with netball and AFL.
Sharni doesn't spare on the details of the trials and rigorous nature of training to make it into the national netball team, and reading this gives you a real sense of the sheer difficulty in the life of being an athlete. Add to that the fear of failure that permeates that profession, and the using of that to fuel eventual success gives you a sense of just how much pressure rides on this environment, but also the constant expectation put on athletes.
However, the book really becomes emotionally powerful when Sharni goes into details around her experiences in 2017-18, when her mental health issues led to a severe downwards spiral in her anxiety. This section can be quite confronting at times as she comes to terms with her mental health, but is ultimately one of the most rewarding parts of the book. The small story of how she met her husband, Luke during this time is a particular highlight.
What is especially good is that this book feels more like Sharni is speaking directly to us. She writes exquisitely in a way that lives up to the title of the book. She tells it how it happened, and doesn't beat around the bush. What's even better is at the end of every chapter she apologises for small, specific moments in her life towards people close to her. This fills the book with character, and is a fantastic representation of Sharni the human, not just Sharni the sportsperson.
While this book is probably mostly tailored to sports fans and member of the 'Sharni Army', even a non-sports fan will likely get something out of this story. This is a beautiful memoir about one of Australia's most down-to-earth athletes, but its human story is what is most powerful of all.
Buy 'No Apologies': https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/WDqKyJ
Sharni chronicles from the first moments she became obsessed with sport (and also the starting point for many of her mental health struggles that come later), to where she is now, going into huge detail about her experience playing all sorts of sports, before turning it into her career with netball and AFL.
Sharni doesn't spare on the details of the trials and rigorous nature of training to make it into the national netball team, and reading this gives you a real sense of the sheer difficulty in the life of being an athlete. Add to that the fear of failure that permeates that profession, and the using of that to fuel eventual success gives you a sense of just how much pressure rides on this environment, but also the constant expectation put on athletes.
However, the book really becomes emotionally powerful when Sharni goes into details around her experiences in 2017-18, when her mental health issues led to a severe downwards spiral in her anxiety. This section can be quite confronting at times as she comes to terms with her mental health, but is ultimately one of the most rewarding parts of the book. The small story of how she met her husband, Luke during this time is a particular highlight.
What is especially good is that this book feels more like Sharni is speaking directly to us. She writes exquisitely in a way that lives up to the title of the book. She tells it how it happened, and doesn't beat around the bush. What's even better is at the end of every chapter she apologises for small, specific moments in her life towards people close to her. This fills the book with character, and is a fantastic representation of Sharni the human, not just Sharni the sportsperson.
While this book is probably mostly tailored to sports fans and member of the 'Sharni Army', even a non-sports fan will likely get something out of this story. This is a beautiful memoir about one of Australia's most down-to-earth athletes, but its human story is what is most powerful of all.
Buy 'No Apologies': https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/WDqKyJ
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2021
I knew of Sharni Layton peripherally from netball - I am not an avid netball fan but keep up with netball league through friends and I have attended a couple of games. I admire their athleticism and skills. I have seen Sharni play at a Firebirds v Swifts game.
I am more of an AFL fanatic and follow the men's and women's league and have been so impressed with how much the women's games have improved with their skills - testament to the women's drive but also the coaching and resources they are getting to improve their skills. I have seen Sharni play at a Lions v Collingwood game.
I have been watching Bounce for years and have seen Sharni on that show.
So, add all that up and I had to read her book.
Definitely worth a read. Her honesty shines through, even when it doesn't necessarily put her in a good light. My heart breaks for all she went through and I hope that any person has the courage to reach out for help because it is now so much more accepted to talk about mental health. I still miss Danny Frawley on Bounce every week.
Some "highlights" (and not in the sense they were good highlights) were:
Sharni's eating disorder - how easily and quickly it manifested following from a need to be thinner and lighter and getting praised for it when it wasn't healthy. I had always thought athletes would somehow be immune to this as they would know - well, I was wrong!
Sharni's struggles with some of her team mates and coaches and administrators - this highlighted to me that, even though it is an elite sporting organisation and quite public, there are still the same issues that most of us face in our day-to-day work. I had always thought that these organisation would somehow be above this pettiness and would put aside their differences to achieve success - again, I was wrong!
Sharni's family support - kudos to her mum and dad for giving her the love, time, space and opportunity to follow her goals. I have two teenage boys who both play a lot of competitive sport (not to Sharni's level) and can appreciate what they did for Sharni.
I am more of an AFL fanatic and follow the men's and women's league and have been so impressed with how much the women's games have improved with their skills - testament to the women's drive but also the coaching and resources they are getting to improve their skills. I have seen Sharni play at a Lions v Collingwood game.
I have been watching Bounce for years and have seen Sharni on that show.
So, add all that up and I had to read her book.
Definitely worth a read. Her honesty shines through, even when it doesn't necessarily put her in a good light. My heart breaks for all she went through and I hope that any person has the courage to reach out for help because it is now so much more accepted to talk about mental health. I still miss Danny Frawley on Bounce every week.
Some "highlights" (and not in the sense they were good highlights) were:
Sharni's eating disorder - how easily and quickly it manifested following from a need to be thinner and lighter and getting praised for it when it wasn't healthy. I had always thought athletes would somehow be immune to this as they would know - well, I was wrong!
Sharni's struggles with some of her team mates and coaches and administrators - this highlighted to me that, even though it is an elite sporting organisation and quite public, there are still the same issues that most of us face in our day-to-day work. I had always thought that these organisation would somehow be above this pettiness and would put aside their differences to achieve success - again, I was wrong!
Sharni's family support - kudos to her mum and dad for giving her the love, time, space and opportunity to follow her goals. I have two teenage boys who both play a lot of competitive sport (not to Sharni's level) and can appreciate what they did for Sharni.
April 20, 2021
I bought this for my daughter (11 year old) as she loves Bounce and I think that Sharni is wonderful. It is not often that you see a woman genuinely being an equal part of a media team like she is.
The book was great and I appreciate Sharni even more now. It got the okay for my daughter to read too! If you are looking to give it to younger readers too just be mindful that there is a bit of content about eating disorders and this will need to be spoken about with younger people so that Sharni’s full message is taken on board.
Sharni’s story shows that despite the confident exterior we can show to the outside world there can be a lot more going on behind closed doors. She uses her brains, resilience and shows that leaning on the right kind of support can help you realise your dreams. I hope we get to see more of her over the years.
The book was great and I appreciate Sharni even more now. It got the okay for my daughter to read too! If you are looking to give it to younger readers too just be mindful that there is a bit of content about eating disorders and this will need to be spoken about with younger people so that Sharni’s full message is taken on board.
Sharni’s story shows that despite the confident exterior we can show to the outside world there can be a lot more going on behind closed doors. She uses her brains, resilience and shows that leaning on the right kind of support can help you realise your dreams. I hope we get to see more of her over the years.
March 27, 2021
This book was absolutely incredible!! It is a amusing, raw, open and inspiring account of what it took to get to and stay at top level of elite sport and it's affects on the person behind the athlete. The best book I have read this year.
May 28, 2021
very good, very nice
January 26, 2022
Shari is my favourite. Now I love her more for sharing her story with courage & openness .
January 30, 2022
Very honest, entertaining and a great read!
May 7, 2023
Netball fan. Loved Sharni’s defence. As a current teacher of AIS athletes it was really cool to read her journey through the program in Canberra.
August 30, 2022
Amazing read, smashes it out in 2 days! Loved watching Sharni play netball and then loved it when she switched to football (go pies)! Laughed out loud multiple times while reading and also got teary at a few bits! Hope she writes something else in the future!
November 27, 2022
A great read! Loved the insights shared by Sharni about her journey - the good and the bad. Her honesty and bravery is admirable. She's a legend! #sharniarmy
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews