When everything accidentally fell into place.
Contrary to what this blog and my social media might indicate, it’s been a hella interesting last few moths of 2022 for me. I can’t wait to write my book one day.
We’re going to focus on the weightlifting (but please do hit me up if you’re keen to hear how all my new my plants are doing). Firstly, Nationals. Kind of a big one. My last competing for Functional, my first working with Waikato (and I did both of those things basically at the same time and it wasn’t even weird. One of the reasons I love this sport). My last bit of event management with Weightlifting New Zealand. I say this with the caveat of ‘for the time being’. Who knows where we’ll be down the track and as previously mentioned I do really hope to support Weightlifting New Zealand at an organisational level again.
It was equal parts sad and quite nice that when people inevitably asked me about things at the event that I could respond with “I don’t know”. I was also aware that I was frequently repeating the same story around having moved to Hamilton and that I would now be focusing on coaching. It’s true but I didn’t really have a plan around how it would work, and I felt a bit like I was at risk of being all talk no follow through. Well well well a couple of beautiful things have just so happened to have come through since and wouldn’t you know it looks like I had this plan all along.
A key reason I took the role at Waikato Dio is the ownership I have over the school Fitness Centre. Throughout the school year I have the ability to work with 200+ female youth. Their reasons for using the space differ, but the overwhelming majority are at least open to basic resistance training, and many of them are genuinely excited at the idea of learning new skills and movements centered in strength development. In the last month I have received huge personal endorsement from the school to support me in growing membership and available facilities. In fairness for a school gym it is already incredibly well kitted out, but I have received investment to put towards new equipment (read: barbells and related) and am in the process of putting together a strategic plan including incorporation of additional coach development. From a weightlifting perspective, catch me with my army at Sec School Champs next year. As a coach, the impact I have the ability to make here is ridiculous. I’m so excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue to refine my own skills, while imparting as much knowledge and appreciation of strength and movement skill to these kids as they are willing to receive.
But wait it gets better. I applied for a programme and yo I got in. I’ve always been pretty proactive in applying for and engaging with development opportunities. They make me better, they build connections, I’m usually left pretty inspired with renewed motivation and a pep in my step. Only thing is I haven’t had much success where an application is involved. But I didn’t give up did I, and whaddoyaknow it’s paying off. I am extremely proud to be able to say that I will be a part of Te Hāpaitanga cohort 3 next year. Te Hāpaitanga is an 18-month High Performance Sport New Zealand initiative to support the development of female coaches in high performance sport. Being a part of the programme includes residential workshops, a personal development plan and mentor, scholarship funding to enable access to practical development opportunities, not to mention the connections and associated learning that will come with engagement in the programme and the others involved. I am the first female from Weightlifting New Zealand to be accepted, and this is a huge step up from anything I have personally been a part of previously. It’s kind of a big deal for me… and I can say with absolute confidence is going to accelerate my own progression and the support I can offer athletes at or working towards high performance level.
So yeah, focusing on coaching from 2023.
