Passion is one word Michelle Watson fully understands. Whether it comes from her own work or those of the Olympic athletes she treats, passion surrounds the sports massage therapist who has recently returned from the Rio Olympics.
While working as a banker, Michelle decided the office life was no longer for her and went back to school, studying to become a sports massage therapist.
Upon graduating, the mum of two had all the hard work to do trying to break into a tough and relatively new industry.
"I always had a passion for sport and always loved watching sport. I had a natural interest in it," Watson says. "I went for a tour around a university in Brisbane and found out about this sports massage course. I just thought I would quite like to do this, so I signed up.
The first two weeks I was just thinking 'what have I got myself into?'
"I volunteered for Queensland Rugby Union for a year before I graduated, which is how the Reds picked me up. I was working every weekend running out water and working with young athletes. It was hard work."
Since then, Michelle has seen the development of sports massage at the top end of the industry and worked with some of Australia's leading sports teams, including the Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Firebirds.
"When I graduated and joined the industry, it [sports massage] wasn't taken as seriously, and it's interesting to see the change from then with the Reds in 2011 to the Olympics [in 2016]. It's become really significant and recognised."
Upon returning to New Zealand, the now experienced Watson approached High Performance Sport New Zealand, and found herself travelling to Europe, and eventually the Games with the rowing team.
During her adventure to Rio, Watson says there was no time to admire the Games themselves, as there was a tight schedule to keep.
"It was quite intense. We had to be on call all the time and ready in the morning through to the evening. Every day was a little bit unpredictable. We had to be available. "Training was quite intense, and prior to an event their training is quite significant. The athletes would need recovery treatment and a big part of that is massage."
As part of the team, Michelle stayed in the athletes' village, and was constantly surrounded by medal winners and some of the world's top sportspeople.
"It was quite surreal. It was only when I got home that it actually sunk in for me. When I was there I was working and to me it was just another day at work. "But then again I remember one day sitting in the food hall and the Chinese gymnastics team walked by. Then in the distance I saw Serena Williams, so that kind of thing was all a bit surreal."
Michelle also founded and runs iFix, the sports massage service offered at Club Aspire. "I have my own practice, iFix, which I had in Australia and then transferred that back home to New Zealand, and Aspire sports med. I have my own patients and see them, and then contract myself out to different events or sports teams."
Michelle says facilities such as Aspire and services such as iFix are a huge attraction to sports teams to come to the Bay of Plenty.
"New Zealand and particularly Tauranga is a big drawcard for sports teams, not just within New Zealand but internationally."