Sport Makers from the sport of swimming dominated the prize list when the 10th draw of Sport Northland's Lotto Sport Maker programme was made recently.
On the list were Helen Kapa of the Kaikohe Amateur Swimming Club along with Kaye Moffet (Kaipara) and David Girbin (Whangarei), the trio named as the recent lucky draw winners and all receiving Lotto Sport Maker merchandise and a first aid kit for their contribution in making sport happen in their region.
In her profile of the latest winners, Sport Northland's Colleen Aitchison noted Kapa was a qualified volunteer swim instructor who had gained credits to reach level three. A volunteer at the club for the last three years, Kapa has modelled the skills learned from her own swimming instructor, which were to help kids learn to swim and survive.
Kapa, who used to swim competitively, has played netball and is currently playing women's rugby for Ohaeawai - said her goal was to make children aware of what to do when they get in trouble, e.g. a potential drowning situation, or if they see someone who needs help in the water, to be able to assist them.
"Hopefully if I teach children these skills, they will be able pass it on", Kapa said, adding she had received good support from the KASC which offered competitive, development, adult learn to swim, social swimmers, ocean swimmers and learn to swim programmes to cater for everyone. She added the club had enjoyed wider success this season with several of her stablemates passing their NZ Swim Instructor course to become qualified instructors.
The other pair named in the latest list of sport makers were David Girbin from the Whangarei Swimming Club who noted, "The pleasure you get from seeing kids develop and achieve their goals is the best part of being a Sport Maker ... Do things that make people want to be there and be genuine"; and, Kaye Moffet of the Te Kopuru Swimming Club who noted juggling work and home plus the amount of time she voluntarily put in were some of the challenges she faced in her role, "As a coach it is just so rewarding and if I can teach children to swim it might save their life one day," she said.
Sport Northland noted thanking a sport volunteer as easy to do and encouraged the wider community to thank their sport makers by sending them an e-card to show your appreciation and which puts the nominated into a draw to win $500 worth of quality sporting goods including bibs, cones, balls and clothing. Details at www.sportnorthland.co.nz.