Helene Barron, physio to the New Zealand Olympic team at Tokyo, will be the guest speaker at a local function in early December to celebrate sport and recreation volunteers.

All local sporting volunteers are invited to attend the event and hear Helene give her presentation, which will provide insights into competing at the highest level and look at how the world’s largest sporting event was possible during a global pandemic.

Organised by Sport Central, the function is taking place to recognise the volunteers that support sport and recreation in the Upper Clutha. Helene’s presentation is expected to be a highlight.

“This will be an awesome presentation for anyone with an interest in sport,” Wānaka-based Sport Central sports advisor Tiny Carruthers said.

Helene will discuss how athletes prepared, reset, then prepared again for the biggest event of their lives, only to compete in empty stadiums, without fans.

Tiny Carruthers PHOTO: Wānaka App

The function also gives volunteers a chance to build camaraderie and swap stories, Tiny said.

“We had a similar event last year after lockdown as part of Coaches Club,” he said. 

“It was a great success, the best part being coaches of different codes having a good catchup about how they did things and getting to know each other a little better.”

Tiny said Sport Central had decided to open the event up to all sporting volunteers to thank them for what they do and because Helene’s talk is likely to have broad appeal.

The ‘thank you’ function is free to attend and will be held at Pembroke Pavilion on Thursday December 2 at 7pm.

Tiny said registration is essential and numbers will be limited to 100.

To register contact Jo Knight at [email protected].