Kurow woman Sara Harding is happy to be back in the Waitaki sharing her love of all things sport.

Sara is the new Sport Waitaki regional coordinator, replacing Pip Sutton who left at the end of last year. 

She has been in the job about a month, and says it is good to be working in Ōamaru after almost nine years’ schooling in Dunedin.

“I’m slowly getting my head around what Pip had kind of done, and the scope of the role and I guess getting myself back into the community a little bit.”

The 21-year-old grew up on her parents’ farm in Kurow before heading to Dunedin to board at St Hilda’s College. After high school Sara gained a physical education degree at Otago University.

“And then, towards the end of my PE degree, the start of this year was working for Sport Otago, as the community activator,” she says.

Sara lives in Ōamaru during the week, and heads home to the farm most weekends.

She is looking forward to the challenges her new job will bring, she says.

“It's such a big step up, especially coming out of my degree . . . and just building that community connection and helping people.

“I think especially, because growing up I played a lot of sports, and was so privileged, but I definitely know some people don't have that, and trying to help them with that is probably one of the biggest things that excited me about the role.” 

While she played every sport she could get her hands on as a child, Sara now focuses on netball - and will be playing for her beloved Kurow in the North Otago competition this winter.

Through her job, she is especially looking forward to getting involved with rangatahi in the district, working with the schools, and finding out what the barriers are to them staying involved in sports as they get older, and what she can do to help.

“I think it's such a big thing, because potentially that's stopping some of those players going on to some of our clubs . . . and then also working with clubs and other organisations on how we can keep people within the whole area active.”  

Sara said apart from the job, it was her family and the farm that drew her back to the area.

“I've always loved being at home.”

And outside of work, she practises what she preaches.

“I love being active. I love going for walks, going for a run, going to the gym.” 

A couple of up-coming projects for Sara are Move it May and Road Safety Week (May 20-26). 

Move it May is about trying to encourage people to continue to be active and move their bodies as the colder months set in, she says.

“For children/ students going to school we encourage them to use active transport to and from school. This could be biking, scooter, walking etc.”

Sara will be working with Ōamaru’s school community officer Constable Jay Morriss and Waitaki District Council road safety co-ordinator Carrie Hamilton, during Road Safety Week. 

They will be at different school gates in the mornings to see who is using active transport to school and to give children some safety tips.