Rowena Massey shares her enthusiasm for volunteering as an athletics coach for Special Olympics New Zealand.
With around 5,000 athletes New Zealand wide, Special Olympics New Zealand is proud to be part of an international movement to support children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Rowena Massey plays an integral part of the Special Olympics movement in Counties as a volunteer, and along with other volunteers dedicates numerous hours each year in the training of the athletes. Rowena shares her passion for volunteering with elocal magazine.
The Special Olympics worldwide mission statement is ‘To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.’ Rowena embraces this mission and started out by coaching athletics in 1995.
After starting work with IDEA Services and wanting to combine her enthusiasm for sport she found out about Special Olympics. Now 15 years later she is still heavily involved and admits it would be very hard to step back, believing in the benefits everyone can get from participating, not only health-wise but the friendships made and the positive social aspects. She now has more of an administrative part to play with a very dedicated and amazing group of coaches, committee members and parents that turn up week after week to offer the athletes the opportunities they deserve.
Rowena gets the greatest sense of satisfaction out of seeing the pure delight and sense of achievement displayed by the athletes and the enjoyment they get out of being able to participate in the sports with other athletes making friendships along the way. The sense of achievement varies from athlete to athlete with their abilities, but basically it boils down to the fact that they are out there participating and doing their best “it doesn’t matter whether they get a 6th place or a 1st place ribbon, their personal sense of achievement is huge! You can’t go past the joy and smiles on their faces! Don’t get me wrong some aren’t happy with 4th or 5th and they let you know about it!” comments Rowena. Rowena also mentions “Everyone should experience a Special Olympics ribbon day”
When asked if there are any athletes she wanted to make special mention of Rowena says “It’s always hard to mention individual athletes as they achieve in their own areas but Fiona Strong has become one of the first Global Messengers for Special Olympics New Zealand. It is a worldwide programme that Special Olympics International has launched. It involves workshops and basically being an ambassador for Special Olympics. Going out and giving speeches about everything that has been done for them and what impact it has on their lives, very impressive! We are also nominating one athlete for the World Games in Greece next year, Sam Muir-James for swimming. He is an amazing person and a very, very capable and natural athlete, we cannot wait to see him realise his full potential and bring home a medal.”
Rowena is only a small part of the Special Olympics Counties Club that are actively involved in indoor bowls, ten pin bowling, swimming, athletics, basketball, equestrian and snow sports, with the intention of being able to make more sports available in the future including soccer.
Looking to increase the number of sports on offer, the future of Special Olympics in Counties relies on volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Rowena directly on 021 921 902 or e-mail
rowmassey@hotmail.com
Monday Ten Pin
Pukekohe Cossie Club
5pm - 6pm
Tuesday Swimming
Franklin Swim, Sport and Fitness
Stadium Drive
Pukekohe
5pm – 6pm
Wednesday Athletics
Growers Stadium
Pukekohe
5pm to 6pm
Thursday Basketball
Dreaver Gym
Pukekohe High School
Support our athletes