Sophie McMillan-Sinclair

THEY say a great coach is someone who always makes you do what you don’t always want to do, so you can be who you’ve always wanted to be.

Waitaki Girls’ High School head girl Sophie McMillanSinclair (18) says her late rowing coach and role model Owen Gould was the epitome of a great coach, and had taught her many life lessons.

One of the most important lessons was that physical training is only half of the battle. The other half is inside her head.

‘‘He pushed us way past what we thought we could do.

‘‘So from experience, I do definitely know that your body can do whatever you put your mind to.’’

The mindset has pushed her to great success in rowing and multisport, in which she has won gold at the 2021 New Zealand Rowing Championships, bronzes at the 2021 South Island Rowing Championships, and bronzes at this year’s South Island Secondary Schools and Aoraki Secondary School Triathlon events.

‘‘Rowing has taught me a lot of things. It gave me confidence to do things that I never thought I would.

‘‘It’s probably what pushed me to do everything in my schooling years. It got me involved in all my other sports and clubs.

‘‘It’s taught me how to juggle my time. A busy person is an efficient person.’’

Sophie said her experiences had given her a great interest in physical and mental health, and next year she wants to study physical education, activity and health at the University of Otago.

Ultimately, she hopes to forge a career in mental skills training or sports psychology.

Achievements: Head girl (2022); NCEA level 1 with excellence, level 2 with merit; trophy for Junior Triathlon Team (2019); student council (20192022); Waitaki District Youth Council(2022); social committee cochairwoman (2022); 2nd in athletics 800m and 1500m (2020); most talented rower (2021); sporting blue for rowing (2021); NZ Honours Award for rowing (2021); health committee (20182022); 40 Hour Famine leader (2021); Enviro Club (20212022); Sports Council multisport rep (2022); Outward Bound (2022); NZ Rowing Championships women's intermediate coxed eight gold medallist (2021); South Island Rowing Championships women's intermediate coxed four and women's intermediate coxed eight bronze medallist (2021); SISS and Aoraki Secondary School Triathlon team event bronze medallist (2022). Role model: My parents and former rowing coach, the late Owen Gould. Hopes for the future: To study physical education, activity and health at the University of Otago.