Ten years keeping locals active and living well
When Heather Price joined the South Waikato branch of Sport Waikato she never would have guessed she’d be working there as long as she has.
It’s been 10 years since the popular Active and Well coordinator, who is affectionately known as ‘Pricey’, joined the branch in what was meant to be a short-term role.
But the former Waihi College sports coordinator and physical education teacher said she has no regrets about staying as long as she has.
‘‘I was in the right place at the right time when I got this job,’’ she said.
‘‘I had taken a year off teaching and did a big Overseas Experience (OE) and during that time I decided I would quit teaching because of all the paperwork.’’
‘‘I was visiting my daughter back in Waihi and she took me down to a friend of hers who worked for Sport Waikato and she said ‘‘Pricey what are you going to do with yourself?’’
‘‘The next thing I knew she was on the phone to another friend at Sport Waikato, the former head girl at Waihi College who I knew quite well, and I had an interview.’’
‘‘We had just bought a place in Mangakino that was supposed to be a doer-upper and move-on so the intention was never to be in the job for this length of time but as it’s worked out if you enjoy your job why change?’’ she laughed.
Price, who for several years played top level hockey and soccer, representing Tauranga and Waikato, said she still enjoys her role.
‘‘I run a free 12-week programme where I help people with their exercise and nutrition as well as nutrition workshops,’’ she said.
‘‘You always get people that fall through the cracks but we have had numerous success stories of people making real lifestyle changes and the big thing for me and why I am still in this job is because I actually enjoy helping people.’’
She described her decade with Sport Waikato as an ‘‘enjoyable chapter’’ in her life.
‘‘My husband and I are now getting to that stage where we have worked all our lives and it is time to start chilling out a bit,’’ she said.