My name is Olivia Van Den Bogerd and I am currently studying A levels at Olchfa Comprehensive School. I have been a Young Sports Ambassador for four years and have had the opportunity to participate in many sporting events and ceremonies. Becoming a YA has opened many doors; I am now a Platinum Sports Ambassador, part of the Welsh Steering Group, the Regional Steering Group and also the Inclusive Futures Project based in Swansea.
I have played netball for seven years and believe it has helped me to grow as a person. I have gained skills such as confidence, communication and most importantly leadership, as I’ve captained my netball team for five years.
International Women’s Day is about celebrating the role of women in every part of society, and being a young female ambassador in sport, I believe the opportunities for women have never been better! I’ve been fortunate enough to volunteer and take part in a range of sporting events. I was lucky enough to volunteer at the Rugby World Cup launch event in 2015 which was held in Cardiff. During this event I had full responsibility of welcoming guests and players to their seats. I also had the responsibility of making sure that each team had the correct kit and knew the timetable for the day. I was extremely lucky to have a photo taken with the Rugby World Cup trophy, as well as meeting Nigel Owens. This was a great experience and along with my male YA counterpart, we shared the roles and responsibilities of the day. I also had the wonderful opportunity of attending the welcoming ceremony for the Canadian and Fijian Rugby teams, and I was interviewed by ‘Fiji TV’!! This was a brilliant experience as I was able to talk to the players afterwards and ask them questions.
Being part of the Inclusive Futures Programme has been truly rewarding. An event which I think was the most beneficial to me, as well as the children who attended, was the ‘Inclusive Futures Beach Event 2015’.This event catered for children with special needs to try out some new sports. Our main aim was to promote sit-down volleyball, which everyone really enjoyed. It was really rewarding to see the smile on the children’s faces and at the end of the session, a few children also commented that they wanted a career in sport, which was a great way to see the positive results of sport.
I believe that being a female in sport today offers a lot of opportunity; from the benefits of participating and achieving, to being an ambassador and helping others reap the rewards. I am very fortunate to have been given the chance to experience what I have, and I believe that it is down to the dedication, hard work and passion that I have put into my role as a YA and not my gender.
I pledge to encourage my friends, family and the young people I spend time with to participate in sport whilst promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle at the same time.
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