Celebrating Community Sport
The Wests Sports Council provides various opportunities throughout the year to celebrate our local sports community including an annual award process for local athletes and sporting groups and a Sports Volunteer of the Year Awards program. These opportunities are to recognise achievement, commitment and contribution to sport. Sports Award nominations are open to members of Sporting Clubs and Individual Clubs of Associations which have been approved by the Wests Campbelltown Board for membership of the Wests Sports Council.
Three (Olympic sized) cheers for Natalie Van Coevorden
Natalie is a Glen Alpine based athlete and active member of Macarthur Triathlon Club who has been competing in the ITU WTS for the last eight years
Natalie sent us a great message and answered a few of our questions while she was in Portugal.
What starting you on your journey towards Triathlon ?
I grew up swimming at Bradbury Swimming pools from a very young age and committed my teenage years to a structured swimming schedule before and after school. I was also a talented runner whilst I was swimming and my friends always told me about this sport called triathlon. I did one of my first triathlon for a bit of fun through Macarthur Triathlon Club and never looked back. I have always loved the challenge and doing three different sports gave me the ability to do that. In 2010, I was picked in a national development program through the AIS and my old coach and by early in 2011 qualified for my first junior world championships in Beijing.
Who has been the most influential/ inspirational person in your sports life?
I really can’t just name one person. It really takes a village of people that have got me to where I am today and I am grateful for everyone who has big or small involvement in my career. Every time I see a great sporting performance especially in triathlon, I really thrive to have that feeling for myself.
What do you miss most about home?
I miss lots of things. I miss seeing my family, my friends and my dog. I miss my local training locations and the ease that home brings to that. This winter overseas was brutal and I really missed summer in Australia.
What’s your best advice for young kids with sporting dreams?
Be patient, be persistent and really chase what you love. I was never the “best” but I kept showing up and that consistency and discipline has really made me the athlete I am today.
Cant wait to shout you a schnitzel Natalie! Yo are amazing and Wests is so proud to watch and be part of this journey.