Casey Flint has been a part of the Blind Sport New Zealand team since 2018. Her current role as Education and Programmes Manager is focused on the growth and development of blind and low vision sport opportunities throughout Aotearoa.
Get to know a bit more about Casey below, from her love for athletics, to what she’s looking forward to most in 2021 (spoiler alert, it’s an exciting new Blind Sport NZ initiative).
Casey and her dog Jett exploring the great outdoors
Tell us a bit about your role at Blind Sport New Zealand
I am the Education and Programmes Manager at Blind Sport NZ. My key role is to ensure individuals living with a vision impairment have the opportunity to participate in quality sport and active recreation within their local community. This includes connecting individuals with local clubs, upskilling coaches and ensuring national and regional sporting organisations are proactively providing inclusive opportunities. I also work within schools and universities to teach students about adapted sport and the importance of inclusion.
What do you like most about your job?
There is a lot I love about my job! I love receiving emails from individuals or parents wanting to find out about what sport is available for them or their child. Being able to connect them in with a great club or coach and then later hearing about how much enjoyment they get out of playing a new sport or getting back into a sport they thought they could no longer play. Honestly nothing better than that!
I also love organising youth programmes and events. It’s a lot of behind the scenes work but so much fun getting out with a great group of young people and playing sport! It’s incredible chatting to parents afterwards and seeing how amazed they are by what their child has achieved. Kids can be so persistent and don’t let obstacles get in their way. It’s so great seeing them overcome something that they thought they couldn’t do.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
I love being outdoors exploring the incredible things New Zealand has to offer! It’s such a wonderful feeling being able to leave my phone at home and explore local walkways and reserves with my partner and dog Jett. I also love gardening, cooking and have a passion for sustainable and self-sufficient living. I love being able to go collect fruit and veggies from the garden, eggs from our chickens and whip up something tasty in the kitchen!
What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
I am incredibly excited to launch our accessible sport kits throughout the country. Adapted sport equipment is super expensive and often needs to be ordered from overseas. This means that many people miss out on playing a wide range of sports and activities. Our accessible sport kits aim to breakdown this barrier by getting accessible sports equipment out into local communities for everyone to use! We have been fortunate to receive funding for our first four kits which we hope to launch in the coming months. Watch this space!!
What is something that people may not know about you?
I worked in a summer camp in New York State as an Adventure Specialist after I finished high school. I spent the summer helping to run the high ropes, low ropes and zipline, along with losing my voice singing songs, and playing ridiculous games! This is where I met my partner Rick who was a lifeguard. After over seven years, we are getting married in a couple of weeks!
Top tips for keeping active?
Make it fun! There is nothing saying that exercise has to be going for a run or hitting the gym! If you love doing that, great, but there are so many fun options out there many of which are low cost or free! I love catching up with my friends over a walk (often with a coffee in hand) or kicking a ball around at the beach or park. With plenty of long, sunny days ahead, I’m looking forward to swimming at the beach and playing a couple of rounds of Frisbee golf out at Waitawa Regional Park.
Favourite sport to play or watch?
Some of my best memories are playing sport, and growing up I played almost every sport under the sun! However, if I had to choose one I think I would have to go with athletics. Growing up, I was down at Newtown Park most days in summer, and then running the Mount Victoria hills and around Wellington in winter. I tried every event from long jump and discus to race walking and pole vault. I was never the best, but was surrounded by a great group of people so it really didn’t matter.
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
I’ve always wanted to work in sport in some way or another. Originally I had wanted to work in the major event space helping to bring international sporting events to New Zealand. If I couldn’t work in the sport space, I’ve also been interested in becoming a police officer.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received?
I’m not sure about best piece of advice but I can remember the worst. I was once told that I was too nice and that I would need to toughen up if I wanted to make it anywhere. I think they thought that my niceness meant that I would let people walk over me, or I wouldn’t stand up for what I believe in, or share my thoughts and ideas if they differed from others. I think me being “too nice” is why I am good at what I do. I’m empathic and understanding of people’s needs and challenges and work to support them in whatever way I can. I’ll go above and beyond and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to lead the life they want to live.
Want to get in touch with Casey? Send her an email at casey@blindsport.kiwi