GET TO KNOW THE TEAM: 2 MINUTES WITH Rebecca Longhurst

Rebecca Longhurst

SEPNZ Committee Member

What role do you play on the exec?

I am on the Executive Committee and am the Chairperson of the Education Committee. I have been on the Exec since 2016.

Life outside of SEPNZ?

I am a mum of two young girls and am currently on maternity leave from my role at High Performance Sport New Zealand. Like most Kiwi physios I started off in club rugby.

I then got some pretty cool opportunities with Netball travelling to the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.

I moved to Canada prior to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and ended up working with the Canadian Paralympic Ski Team from 2009-2014 attending World Cup, World Champ and both the Vancouver and Sochi Paralympic Games.

Upon returning home to New Zealand I starting working with HPSNZ with Yachting, Netball, Winter Sports and Para-Swimming. I was lucky enough to attend the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and PyeongChang Winter Olympics as a New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) physio.

I skied growing up and nothing beats a day on the mountain! I also love mountain biking and hiking and have enjoyed introducing my eldest daughter to the great outdoors.

Favourite tune on a road trip?

Currently all I get to hear is The Wiggles on repeat, but to be fair it is better than crying.

Favourite sporting physiotherapy moment

Seeing someone perform at their chosen sport after either coming through an intense training block or injury, especially ones that have had them out for long periods of time, is the part of my job I enjoy the best.

Favourite / Best or Worst destination as touring Physio and why?

Sochi a year out before the Games was an eye opener, skiing past soldiers sitting in the trees with assault rifles took some getting used to. Going from working at -30 with a snow gun pointed at me with Winter Sports to sitting on a beach in Spain with Yachting was quite the contrast and love being able to have done both.