There is nothing like lining up before the start of a game at the world championships and looking down along the line at your team mates dressed in the green and gold. Sarah Heard is a leader in canoe polo, having captained the Australian women’s’ team five times. She first competed in the Australian Championships, representing NSW, in 1995 but later playing for South Australia. She has an outstanding playing career and has also coached in Japan.
In her words: Winning bronze in 2012 meant so much to all of us, it was more than a medal, it was symbol of all the hard work, blood sweat tears and sacrifices we had made. We had been working so hard as a core group since 2006. Being on tour can be hard at times, living in each other’s pockets and under that kind of stress, but the friendships and bonds you make are lifelong. Polo will always have a special place in my heart and I will never forget the amazing opportunities it has provided me. As captain, I felt incredibly proud of my girls and loved sharing the unique experience with them!
International championships
- World Games – Germany 2005, Chinese Taipei 2009, Columbia 2013
- ICF World Championships – Amsterdam 2006, Canada 2008, Milan 2010, Poland 2012 (bronze)
- Oceania Championships – 2007, 2009 (gold), 2011 (gold), 2013
