Snowboard | SportAid Awards Becky Menday

Becky with Karen Pickering MBE

Friday 13th can be considered as an unlucky date by many, but for me Friday 13th proved to be a very lucky day. I was invited to attend a very posh lunch at Eaton College Rowing Centre at Dorney Lake in Windsor. This is the upcoming venue for the kayaking and rowing events in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

Bucks Foundation Award:

I had been invited to attend this lunch as I was to be one of two recipients to receive an award and grant to recognise achievement in sport. I had been nominated by the British Ski and Snowboard Federation and by the SportsAid Grants Commitee in recognition for my achievement and results in snowboarding.

As soon as I arrived with my Dad we met the other recipient of the award a young rower on the GB Team called Lewis Sloan. We were then whisked off for a whole serious of photo’s taken with all various important people. At this time I was introduced and photographed with Olympic swimmer and Gold medallist Karen Pickering MBE. Karen would be presenting me with my award and my cheque, and would also be giving the after dinner speech.

We were shown to our table for our meal and my Dad and I were seated at table number one alongside Karen Pickering and Roger Fennemore and several other very important people. I thought I would feel a little embarrassed and uncomfortable however everybody made me feel very welcome and relaxed.

The event started with a couple of speeches, then I was invited up on to the stage to collect my award from Karen in front of about 60 to 70 people. Some of my results and achievements were read out and I was asked question about my snowboarding. I was then thankfully able to return to my table and watch Lewis receive his award.

During our meal and talking with various people at the event, it became clear that very few people had an understanding of what is involved in the sport of freestyle snowboarding. I had to explain the various disciplines of Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Big Air and Boarder Cross (SBX) on several occasions and what each of the events consisted of. Hopefully a greater appreciation of what our British snowboarders have and can achieve was realised.

I then listned to Karen Pickering give a very motivating and inspirational speech about what it takes to realise your goals as a top sports person. She spoke of how the pain involved in training would pay off when needed on the day of competition. Also on the need to seize opportunities when presented to you.

“I feel very privileged and very lucky to have received this award”.

So with the lunch over I now have a much needed £500 to put towards the costs of my training and travel. Also I have come away feeling very inspired and determined to improve even further. Oh and in case you are wondering I was asked to take my snowboard along to show which sport I represented as we do not have a Freestyle GB Team top to wear yet.