The newly-appointed executive director of the New Zealand Canoe Polo Association is still a relative newcomer to the sport.
Anita Sharratt, of Masterton, admits she knew little to nothing about it when her twin 14-year-old daughters, Kirsty and Nicola, became involved at Wairarapa College a couple of years ago.
First Sharratt started helping out as good mums tend to do and it didn't take long for her to become hooked to the point where she joined Wairarapa Paddlers as a player.
"I'll never be a champion, but I love it, it's fun and it's a good test, physically and mentally," she said
Sharratt is delighted to be taking over the top administrative position at a time when New Zealand has just concluded a world championship campaign that showed the excellent progress being made by the sport here. The Kiwi under-21 women's team, including Wairarapa's Lara Pritchard, came home with the bronze medal, while the under-21 men's team and the senior women's team placed fourth and the senior men were seventh.
