It seems only fitting that in the week of the Jubilee celebrations for the Queen’s Birthday, that Noosa’s very own queen of water polo Helen Park has made the 2022 Honours list and is a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to water polo.
“That’s a real honour. I’m very surprised,“ the very humble Helen said after learning of her award.
“I’ve heard of a lot of athletes getting OAMs. I didn’t realise they gave them to volunteers.“
The Australian honours system celebrates the outstanding achievements and contributions of extraordinary Australians in a diverse range of fields and areas of endeavour. It’s about recognising those people in the community whose service and contributions have had the effect of making a significant difference to Australian life or, more broadly, to humanity at large.
Helen has worked with children all her life, firstly as a primary school teacher and, when her kids developed an interest sport, she volunteered, from rugby league football to Cooroy Gymnastics to the Noosa Surf Lifesaving Club, eventually ending up in a sport she loved and played as a kid – water polo.
While a teacher at Sunshine Beach State School, Helen began volunteering as a coach with the school’s water polo players and as they began to excel she encouraged them along their path.
“I enjoyed being involved with them and wanted to take them to the international stage,“ she said.
“I have a bit of a passion for kids doing sport,“ she said.
“I think it helps them if they’re involved in team sports.“
Helen has taken her young athletes to competitions across the world including Europe, England, Singapore and New Zealand and many have gone on to represent Australia at the Olympics.
“It’s just nice to see the kids grow and develop,“ she said.
She has nurtured and coached thousands of players throughout her years of service to water polo and continues to volunteer her time coaching juniors at the Noosa Aquatic Centre and mentoring young coaches of the future.
Helen has been instrumental in building regional water polo on the Sunshine Coast with nearly three decades of volunteering.
In 2014, Helen was presented the Service Award by School Sport Australia and was a part of the original Sunshine Coast School Sports Committee that instigated a now thriving school water polo competition.
In addition to this is her long resume of coaching and managing teams at club, school, regional, state, national and international level of competitions – upwards of 200 teams and thousands of junior athletes.
Helen has held various committee and convenor roles for water polo including a long reign as Sunshine Coast School Water Polo President, Noosa Water Polo President, Sunshine Coast Treasurer and Secretary. She has been secretary of Water Polo Queensland, manager of U20 women’s national water polo team and represented Water Polo Australia at Fina World Championships in 2007 and 2013.
The Noosa Water Polo committee praised Helen Park, saying they felt privileged to have her as a former president and club member.
“She is such a humble, ‘get the job done’ kind of lady,“ they said.
“Her dedication to kid’s sport is outstanding and she is simply one of the nicest humans you’ll meet.
“Helen is not only adored by our club, but by our regional, state and national organisations. Water polo is richer for volunteers like Helen, and we are thrilled that she has been given deserved recognition.“
