Harry Mills Team Maker award - Youth Sport Trust National Talent Orientation Camp

Over 100 talented athletes from a range of sports attended the 2009 Talent Camp on 11th January 2009 at Loughborough University. They were joined at the Closing Ceremony by Jason Gardener, Olympic 4 x 100m relay Gold Medallist who presented the awards including the Harry Mills Team Maker. This year, the award was won by Klara Weaver, a 14 year old rower, a unanimous decision by the coaching and mentoring staff.

Klara has actively included and supported the Rowing team during the camp and as a direct result of her influence, all the other rowers have benefitted hugely from the whole National Talent Orientation experience. Throughout the workshops she was an excellent role model, leading by example. Klara actively encouraged her group to think and come up with suggestions and had a very positive impact on all the rowers resulting in the whole group becoming more professional in their approach to the workshops.

Klara shone particularly in the Army Command tasks – the Army Officer leading the team building session said, ‘Klara had some fantastic problem solving ideas and achieved respect from her team mates through a calm and confident manner.’

Klara’s Mum writes:

Klara moved to the UK from Baltimore, Maryland USA almost 10 years ago when she was 6 years old. She considers herself both American and British (and indeed is a dual passport holder), which places her in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This is perfectly appropriate, as Klara has always been attracted to water and has swum competitively since she was 4 years old. She is a Pisces so perhaps that explains it!

At 12, when she was in Year 7 at Latymer Upper School in West London, she announced that she was going to swim for GB in the Olympics. Then, two years later, she discovered rowing. She immediately fell in love with the river and the feeling of gliding over the water at all hours and in all weather conditions. Latymer is lucky to have a boathouse right on the Thames, and she is able to train 6 days a week. In Year 10, Klara and her partner won gold in the women’s J15 doubles race beating out over 20 competitors. Sport has been a very important part of her life and has helped to shape her goals and aspirations. She now has her sights set on 2012 and rowing for Great Britain.

Klara is deeply honoured to have received this award, which is named after such a wonderful team player. Working with and motivating others as part of a team has always been important to her in life and in rowing, and she hopes to put these skills to good use as she develops her rowing career and reaches her full potential both as a competitor and as a person.