For someone who likes a challenge Tim Seaholme life has certainly offered up plenty of those. Not only does he live halfway across the world from where he grew up in North West London, but while here he is tackling two jobs as well as coaching the New Zealand Seniors Men in table tennis, however, Tim takes everything in his stride.
“Both my roles at UCOL are challenging (which is good, otherwise things can be boring)”. Says Tim candidly “As a programme leader role you are always trying to ensure that others have what they need in place to be effective. You’re the link between management and what’s happening in the classroom. I see how I can really help ensure that we deliver an excellent student experience.”
“Then in my role as a
Te Atakura Coach I get the privilege of being in the classroom of so many colleagues, in so many different areas of education. It’s really fun to be in automotive one day and then hospitality the next. Talking with students about their experience and staff about how to achieve more of the success that they would like with their students is truly refreshing.”
Sport has always been part of Tim’s life and he has been involved since school – seeing him winning National Hockey titles, and British University Table Tennis medals.
When asked about why he decided on the qualifications he did “I chose to study Exercise and Sports Science because I couldn’t convince myself to do physio or law. While I studied I worked in the leisure industry (e.g. as a life guard, gym instructor) and I also supplemented this with coaching work in table tennis.”
Coming to New Zealand was planned at first to be a one year visit, 13 years later Tim is still here and is coming up to 13 years at UCOL as well. Juggling a multiple roles at UCOL, coaching and having a family Tim wouldn’t change anything.
“In my time in New Zealand I have continued coaching
table tennis. I have been international coaching now for 10 years. Currently I am the New Zealand Senior Men’s coach. I have been privileged enough to work with the New Zealand Olympic Committee and attend a Youth Olympic Games (2014) and two Summer Universiade (2015, 2017). In 2018 I will be travelling to the Oceania Table Tennis Championships in Australia (March) and then the World Team Championships in Sweden (May).”
“UCOL has been very supportive of keeping me professionally advancing. Over my time here I have had support to secure research funding from SPARC, to present and attend conferences and to write research articles.”
If that’s not enough to keep him motivated when asked about some of his most memorable times at UCOL, both thoughts were about working with students “Seeing students’ progress through our exercise programme pathways, developing their career dreams and then going on to achieve them is special. It’s good to take stock of the impact you have had on students and it’s so nice to be able to catch up with them and hear how they are doing even years later”.