sported. Mentor on her 10 days as Gamesmaker

sported. Mentors give hours of their time each month to pass on their skills and expertise to sported. Members. They help to develop the community groups, clubs and organisations that provide sustainable sport for development to young people.

So what do our Mentors get up to when they are not volunteering for sported.?

sported. Mentor Joanne Cholerton is a self-employed consultant by day, rower and sported. Mentor in her spare time, and recently spent her summer 'holidays' volunteering as a Gamesmaker at London 2012, and we couldn't wait to find out more about her time at the Olympics…

The most amazing 10 days as a Gamesmaker

It would only happen once in my lifetime and I wanted to be there.

About 6 years ago, as soon as I could, I applied to be a volunteer at the Olympic Games - a Gamesmaker as they were called - for London 2012. I did not hear anything for another few years until I was invited for interview. Then in February this year I got an e-mail saying I had been successful and to log in and find out where I would be volunteering. I logged onto the website and let out a big scream of joy when I found out I would be working in the Olympic Stadium: the prime location, the heart of the Games! I rung everyone I knew and was on a high for weeks. It was a whirlwind of excitement from that day on! Shortly after came training, picking up the uniform and accreditation pass and the moment we had all been waiting for, the visit to the stadium, and what a stadium it was!

During the athletics at the stadium, I was working for event services so it was my job to welcome people, scan their tickets, direct them to their seats, marshal VIP areas etc. We were the face of the Games and it really felt like that. Everyone was so excited to be coming to the stadium you could see the joy in their faces as they approached you - it was a joy to do the job. Each day we would arrive, check in, be given a present, usually a badge, but on the last day a beautiful silver engraved baton. I got to see most of the athletics up close, and saw everything that I wanted to see.

There are so many highlights for me: being 30 metres from the finishing line for the 100 and 200 metres finals, as well as the 10,000 and 5,000 metres was amazing; seeing Jess Ennis, Mo Farah and Usain Bolt compete, and get their gold medals on the medal rostrum that was only 20 metres in front of me was real once in a lifetime stuff! The noise of the crowd when Team GB were competing was unreal!

Every medal ceremony where Team GB got gold and the national anthem was played brought tears to my eyes and made me so proud. I also sobbed along with Felix Sanchez as he got his gold medal and celebrated with the Jamaicans as they watched Usain. I am a rower so meeting Katherine Grainger was special. We discussed blisters on our hands and how to deal with them - some good advice from the best! The emotion in the stadium was immense and I cried at something every day! Sometimes it was just the overriding experience of being there and realising how lucky I was.

All in all it was an amazing 10 days - some of the best in my life. I have made friends for life - we can all revel in our experience together - something which others might find hard to understand! Watching the Paralympics Opening Ceremony the other night reminded me again what a special experience it was and how magnificent the stadium; it brought back all my memories. I want to do it all again!

I chose a photo which epitomises my experience: me in my Gamesmaker uniform with the stadium, my stadium, which I was so proud of, in the background. Special memories indeed!

Joanne Cholerton