SportWORKS Officer, Alex DiBiase - "When All is Said and Done"

On Monday, December 1st 2014, I woke up in Swaziland and didn’t have to head in to work.  A bizarre feeling crept in, as my 11-month placement with the Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (SOCGA) was officially completed and my life as I knew it in the beautiful Kingdom of Swaziland would be but a memory.

My last day at work was a good fit for the end of the placement as a SportWORKS Officer.  SOCGA’s Annual General Meeting was scheduled and gave me a great opportunity to reflect on the year as our Secretary General and the Board of Directors presented the National Olympic Committee’s (NOC) accomplishments for the year.  It also allowed me a chance to see everyone that I worked with from the National Sport Federations, Olympic Committee staff and Board of Directors, Ministry of Sport, and our passionate team at the Olympafrica Centre.  It had all the pieces to create a day full of nostalgia.

Looking back, it is hard to believe a year has gone by since I first arrived in Swaziland.  The time has absolutely flown by and I only wish there was more time or the placement was longer.  From the first time I walked into the office and met the team, to jumping right into things and getting my hands dirty, to trying to slow down at the end and transition my position and knowledge to others, it all is still vivid in my mind.  Some of my most memorable work experiences are:

  • Jumping in and getting involved, taking on work right away even though I wasn’t sure what I was doing at all

  • Being given responsibility for everything Games Team Management.  It was the biggest feeling of pride and accomplishment watching our athletes and coaches experience the ANOCA Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana, Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, and Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

  • Experiencing Swaziland’s communities and helping bring sport and big smiles to the youth of Swaziland through running events like Olympic Day Run, Kids’ Athletics, and many others.

  • Being given the opportunity to work in the Accreditation team for the Organizing Committee of the ANOCA Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana.

  • Hopefully leaving behind some positive work and continual usage of the Athlete Data Management System, Zeus

Some of my most memorable travel experiences are:

  • Exploring and experiencing as much of the Kingdom of Swaziland as possible.  From Sibebe Rock, Maguga Dam, Malolotja Nature Reserve, Mlilwane Game Reserve, Mantenga Falls and Swazi Cultural Village to cities and towns including Mbabane, Ezulwini, Lobamba, Manzini, Simunye, to name a few!

  • Experiencing Johannesburg a few times, including the Apartheid Museum, Soweto, and the Jo’burg Night life.

  • Relaxing in the tropical paradise that is Tofo, Mozambique and having some of the most incredible scuba diving in the Indian Ocean!

  • Scuba Diving in Sodwana Bay, South Africa and seeing Humpback whales, dolphins, a massive whale shark and so much more amazing underwater species!

  • An incredible 8-day road trip through the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.  From horse back treks through the mountains to abseiling 208 metres down a waterfall, to driving full days through small villages with dirt roads cut into the top of moutains.

  • Witnessing the wonder of Victoria Falls from both sides of the border (Zimbabwe and Zambia) and taking a leap in bungee jumping over the Zambezi River.

  • Experiencing Cape Town (Cape Point, Boulder Beach, the decadent wineries, Lion’s Head and Table Mountain, the fun entertainment and night life, and much more)

  • Finishing off the trip with 3-days of driving through Kruger National Park and seeing the incredible native animals in their natural habitats!

As I sit back in the -10 degree Celsius weather in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, it is hard to realize I have been gone from Swaziland for over a month now.  I am back finishing up my last semester of my Master's of Sport Management at the University of Windsor.  Some days it seems like it was all just a fleeting dream but I hold the memories I made and the people I met close, as it was a time that meant so much to me.  I strongly believe I have grown significantly over the past year and through my experiences working and living abroad.  I have learned a lot from the people I met and gained new perspectives by keeping my eyes, ears, and mind open throughout my travels. 

I hope my time in Swaziland brought some positive contribution and that I represented myself, my country, and culture well.  I again thank everyone that has impacted me so much in the last year.  From Colin Whitmee and Matt Hill at Commonwealth Games Canada, to the incredible Olympic ladies in Swaziland (Muriel, Beauty, Carmen, Naomi, and Nomcebo), the friendly and hospitable SOCGA Board members, the great staff down at the Olympafrica Centre, the friends I made at Bombasos and the ex-pat community that were so welcoming, and the athletes, coaches, and administrators from the National Sport Federations and sport clubs in Swaziland (too many to name, but you know who you are).

I could fill a whole page naming the people who had an impact on my life over the last year.  I am so lucky, honoured, and appreciative of the priceless opportunity and experiences I was provided and will carry all the memories, whether good or bad, happy or sad, with me for the rest of my life. 

And now as it is all said and done, I can only hope more young sport leaders can experience something similar to what the SportWORKS program provided me.  I know one day I will make my way back to Swaziland to a place that became my home away from home during the year 2014!

To another day and another story!

Alex DiBiase