Jamie attended St Hilda's from Year 7-13 (2003-2009), where she tried every sport St Hilda's had to offer. Her favourites which she stuck to were Rugby, Basketball and Touch. "We were always busy with something at school, which I enjoyed. So being busy day to day now, with a big goal in mind, keeps me entertained."
After she finished school, Jamie went on to study at the University of Otago at The School of Physical Education. "I loved this, lots of practical work but also going into the more scientific side of exercise. Throughout Uni and after graduating, I worked in a few local gyms in Dunedin, personal training, and coaching kids Crossfit. After about a year I got the opportunity to Personal train in Abu Dhabi in The UAE. I took the dive and haven't looked back since."
After a few months of home personal training in Abu Dhabi, which she loved but involved a lot of travel, she took the job as the first female coach at Crossfit Yas, where she took on the Metcon classes and the ladies-only side of the gym. "This has been such an unique experience as I get to hang out, coach and learn from the locals here. They are so welcoming and generous and have taught me a lot. With exercise and fitness being such a new concept over here I hope I have taught them a lot also."
"While I have been here I have also continued my athletic career in Crossfit, competing 4 times at The Crossfit Games - once on a team where we placed 3rd overall (the only and still only Non-American team to podium) and 3 times as an individual where i placed 8th, 11th then 3rd this year."
Jamie says that coaching has now taken a bit of a backseat due to her training, which she needs to focus on as she has a number of goals for the future. "I hope to compete my way through next year at a few chosen sanctions events and then onto the Crossfit Games again to top this year's performance."
Jamie credits St Hilda's for giving her a good foundation in competitive sport. "My years at St Hilda's definitely helped my competitive side - we had some of the best sportswomen in Otago at school, and so many opportunities to try different activities against each other. I think this has passed on well to my Crossfit career, as it has ‘prepared me for the unknown’."
Jamie is heading back home in January to get married in Queenstown, and she can’t wait to catch up with all her friends back home. "They help keep my decision that one day I will drag my English fiancé back to Otago!"