Jo’s Sport Bucket List
In 2004, I found myself in a bit of a pickle. A business I’d run for seven years with my boyfriend/business partner collapsed, the nine-year relationship following soon afterwards. I was houseless, jobless and broken.
So, at my lowest ebb, I wrote a Sport Bucket List of 100 things I wanted to do including ‘go to an Olympics’, learn to surf’, and, er, ‘set off a controlled avalanche…’ (see 30). I’ve been ticking them off ever since.
I’ve tweaked the list along the way – adding new ideas I come across, deleting old ones that were of their time – but the bulk of the list remains the same.
What would be on your sport bucket list? Let me know at the Sports Liberated Tribe Facebook page.
1. Learn to surf
Done! I lived in Australia for a bit (and spent some time in Costa Rica) so have definitely learned to surf, if you count the below as ‘surfing’, that is.
Me ‘surfing’ at Era Beach, New South Wales, Australia with Marc Silver. Cracking photo by Vic Crabtree.
2. See Great White Sharks up close and personal.
3. Enter a sports photography competition
4. Watch a Wimbledon match from the players’ box
5. Updating…
6. Try coasteering
7. Go to an Olympics
Done! Atlanta 1994 (sort of), Athens 2004 (definitely) and, oh my, London 2012. I loved it so much it’s got it’s own special section on this website – My Olympic Odyssey – I even managed to get a part in the opening ceremony!
8. Go to a football World Cup
Now, the thing is, I’ve ticked this one off, which is cheating a little because I haven’t been to a World Cup but I did go to Euro 2004, and loved it, but I’ve sort of gone off football now so unlikely to head to a World Cup.
HOLD THAT THOUGHT! It’s a few years later and I’m updating this list and, well, my Liverpool boys just beat Spurs in the 2019 Champions League final in an amazing season, England men won a penalty shoot-out in a World Cup and I now also watch the women’s game.
The next Women’s World Cup is in France in 2019… quite fancy a trip to Paris…
Yeah, I didn’t make that but loved it! England currently through to the semi finals and in fact play USA tonight! Eep. (Reader, we lost, 2-1…)
Note: Isn’t it interesting that when I first did this list in 2004 I was just thinking about a men’s World Cup? Didn’t occur to me to go to a women’s World Cup. Now I’m all over it!
9. Watch the Monaco Grand Prix from a boat in the harbour
I almost had this one, or so I thought. I interviewed Nicholas Frankl, host of yacht parties at the Monaco Grand Prix for billionaires. I hoped to wangle my way on board until he all but confirmed that Kim and Kanye West were even refused an invite because they wouldn’t pay. I’ll have to find another way.
10. Write at least one sports book
Just a book what I wrote!
Done! I published A Little Book of Sport Stories in 2018. Comprising 13 tales from my adventure-filled sport life, the tiny tome includes what it was like being a dancer in the London 2012 opening ceremony and revising for my GCSEs on a film set where I was doing gymnastics stunts for a feature film.
Super pleased to have done this one and have another in the works.
11. Be a published sportswriter
Done! I also write for the likes of The Sunday Times, BBC Sport, Sport magazine and Yahoo, live blogging the Rio Olympics.
13. Do international sport charity work
Done! I went on a surf and turtle conservation trip to Costa Rica. Fab-u-lous. Want to do more though – lots more.
14. Volunteer at sport events
Just saying, be careful if you hand me a megaphone…
Doing it! I’ve been an on-course marshal at the BBC Sport Relief Mile (where I was reprimanded – quite correctly – after an incident with a boy band); took photos at Football Unites Racism Divides football for young girls event in Sheffield, UK, on International Women’s Day; and helped kids over an obstacle course at the British Transplant Games.
15. Be on A Question of Sport
Yes, I mean as a contestant – I’ve been in the studio audience. Now this one might be a little tricky as I’ve possibly missed the boat on being an Olympic sports person so I now want to go on A League of their Own, which looks like a right laugh.
16. Dance on stage in a show
Done! Not exactly how I pictured it – IT WAS EVEN BIGGER THAN I PICTURED IT. I was a dancer in the London 2012 opening ceremony.
17. Watch an El Classico at the Nou Camp – that’s Barcelona v Real Madrid
18. Be a sport travel vlogger
Doing it! Check out winter sport-ering in Canada – stalked by mountain lion included and long-weekend in Tokyo at the World Gymnastics Championships.
19. Get dressed up to go to a proper ballet
This will be Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman-related, I’m sure… Going by private plane? Optional.
20. Go to the world championship snooker final
Despite living down the road from the famous Crucible venue in Sheffield where the world snooker final takes place, for four years, a regular freelance job in London during the month of April has put paid to this bucket list dream. So far.
21. Have a six pack
Done! And not a sit-up was done. If you’re in the water all day, every day, having fun with your mates, those old gymnastics muscles resurface. Presume they’re still in there now…
I was lucky to get out of that surf alive, I tell you…
22. Watch a 100m Olympic final
Done! You might have heard of the fella who won it… just the fastest man in the world EVER – one Usain Bolt at London 2012. I’ve also got tickets for Usain’s last ever race before he retires. The 4x100m relay at the world championships on August 12 in London in the summer of 2017. So, double done I say!
Update: Oh my word – Usain’s final race and he got injured. Not the end he was hoping for, but, BUT I was screaming. GB only went and won it! What an atmosphere in the London Olympic Stadium – unbelievable night, especially as my boyfriend, sister, her husband and my two nieces were there to experience it too. Amazing, amazing night.
23. Camp out at Wimbledon for tickets
Done! Accompanied by one Kathy Alys we have well and truly ticked this box. Never again, mind.
24. Go to world gymnastics championships
Done! Four times. To be fair, I’d already been a volunteer at the World Gymnastics Championships in Birmingham in 1993 but I think I kind of meant to watch one. So I’ve been to London, Antwerp and, well, for a long-weekend in Tokyo, Japan (from the UK). The latter is a story that involves British gymnast Louis Smith’s agent…
25. Watch an England Rugby match at Twickenham / see All Blacks live
Done! Loads of times but it was actually a World Cup match between Scotland and Australia in the semi finals that was the most memorable (aside from England smashing up the All Blacks which is always fun!).
26. Watch major tennis tournament
Done! Been to Wimbledon a few times (see entry 23) but also the Australian Open where I furiously took on some ticket touts.
27. Watch sport from a director’s box
At the World Cup of Gymnastics in the Sky Box
Done! A VIP box at a Chelsea Champions League match (we had Chelsea-branded rugs for our knees and everything), women’s individual all around gymnastics competition at the London 2012 Olympics, the Sky Box at the World Cup of Gymnastics and for the end of year ATP Tennis tour finals.
28. Be a TV gymnastics presenter
I’m counting this from my YouTube channel, Sports Liberated TV. Julie Moorcroft (a former actress on the English soap opera Doctors…) and I did a behind the scenes video from the World Cup of Gymnastics 2017 at the O2 in London.
29. Have a house with a dance studio with mirrors along the wall
Oh lord, so this would be Flashdance related… Still want it though!
30. Set off a controlled avalanche
Ha ha. So this is what they do during a ski season to keep the slopes safe. So in my mind I’d have one of those plunger things like on the cartoon Roadrunner but I think they use computers these days. I’m not sure pressing the ‘enter’ button would have the same feel to it… still, it’s on the list!
31. Do 100 keepie-uppies
I am RUBBISH at these. This is going to take a while…
32. Do a sky dive
Ready to go…
Done! A tandem sky dive in Byron Bay in Australia. No way was I doing it anywhere cold… And since I’ve had this list, indoor sky diving has been invented. Done that too.
33. Go to world darts championships
Done. Now, you may argue darts isn’t really a sport and I can’t really argue but I enjoy it so… And for this picture I blame a certain England rugby player – that’s you Will Greenwood. Let’s just say drinking games and darts and leave it there shall we. I was on Sky Sports’ VIP table too. You can tell they were impressed with my antics.
The press officer from Sky Sports was pleased she invited me along…
Update! Even better! I got on the telly at the darts too!
34. Try slacklining
Done! I thought I’d be good at this being an ex-gymnast an’ all. Possibly try too much too soon here…
35. Get over my fear of horses
Even getting the riding hat on was tricky
Done! Unusual technique here – I tried polo. Although not sure if crying while being taught qualifies as ‘getting over a fear’ but you know.
36. Digitalise VHS gymnastics tapes from my time as an elite gymnast in the 1980s
VHS video tapes. Memba these?
Doing it! (Yes, I’m older than I look…).
Update: Still doing it… 15 years later….
37. Submit a short film entry to the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival
38. Watch an alpine ski downhill event at Kitbzbhuel, Austria
39. Go to a Winter Olympics
My eye is currently on Pyeongchang 2018…
Nope, next! Beijing 2022… sounds expensive…
40. Go to see a Red Bull Cliff Diving competition
Acapulco would be nice…
Update (Sept 2020): Nope, want to go to Mostar, Croatia, where divers plunge from an iconic 16th century bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage site no less. Or Polignano a Mare in Italy where divers access the jump point through the lounge of a beautiful property perched on the cliff top!
I also want to watch Gary Hunt perform. The Brit has dominated the series in the past few years so would love to be there to cheer him on!
41. Watch a diving competition at the Olympics
Up in the gods to watch Tom Daley win a history-making bronze. Fab!
Done. Saw a certain Thomas Daley win bronze at London 2012. Goosebumply moment when he and team-mates all jumped in the pool to celebrate.
42. Jump (or dive…) off 10m diving board
43. Be at a Welsh rugby home game to hear the fans sing the national anthem
44. Go to Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Nope. But, to be fair, no one else went either. Bloody ‘rona 😞. Can’t say I’m confident about Tokyo 202One either.
45. See a sport event at Wembley
To be fair, I’d done this prior to making this list but it’s such an iconic venue I had to put it in here. Been numerous times but only once did I sit in the dug out and also ‘hold’ a press conference. Helps to have friend’s in the industry. Thanks Lizzie Liebenhals!
46. Ski in Canada
I don’t think there was any hidden meaning in this photo taken by the press officer from Inghams, eh Lisa?
Done. I was a lucky, lucky girl as I went on a press trip to Canada staying in five star Fairmont hotels and taking in Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise. Only six days but I LOVED it! Thank you, thank you Lisa Tyrell.
47. Live blog a major sport event
So. Much. Sport. #dreamjob
Done. Live blogged the Rio Olympic Games for Yahoo! Sport UK. Trying to keep quiet in the small hours of the morning while based in the UK watching multiple events on multiple screens while Team GB were smashing up the Games was the hardest part. Loved doing it – keen to do more.
48. Kayak somewhere stunning
Done! Again, did this before I created this list but wanted to include it as I’d love to do more. But have been whitewater rafting through the Grand Canyon (with a Navajo nation guide – he lived at Phantom Ranch!) and kayaking through the Ardeche River in France. Unfortunately a group of us teens ended up in hospital and in the news for going down with food poisoning en masse.
49. Try para-gliding
50. Live my life, laptop under my arm, travelling the world, creating and curating sport content wherever I go, sharing and discussing with like-minded souls.
Dream life? I’m lucky enough to be living it.