International Women's Day: Sarah Barrow blog

Sarah (l) with coach Andy Banks and diving partner Tonia Couch

To mark International Women’s Day on March 8 Team GB diver Sarah Barrow reflects on the important roles women have played in her sporting development.

As International Women's Day is coming up I want to take the opportunity to thank the women who have encouraged me not only to be part of sport but to feel equal whilst being successful.

I was six when my parents were asked to come in after school by my year two teacher, Mrs O'Rourke.

Everyone thought I was in trouble - I'm not sure why as I was always good in school! – but Mrs O'Rourke had called my parents in to suggest I joined a gymnastics club as I was showing potential in her gymnastic PE lessons.

I was already part of a swimming club and also taking ballet and tap lessons - where I was taught by women - and encouraged by my parents to take as many opportunities as possible in sport.

I stayed at the school gymnastics club until I was seven before having a trial at a larger gymnastics centre where the equipment stayed up and didn't have to be put away in a cupboard every session! When I first walked in I did notice the girls trained on different sides of the gym to boys.

At Plymouth Swallows gymnastics club I was in a group of seven girls and we had two female coaches. From the age of seven to 13 the female coaches trained the girls and the male coaches the boys, that's just how it was and growing up I didn't think anything of it.

But I have noticed that now I walk into a gym in the UK it is often still very much the same whereas abroad there always seems to be a mix.

I stopped gymnastics and switched over to diving when I was 13. My coach was male - Andy Banks, this did not phase me in the slightest. From the age of 13, Andy worked with four girls in his group at similar ages. Andy has done an incredible job, although maybe that's why he has lost most of his hair!

As I diver I have never felt I have lost out on anything due to having a male coach, if I needed support in a different way I would easily turn to my parents.

Diving in the UK is fairly male dominated, where I train in Plymouth coaching staff is fairly mixed but in the GB team there is only one female out of any coaching staff and management. It would be nice to see more female coaches making it to the international circuit but I wouldn't swap Andy for the world.

In countries like Ukraine and Russia, all of the coaching staff are female, it's a completely different culture.

Cutting away from elite sport, I struggled with sports in secondary PE lessons, I couldn't throw, catch or hit a ball (I still can't!). The only time I was useful in a rounders game was when, by luck, I hit the ball but managed to score points because I could run!

I didn't really like PE and felt at school there was a barrier due to having all-girls and all-boys lessons, I always wanted to have a go at rugby and felt there was never a chance. Only the boys were allowed to play rugby - that was the rule.

I do believe a lot more could be done in schools to encourage females to participate in all sports.

Just like Mrs O'Rourke did, tell someone they are good at something, encourage them to take up the sport in a club, that chance could change someone's life. My life was changed. Thank you Mrs O' Rourke.