A woman who believes in Playing for Life (June 2005) Tracy Piggott

Tracy Piggott has been working as a sports broadcaster with RTE for the past 15 years. In that time, Tracy has covered 3 Olympics, the Special Olympics, the Paralympics and many other sports. A formidable sports participant herself she has completed a range of endurance events for charity, including a 3,000 mile cycle across the U.S.A. and a 9 mile underwater swim. On a recreational basis, Tracy competes regularly as a cyclist and is a recent appointee to the Irish Sports Council. We met up with this sassy lady at work in Shelbourne Park Greyhound stadium as she geared up for a Saturday’s night’s live broadcast. First of all congratulations on the success of the Playing For Life fundraising dinner which took place recently to raise funds for SELF HELP. Can you tell us more about the charity and how you became involved?
I was asked to lead a group of 70 Irish trekkers last November to celebrate 20 years of Self Helps work in East Africa. We spent 12 days in Ethiopia, and I found it the most amazing place with wonderful warm, strong people with so much dignity. I wanted to do something to help continue their work and also involve sport which is such a universal language. So I came up with the idea of Playing For Life in the back of a rickety bus on one of our many 5/6 hour journeys.
Self Help is unique in its approach insofar that it tailors its strategies to the individual community as opposed to using the 'what works for us will work for you approach'. How does this strategy work on the ground? Has it proven effective?
Very effective. You can really see that when you travel through the non-project areas and see the difference to the Self Help project areas. They use only local staff on the ground along with government. So they create a lot of employment. The local people know best where schools, hospitals are suited to go. This is all part of the long term plan to help these people become totally self sufficient, and its working. In areas of agricultural production, irrigation, rural water supply, HIV/Aids education, conservation and afforestation, savings and credit schemes, it has been very successful.

Lots of well-known Irish celebrities turned up for the Playing For Life dinner - Brian O'Driscoll, Bomber Liston, DJ Carey, Jack O'Shea and your famous dad Lester Piggott himself to name but a few. Were you surprised at the huge level of support which you received?
I was, it meant a lot. We raised €96,000 and it was a great night. Elenor Shanley sang, Brian Kerr was there, Mary Kennedy, Brian Whelehan, Joe Cooney, Robbie O’ Malley, Barney Rock, Sean Kelly president of the GAA and Sean Kelly the cyclist. It was a great honour to have them all there.

Lots of GAA legends will be travelling with you on behalf of Self Help to Africa in November of this year and bringing our national game to Malawi with the unique idea of passing on skills and team ethic that will assist with the ongoing development Self Help has started. Where did this very innovative approach stem from?
The children have very little in the way of sport and equipment or anything to play. So I decided that to start the ball rolling we should take the gift of Ireland’s National Game as a gift to the children there. We need only a fraction of the money to send out the lads, all the rest will go to continue Self Helps work. We have had hurleys, balls, kits sponsored by Gaelic Gear and Adidas are giving us trainers.

Who will going along with you on this trip?
7 GAA All Stars, a cameraman and myself, as we are doing a documentary for RTE.

Once again sport is playing a huge part in your life with the launch of this project. Were you always interested in sport or was it simply just a way of life in your household growing up?
I always liked sport. I went to a sport orientated school, and always rode horses and cycled. It has been very good to me and I want to give something back.

You have worked as a sports broadcaster with RTE for the past 15 years, have covered 3 Olympics, the Special Olympics, the Paralympics and many other sports so you know your stuff! Which sport do you most enjoy covering?
Definitely Rugby at the moment which I started last October, the people involved are great and the action is brilliant.

What was the first sporting event that you ever covered?
The 1989 Irish Derby at the Curragh.

When you started out as a sports broadcaster there were very few women working within the sector. Do you see a huge change in attitude from the public and from those working within the sector itself towards women sports broadcasters now, and when you started out?
I have never felt the male/female thing. I was always treated great. But its great to see more women in sport now.

Ireland has very much become your adoptive country. How did you end up working in RTE to begin with? Were you working in TV in the UK previously?
I had done a few years with the BBC and was doing bits for RTE as well. At the same time I was offered more permanent positions with both and decided on the BBC, but the night before the removal van arrived in Ireland to take my stuff back across the water, I woke in a sweat, knowing I was making a huge mistake. I stayed here and have never regretted it.

Your most embarrassing broadcasting moment?
During Sports Stadium, reading out the results at the end of the day. Someone handed me a script that read Harlequins are looking to retain their crow... I knew nothing about rugby in those days and thought it was a special term used!

If you hadn't decided to take up sports broadcasting what else would you liked to have worked at?
A personal trainer, scuba diver instructor travelling around warm countries!

The most memorable person that you have ever interviewed?
Ronnie O'Sullivan, as I am a huge fan.

Person you would most like the chance to interview in your lifetime?
Lance Armstrong.

What would you consider the best part of your job?
The sheer variety and getting to meet so many different people.

You also are yourself a formidable sports particpant having completed a range of endurance events for charity, including a 3,000 mile cycle across the U.S.A and a 9 mile underwater swim! Probably an understatement to say you are fit and healthy! Do you make a conscious effort to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle?
Yes, since I was a kid I always kept active, I love the outdoors, and challenging myself.

What would your typical day consist of?
Every day is very different, but I am usually woken by my dogs at 7am, I walk them and then shower and have breakfast. I would then head to Dublin or work from home, and would fit in a cycle or a workout in the gym during the day.

What is your favourite way to relax?
Reading, cycling and sitting anywhere near water.

We were all very impressed by your culinary skills on The Restaurant! - do you enjoy cooking?
I do, I like having friends over, but only a few at a time!

Do you have a balanced diet?Any Achilles heel?!
I eat pretty healthily and I like veggies and pulses and all that stuff. I know a lot about nutrition and am very interested in it, but like everyone I have my moments!

We recently saw your stunning house featured in Life Magazine. It had very much an eastern feel with a lot of ethnic influence. Do you travel a lot? Favourite destination?
I like the Morrocan/West of Ireland feel, with thick wobbly walls and natural richcolours. I have been lucky to travel a lot. I love South America where I have travelled extensively and Malaysia is also a firm favourite with me.

The majority of our readers are females who lead busy, crazy, lives juggling family and work. Many of them find it hard to balance home life and work life. Your top three tips for surviving a crazy schedule and keeping sane?
Sleep, getting out and breathing in the fresh air every day for a while, and not being too hard on ourselves. When possible take time out and treat yourself. You deserve it!

Have you ever used alternative medicine? Are you interested in this whole area? Yoga? Pilates?
I am a Pilates instructor, although I have not done a lot of it due to lack of time. I love yoga and am also very interested in alternative medicine and treatments.

Any unfulfilled ambitions yet to achieve?
Many, that's what keeps me going, always looking for a new challenge.

Three words that you think best describe you?
Loyal, impulsive, emotional.

If you are looking for more information on Self Help log onto www.selfhelp.ie

Donations can be made to:
PLAYING FOR LIFE,
Bank Of Ireland,
Kilcullen, Co. Kildare.
Sort Code 90-11-40
A/C Number 42840091


More about Self Help:
Self Help Development International is an organisation, which is primarily involved in conservation and development measures aimed at alleviating famine and enabling its beneficiaries to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Self Help gives people the chance to help themselves.
Self Help Development International was founded in 1984 in response to the Ethiopian famine of that year. Self Help are unique in the approach they make in helping others. They base their approach on the idea of providing the resources to the people and showing them how to use them to their benefit. They tailor their strategies to the individual community as opposed to using the “what works for us will work for you” approach. This is also shown in the fact that Self Help have no expatriate staff in the field. They employ 180 people in Africa.
Self Help Development Ireland is based in Hackettstown, Co.Carlow. They have an African base in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The Self Help team work within five East African countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Malawi, Kenya and Uganda. In 2004 Self Help changed the lives of over half a million people in Eastern Africa.
Tracy Piggott has worked closely with Self Help over the last number of years. “One in three people in Malawi have AIDS and 240 people die a day. A lot of children will never see adulthood, but leading an active healthy lifestyle has proved to help extend that.“
In November 2005, GAA legends Jacko, DJ and Barney, along with Kerry All Star Eoin ‘Bomber‘ Liston, Offaly great Brian Whelahan, Meath hero Robbie O’Malley and Galway’s dynamic Joe Cooney will travel to Africa, leaving a legacy of what sport can achieve as part of Self Help’s work.
The GAA stars will be passing on skills and a team ethic that will assist with the ongoing development Self Help has started. Passing on a love of sport is just one way Self Help attempts to empower people to improve their lot.
“Our trip in November to Malawi will help not only to raise more funds, but Ireland will also be giving the unique gift of their national game to Malawi from some of the very best players this country has produced.
Photographs courtesy of Caroline Norris.