Staff Spotlight: Janine Korologa, Sports Coach

Tell us a bit about yourself, what you do and how long you have worked at Gordonstoun?

I’m married, have two children aged four and 10 and we are a military family with my husband being in the RAF.

I have worked here for two years and it’s quite a funny situation. I used to live in Edinburgh and did netball coaching at Fettes College and the guy who was coaching netball at Gordonstoun has gone to Fettes; we essentially just switched jobs.

It's a beautiful place to bring up kids, it's really lovely, and in the summer some coaches and I go wild swimming.

What do you enjoy most about working at Gordonstoun?

I enjoy vast age ranges that you can work with. I do like the challenges that come with it and having to adapt to the differences of being with a group of four year olds to suddenly being with a group of 17/18 year old girls.

So I enjoy that - all the kids are from completely different backgrounds, and from myself as well, so it's nice to hear what they have to say about things.

I like working in Plewlands boarding house and catching up with the girls on a Friday night, it’s great. It's a nice evening to do duties.

What is happening in your department right now? Any new initiatives/exciting events for this year?

During the summer term we had both the Prep School sports day and Senior school sports day to prepare for. It's nice to see these kids in training for the whole term and then to actually see them do the event was lovely.

Actually though, in August, I'll be going on maternity leave, so that’s exciting.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I would say my kids, but there are also a few other times in my life I have felt great achievements.

I went to military school for seven years and I was awarded the Baroness Thatcher Sword of honour by Margaret Thatcher. So that was really cool.

I started a netball club in Edinburgh and we won the Scottish Cup in our first year. I try to have a break, play other games, but I always end up coming back to Netball.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

I'm very happy being by the sea and being at the beach. So much so, after I finished University, I went to work on the cruise ships and now love living by the sea.

What is something surprising about you?

I was born in Berlin, went to military school and travelled the world on cruise ships.

What talent, real or fictional, would you most like to have?

I'd quite like to play musical instruments. I'm dyslexic and I’m not very good at reading music, so I’d quite like to play music well.

And art as well. I think when you see some pieces of art, especially that the kids here do, I’m like “Oh my God, I could never do that. That's amazing.” .

Is there a quote or saying you live your life by?

You’ll never know you can't do it, unless you try.

What is your guilty pleasure?

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

I'm not big into reality shows at all, but I do watch I’m a celebrity.

Thanks Janine for taking the time to chat with us!

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