Andrew Holland was destined to become a police officer.

The son of a policeman, Mr Holland moved around the country, from Trunkey Creek to Bega, Wellington, Coolamon and Wagga.

Entering the force seemed an inevitable step.

But when he landed at Blayney in the late 1980s as a young officer looking to earn his stripes, little did he know that helping out the nearby Carcoar Public School's students with sport every Friday would help mould one of Australia's greatest Paralympians.

"The easiest way to win the town over is to obviously walk across the road and talk to the school," Mr Holland said.

"So I spoke to my boss, and he said to me, 'I want you there every Friday'."

And there every Friday, too, was a young Kurt Fearnley - Australia's champion wheelchair racer. Even then it was o

See Full Page