Champion volunteer
This article appears in the April 2009 edition of Sportshorts.
Profiling the efforts of sporting volunteers in NSW
Alan Makin
Current club/association/organisations
and volunteer roles
I currently have an athletics training group (track and field) of able bodied athletes and two athletes with a disability (AWD). I work with the Australian Paralympic Team, Special Olympics, Cerebral Palsy soccer and a gym program for people with a disability.
Years volunteering to sport
19 years
Why do you volunteer?
I enjoy what I do (track and field) and hope that the fitness we do now will serve all the participants well later on in life.
How many hours a week do you dedicate?
Usually 12 to 14 hours a week.
Have you had any formal training for your role?
My formal training has mostly been through coaching courses run by the Australian Track and Field Association. I’m now at level IV AWD sprints and jumps – Level V to go. I’ve also done several presenter training courses through NSW Sport and Recreation’s Disability Education Unit.
We want to hear
from you!
Do you know a champion volunteer? We’re looking for champion volunteers to profile in upcoming issues of Sportshorts.
Volunteers can be ‘champions’ for all sorts of reasons – e.g. innovations and great ideas, hours dedicated, helping to grow your sport and making sport special for others. We want to hear about a range of volunteers.
Email your nomination and briefly (100 words) tell us why they’re a ‘champion volunteer’. Email Shannon Dixon.
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What’s been your most rewarding moment?
My most rewarding moment so far is having one of my athletes, Katherine Proudfoot, be chosen on the Paralympic team for Beijing. And then also making the team myself as a coach.
Is there anything not so good about volunteering?
Only trying to fit in earning an income, as my family is important to me.
What are your top tips for managing work/family/friends with your volunteer commitments?
Be flexible and committed and use priorities when necessary.
What is the key to getting people to volunteer for sport?
We can always use more help in disability sport. So I would say to anyone that may be interested, try it. Don’t be frightened of the term athlete with a disability. There are people around that will help, so get involved and make the effort.
How important is sport to you?
Sport is only important to me because I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I do try to be good at my coaching, as I feel that the athletes deserve that.
We want to hear from you!
Do you know a champion volunteer? We’re looking for champion volunteers to profile in upcoming issues of Sportshorts.
Volunteers can be ‘champions’ for all sorts of reasons – e.g. innovations and great ideas, hours dedicated, helping to grow your sport and making sport special for others. We want to hear about a range of volunteers.
Email your nomination and briefly (100 words) tell us why they’re a ‘champion volunteer’. Email Shannon Dixon.
Useful links
Related sections
Other websites
- Go Volunteer - a national volunteer recruitment website that provides free advertising for not-for-profit community organisations looking for volunteers. An initiative of Volunteering Australia.
- ASC - Recruit volunteers - Find out how to attract volunteers, nurture their motivation and understand basic recruitment and selection processes.
- ASC - Retain volunteers - Understand the basics of human resource training and development to help manage volunteers. Learn about the rights and responsibilities of volunteers.
- ASC - Volunteer management- Find out about effective leadership and good practice in volunteer management.
- ASC - Manage event volunteers- Learn about the difference between event and sports club volunteers and how to manage those involved in events.
- ASC - Volunteer coordinator- Understand the importance of a volunteer coordinator within your organisation and learn about their roles and responsibilities.