Champion volunteers

This article appears in the August 2009 edition of Sportshorts.

Profiling the efforts of sporting volunteers in NSW

Charlie Bates

• Age: Put it this way, I am way past even playing in the golden oldies friendly matches!
• Years volunteering to sport: 42

Current club/association/organisations:

• Cronulla Caringbah Sharks Junior Rugby League Club (Life Member)
• Vice President, Cronulla Sutherland District Junior Rugby League Club

Current volunteer role(s):

• Care Taker and Ground Manager
• I also contribute to the club in many ways such as registrations, canteen and bar service and any other job I am required to help with.

 

Why do you volunteer?
I enjoy being around the players, who vary from four to 40 years of age. I like watching them enjoy their sport. It’s also very social for me.

What does your role involve?
How many hours a week do you dedicate? I volunteer about seven hours a day seven days a week. I am also a Vice President of the District Junior League and also support our local team in the NSW Cup competition by doing all the ground announcements at home games.

What’s the key to getting people to volunteer for sport?
Most important is to make people feel important and that anything they do to help is valued. Ask people to help and let them know they are contributing to something very valuable.

What’s been your most rewarding moment?
Each season there are always great memories, whether it’s watching a five year old score their first try or make their first tackle or whether it’s a premiership win. The best moments are usually when we get together socially to watch a game and laugh with friends.

What’s not so good about volunteering?
One of the worst parts is when spectators abuse officials, when all they are trying to do is adhere to the rules of the game. Being a Ground Manager sometimes can be hard work, particularly when the crowd becomes abusive.

How important is the club/sport to you?
Cronulla Caringbah Sharks is my life. People I coached when they were young are now bringing their children down to play and it is a great feeling to register their sons.

What would you spend your time on if you didn’t volunteer?
Being involved in the rugby league club structures my time in a very positive way. It gives me something valuable to contribute to and provides a healthy social option.

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.