Champion volunteers

This article appears in the May 2009 edition of Sportshorts.

Profiling the efforts of sporting volunteers in NSW

Vince and Val Laws, Canterbury Junior Football Club (CJFC)

What’s kept you volunteering?
We initially got involved because Vince played and so did our children. We have four boys who all played soccer. Even though our kids don’t play anymore, we do it because we love the club. We also really enjoy being around kids and seeing them improve and enjoy soccer. Volunteering has kept us ‘young’ and active.

How many hours a week do you currently dedicate?
We’re at the ground and in the canteen every Saturday and Sunday, plus attend club meetings and spend time ordering the canteen stock during the week.

How have you juggled family commitments and volunteering?
It was made a lot easier with the whole family playing football. We couldn’t help but be involved! It was always very important to us to attend all the kids’ games and be involved in what they were doing. Football just became part of our family and life. Even tea time at our house saw the dinner table become a mini soccer field and there was always lots of discussion about soccer.

What’s the key to getting people to volunteer for sport?
It’s very, very hard these days – people need to work and just don’t have the time. We’re not really sure what the answer is. Some parents definitely need to get more interested in their child’s soccer. Some treat it like child minding – they need to get involved in the team and club and lend a hand when they can.

What’s been your most rewarding moment?
Overall, it’s terrific to see kids we’ve coached and supported over the years, come back to our CJFC with their own kids. They want their child to experience what they did through soccer. It gives you a great deal of satisfaction.

Val: I have four wonderful sons – and just to see my boys benefit from their involvement in sport has been the biggest reward of all.

Vince: My biggest shock, and proudest moment, was going to the Football NSW state dinner last year and receiving the Longest Serving Volunteer Award. Everyone who knows me would say I’m not backward in saying what I think – but I was truly speechless that night. I am very thankful to the people at Football NSW who gave me that honour. (Val says that Vince received an unprecedented standing ovation at the Awards that moved him to tears.)

How important is the club/football to you?
It’s been our world – a totally wonderful experience. It’s in our blood and we’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

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.