By William Moncrieff, Communications Officer
To mark National Volunteers’ Week (2nd–9th June), SDS spoke with the Thomson family, who have been dedicated volunteers in the boccia community for many years.
Every family has its own favorite hobbies and for the Thomson family, it’s all about boccia. From parents Sam and Darren to their sons Fraser and Martin, the whole family shares a passion for the sport.
Darren (52 years-old) explained what it is like to have his family involved in the sport that he has devoted 25 years to.
“I think for me, it’s just the fact that we can all do it together and be together. We are a boccia family and we do everything as a family.”
Each member of the Thomson family has got involved in the sport in different ways, with Sam (51 years-old) now being actively involved for 10 years. However, it took a bit of persuasion to get her to start: “Heather Lowden said to me, ‘do you not fancy getting your Level One (referee qualification)?’. Well, I am now a Level Three thanks to Heather’s persuasion,” Sam said.
Whereas for Martin, it came around a lot more naturally: “I was just around it constantly. I was taken along to help and I just enjoyed being around it,” the 32-year-old said.
Each member of the Thomson family enjoys a different aspect of boccia. Fraser (24-years-old) appreciates the sense of community that surrounds the sport.
“I haven’t been at a competition for some time but I will still have gifts sent to me through my mum and dad. There will still be everyone asking after me and I will be asking after them. It’s a very welcoming family (the boccia family).”
He continued to say: “Now that I am out of education, I would like to get back into it because I do really miss it. I like the atmosphere, even if it is not as a referee role it is still a great atmosphere.”
Martin enjoys the process of being involved in the technical side of the sport, often enjoying the pressure that can come with volunteering at a busy event. “I was at one of the events, and it was getting a bit hectic, and I thought, right I will step up. Just doing that makes me feel good, it makes me feel good because I am there because of what I know,” he said.
With Darren being a Level Four International Referee, he often takes up the role as head referee at competition – leading and managing the referees.
He said: “Generally, in Scotland I am the head referee at the vast majority of competitions, so it’s good to have that role where I am overseeing the family at most events and venues.”
This can make Darren’s job easier, knowing exactly what they can bring as volunteers and how passionate they are about the sport. “All three of them have done an absolutely brilliant role for me across Scotland. They’ve all stood up and done something within the sport to give something back.”
Sam shared that the family has always enjoyed refereeing and helping out at events, as each week brings new opportunities to learn. “We always say if we are coaching, if you don’t come away from a competition having learnt something, it’s not worth going to.”
She continued to say: “It doesn’t matter how long you have been doing it for, you are still learning.”
“As a family, it doesn’t matter where we are traveling home from, the journey is usually spent discussing what we have done and learnt.”
Darren explained how they still make time to talk about boccia off court. “When a new set of rules come out, we sit in the living room, with a set of boccia balls and work out, ‘right what does this actually mean’.”
Sam was quick to add: “We do actually have a life outside of boccia, just not much of one.”
It’s not just boccia that the Thomson family work closely on, with all four members either being current or former employees of Active Dundee.
Both Martin and Fraser have noticed how their experiences and time spent volunteering, has supported them during their work for Active Dundee. Influenced by Darren and Sam’s strong passion for inclusion, Martin shared his thoughts on the impact it has had: “I have been able to take that knowledge of disability sport into my work. Being in and around boccia has helped me in everyday life.”
Fraser agreed with this, saying: “When I was working for Leisure and Culture Dundee, I was a sports coach – predominantly working out in the community. We would have so many different types of people, and because of what I have grown up around, I have been able to adapt really well and easily to whoever wants to join our sessions.”
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
If you would be interested in volunteering within disability sport in Scotland, check out all the current opportunities on the SDS website, here.
If you are keen to get involved in boccia as a volunteer, coach, official or player, reach out to your Regional Development Manager or contact SDS’s Boccia Development Officer, Jonathan Kennedy, by email: jonathan.kennedy@scottishdisabilitysport.com.
SDS NATIONAL EXHIBITION EVENT
If you would be interested in finding out more about SDS and how sport and physical activity can support you, sign up to attend SDS’s first ever National Exhibition Event. The event is free and is being held at the University of Stirling on Saturday 14th June. The event will allow people from all over Scotland to interact with all elements of SDS in one place.
You can also find out more about what sporting opportunities are available in your community by contacting your Regional Development Manager. To keep up-to-date on all of the ongoing work, make sure to follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram, as well as on the SDS website.
Kirsty became involved in disability sport towards the end of her time in high school, where there was an opportunity for senior pupils to volunteer in the attached ASN school. Throughout this time, Kirsty had opportunities to help in physical education classes. It was here that she saw firsthand the benefits of sport. 
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