By William Moncrieff, Communications Manager
The National Senior Learning Disability Swimming Championships took place on Saturday 18th May, with volunteers playing a vital part in the day’s smooth running. sportscotland’s communication theme for the month of June, #VolunteerInSport, has provided the perfect opportunity to highlight all the contributions of volunteers throughout the course of the championship.
Volunteers showed up and supported in many different roles: coaches, scorers and general helpers.
The Championships were held in Inverness and Josie Aitken was a key volunteer, Team Highland. Josie said, “I’m here with the local swim team, which I’ve been involved with for around 20 years. I’m the swim team secretary and I’m here to help everyone, making sure that both the swimmers and coaches have everything they need for the day.”
She continued to say: “I get such a buzz from these competitions; I just love seeing all the other clubs here and just seeing everyone taking part”.
As part of the Young Leaders program, four students from local schools attended the championships. “When you’re a leader you get involved at your school, and your leadership coordinator gets you to help out at sports days, primary school sports days and other events that are happening in the local area”, said Young Leader, Tori.
“It’s been really good seeing the swimmers enjoy themselves, both when they win or if they lose”, said Tori.
Tori urges anyone to try volunteering, “Just speak to someone about it and don’t be scared. Soon you get into it, it’s a great community and once you get started everyone seems to know everyone else and it’s a great place to be.”
Another one of the young leaders, Grace, explained that, “I’ve really enjoyed watching the swimming, never having seen it in person before. You can see how much everyone is enjoying it, they’re finding it to be a fantastic experience.”
Commenting on the impact of volunteers, Grace said: “Volunteers are really important, they’re always there to help. The events couldn’t go on without them.”
Participants also commented on the impact and importance of volunteers.
“I would like to thank my coaches, Eileen and Jen, along with all the helpers. They’ve done a great job”, said Maria, one of the swimmers from Dundee Discovery.
Kai, a volunteer from Team Glasgow, explained how the day had been great for his personal development. “I haven’t worked with a group with learning disabilities before. I had only worked with children, going through some of the basics. So, for me this has been good, developing new skills and gaining confidence by coaching a new group.”
Tracey Hunter, another volunteer from Team Glasgow, shared her thoughts on the day. “We’ve all got on really well. The swimmers have all been great and they have been smashing their personal bests.”
When asked how important volunteers are for the club, Tracy said, “volunteers are everything. If it wasn’t for volunteers we wouldn’t have a club”.
The number of people volunteering across the country has declined over recent years, due to several different factors. However, the experiences and skills that one can gain through volunteering are hugely impactful and beneficial.
Tracey explained that once people start to volunteer, they love it. “They see the benefits for the kids and the adults from being in the water and competing. It gives them confidence and something to look forward to. It’s all about the community and the social environment.”
If you would be interested in volunteering, you can explore this by reaching out to your local branch to see what opportunities are available.