Volunteer applications still open to join in on the fun of 2021 Australian Volleyball Schools Cup
The largest school-based sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere will return to the Gold Coast from 5-9 December, with Volleyball Australia’s marquee junior participation event bringing together secondary school teams to enjoy volleyball, friendly camaraderie and enthusiastic competition amongst the nation’s school community.
After last year’s unfortunate cancellation, the 2021 Gerflor Australian Volleyball Schools Cup (AVSC) will return with a reduced duration, the only major change in an event otherwise packed with the usual features that make it one of the blockbusters on VA’s calendar.
One thing that will certainly not disappoint participants is the amazing volunteer team that will support the smooth running of the event, a bunch of fun and dedicated people providing customer service, information and other invaluable help across court operations, logistics, community engagement and refereeing.
Chelsea Hopper and Dani Hinton are two of the Australian Volleyball Schools Cup volunteers who enjoyed their experience in previous events and – with applications for volunteering still open – encourage everyone to join in on the fun.
In fact, Chelsea’s advice could not be clearer: “Just get involved!” she said.
Chelsea played in the Schools Cup when she was living in South Australia and always enjoyed the fun of travelling to the event and playing against fellow students. For her, volunteering became a way to stay involved with the community and a chance to still be part of the experience alongside her friends.
“When I finished school I had friends in the year below me that still wanted to go and I thought I’d jump on the volunteer bandwagon, so I could still be involved.
“From that first year there’s a group of us that all still stay in touch, and look forward to getting back together each year. We’re all friends for life now since volunteering together,” she said.
Many young volunteers are sometimes unsure whether to apply for a volunteer role, worried that they might not know enough about how events are run to be able to make a meaningful contribution. Chelsea said the learning experience that comes with being involved in a sporting event is in fact one of the bigger positives she took from volunteering.
“Being my first time volunteering, I had no idea of what went on behind the scenes to run an event so large. So I was very hesitant, but you’ve just got to step out of your comfort zone and give it a crack – it’s so much fun,” she said.
Dani Hinton’s drive to volunteer comes from a similar experience. Unable to play due to injury, she wanted to stay involved in the sport and spend time with her friends. After the first time, she enjoyed volunteering so much that she kept signing up for more and more events.
“The people I’ve met along the way are definitely a highlight of my experience. I’ve managed to meet international players and got a chance to hang with them. I’ve even received some flowers as a gesture of appreciation from some Brazilian players who had just won an event and that was pretty cool.
“I’ve also had drinks with Russian and German players – I still don’t know what they were saying, but we all laughed a lot! I think it was my accent,” she said.
Dani’s words of advice resonate particularly with the younger volunteers involved in an event where people of all ages can roll up their sleeves and make a contribution.
“Be prepared to work hard,” Dani added. “Everyone will appreciate it and the long days will go quickly when you’re busy.
“All volunteers work hard and there is a lot of respect for one another. Then at the end you get to celebrate with the many good friends you’ve made!”
Volleyball Australia is seeking enthusiastic volunteers for the 2021 Gerflor Australian Volleyball Schools Cup on the Gold Coast, with plenty of roles still available. Head over to the AVSC website for more information and a chance to apply.
