ABOUT YOU
Name: June Traill
Age: 52
Hometown: Bushmills
Current Voluntary Roles: Swimming Coach for Ballymoney Amatuer Swimming Club, Swim Ireland Official, Technical Timing and Official For Swim Ulster
INTRODUCTION TO VOLUNTEERING
1. Did you have any sporting experience prior to volunteering?
Yes. Athletics, tennis, squash and hockey at both school and club level.
2. What first attracted you to volunteering in sport?
Respect for what others put in for me to achieve my sporting goals. Knowing that they had given me valuable knowledge & values that I could pass on.
3. What qualifications did you have prior to the role?
As a Swim Coach I had no prior swimming qualifications. I did these as my four boys progressed through the club, over the last 15+ years. As a Swim Official I also had no previous qualifications held.
VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT
4. What has sustained your involvement with Ballymoney Swimming Club?
Satisfaction of seeing own kids and their team mates achieve highest level of swimming in their country (National age group medals). Knowing that I have knowledge and experience that can easily be given to parents and eager swimmers. Seeing the kids do well and progress when they really want to do so. Seeing other coaches/parents eager to learn and imparting new knowledge to help swimmers’progression.
5. Have you gained additional qualifications in your voluntary roles?
Yes, quite a few. I’ve gained qualifications as a club coach, a swim teacher and as an Official for Swim Ireland.
6. Besides additional qualifications, what have you gained in these experiences?
During my time as a club coach I have made many new friends. When I arrived in the area it was the best way to be able to settle into the community, get to know everyone and feel that you had purposeful input. Volunteering is very rewarding. You don’t need a ‘thank you’ or lots of awards to know when you are having a positive effect on the swimmers’ lives. I get cards and emails from past swimmers often saying just how grateful they were to their time with the club, and what it has done for them. I am coaching some of their children now!
7. Greatest moment as a volunteer?
When our national squad won the National relay medals and took a record (we really upset the big clubs that year). Another would be my four boys winning the Antrim Relay medals in the same race. There are too many great moments – every time a swimmer gets a personal best, learns a new skill, gets a medal, qualifies for an event or has a good training session. I won Coach of the Year for Ballymoney town and then went on to win in the Causeway Coast & Glens Council Sports Awards – I was a disaster on stage collecting the award, but for me the greatest moment of the event was just being nominated, to have the teamwork within the club recognised. I never expected to win.
AND FINALLY…
8. What are the three best things about volunteering in sport?
1: Making life-long friends. 2: Helping others achieve their sporting goals (they will in turn pass that on one day). 3: Sense of achievement long after you can play the sport.
9. What advice would you provide to other women and girls considering a voluntary role in sport?
Start early; gain as much experience as possible. Watch and listen. Get in the water (or on the pitch) and try the drills. Listen to feedback. Enjoy it. Work hard at it. Volunteer with a friend. If undecided as to whether to volunteer – just do it. If you don’t feel you can volunteer to coach there are always dozens of other vital volunteer roles that can take up only 30 minutes of a week – that helps makes a difference to any club.
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