Name: Sharee Hitchcock
Age: 35
Club/Association: STEELERS Netball Club @ WDNA
Role: Club President, Coach and Player
Give us a snap shot of what your volunteering role(s) consists of:
In 2019 I was in my sixth year of being the President of STEELERS Netball Club – a club I started back in 2014. Being the President of a club involves lots of long hours to ensure every portfolio is doing the best it can from uniforms to umpires to fundraising to events.
This year I took an unofficial role to do what I could to assist the association on game days and where ever else I was needed.
With the club only recently introducing juniors in 2019, I coached our first ever 15 and under team who went through to win the Grand Final!!!
Why did you start volunteering?
Having played netball since I was 8 years old I was able to witness people giving up their time to make it happen. These people – including my mum – have continued being personal mentors and friends. I am thankful for the opportunities for me to be able to play in a safe friendly environment and I believe it is now my turn to give back to the community by creating the same environment for the game we love.
What do you love most about volunteering?
The people who truly appreciate what you do. There is nothing better than finishing up a week of netball to have a simple message come through that says thanks.
To see netballers out there enjoying the game from the Suncorp NetSetGO programs to the Open players and to see true friendships being formed off the court all because of the game.
I love the friendships that have been made and at times the challenges that are presented.
How has being a volunteer benefitted you?
Being a volunteer helps my organisational skills in all aspects of my life. Trying to fit in your volunteer commitments around paid work and family means you run a tight schedule and you make the most out of all the spare time you have.
It has introduced me to some of the most amazing people I now call friends – without fulfilling my volunteer role I would never have met them.
What piece of advice would you like to pass on to new or current volunteers?
Enjoy it – enjoy the fun times and the hard times because they all make you a better person. Take in the complaints because lets face it there will always be more of them than the compliments and remember this when you watch your members loving what you have enabled them to be able to do – the complaint will seem so irrelevant. Do the best you can and always take on offers of assistance.
Interested in getting involved with Volunteering? Click here for more info.
