PART THREE Volunteers feel strain

“I take my hat off to them to take their time and want to be a part of it and provide their services to get some football played. Without them we don’t have a game.

“I think wellbeing in the COVID period is a community responsibility, that we’re all working together to identify the potential is there and we can put some resources towards putting assistance in place.”

Former Central Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys coach Grant Bell has been around regional sport for long enough to know how crucial the role and wellbeing of volunteers is.

When he led the NRL side in its first year the majority of staff were unpaid, operating off a love for rugby league and desire to make something special in the state’s North.

Bell wonders who “the future custodians of sport” will be and said community sport could not survive without volunteers.

He said as sport has become a business and avenue for athletes to pursue careers, the strain on unpaid helpers had driven many from their roles, and protocols for sports return needed to be rethought for North Queensland to satisfy the disparity in resources between metropolitan areas.

“You can’t make the broad assumption the goodwill will get through when everyone is struggling a bit, (and) you add that to a challenge that’s already on a diminishing volunteer group,” Bell said.

“I think we should be concerned for the potential mental health concerns of many of our volunteers who may feel obligated to take on more and more responsibilities.

“Because of that expectation for future employment there’s been a loss of those who are volunteers.”