Volunteer loss puts hurt on local clubs

COMMUNITY sport is suffering a massive decline in volunteers, however recognition could be what rescues clubs from the doldrums.

Inaugural North Queensland Cowboys coach Grant Bell has regularly been involved in Townsville’s local sporting scene, however he has seen for a long time volunteer bases diminish.

The coronavirus pandemic has simply “exacerbated the reality”.

Sport Australia and Volunteering Australia announced yesterday they had joined forces in a bid to address a 65 per cent decrease in numbers as a result of the health crisis.

Referees, coaches, scorers – community sport cannot thrive, or even exist, without a strong group dedicating their time, and Bell believes recognition and training could be the key to bringing back those who have left, and recruiting others. He said there was an element of fear in getting involved, and there was now an onus on high-profile, national bodies to promote the need and rewards of volunteers.

“We need to make more of the contribution our volunteers make. Without volunteers we just don’t have sport, and it’s easy to forget that and have a focus on wanting to see our child play and be the next superstar,” Bell said.

“Referees get abused, derogatory comments about their performance, and it’s a put-off to doing it. We need to strengthen those codes of conduct to make sure we are encouraging the right people to come through and stay with it.

“You’ve got to find ways to encourage them, we put a lot of effort into encouraging athletes, but clubs and sports have to be just as measurable in what they do in the volunteering space and how active are they in promoting becoming a volunteer and recognising their volunteers.

“The other part is upskilling and really broadly providing training programs in officiating, in how to be a club secretary and club treasurer.

“There are a lot of people who would be involved if they were comfortable they wouldn’t be disadvantaging someone because they feel under skilled.”