Meet Kiwi hotshot volunteer
explains how Kristy Havill hopes to gain better recognition for volunteers in sport and their work behind the scenes
I still remember the various coaches that I had that volunteered not just their time, but also their passion that then meant we had a truly enjoyable experience. Without volunteers the world would struggle to go around. Lincoln University student Kristy Havill One thing that I would like to contribute would be to make sure that volunteers get properly recognised . . .
We see the athletes, the teams, and the coaches, but we rarely see the people behind the scenes. Lincoln University student Kristy Havill is hoping to change that by paving the way for volunteers in sport.
Havill, a third-year Sport and Recreation Management student, has achieved considerable success in clay target shooting, representing New Zealand six times in Down The Line, a variation on trap shooting. She contested that event at the 2016 world championships in Ireland.
Competing in the Australian championship earlier this month, Havill qualified in the top 10 per cent of the women’s final and won silver with her New Zealand team in the women’s team event.
Growing up and competing on the West Coast, the ambitious 21-year-old quickly recognised how important volunteers were to the organisation and development of sport.
“Volunteers were absolutely essential,” Havill told the Weekend Herald. “I still remember the various coaches that I had that volunteered not just their time, but also their passion that then meant we had a truly enjoyable experience.
“Without volunteers the world would struggle to go around.”
When she was 14, Havill decided to balance her own sporting endeavours to begin volunteering as a touch rugby coach.
In the following years, she continued to expand her efforts volunteering in both coaching and umpiring roles for volleyball and netball, before opting to coach the Lancaster Park Cricket Club junior girl’s cricket team last year.
Havill also became involved with the Forward Foundation, which aims to identify aspirational young female sport leaders to inspire participation in girls’ sports.
Then leading the way for university students, Havill became the president of the Lincoln University Recreation Society, which offers students volunteer and paid opportunities in the sport and recreation sector.
Her desire to grow sport saw Havill selected by University Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) earlier this year to represent her country at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Volunteer Leaders’ Academy in Kazan, Russia.
Havill will be the only New Zealand representative to attend the prestigious international volunteering forum, which hosts selected students from around the world to provide practical training on volunteer recruiting, leadership, and the organisation of volunteer programmes.
Havill said she hopes to obtain valuable information she can use to help grow university sport participation across New Zealand, and further enhance recognition for volunteers.
“I’m really looking forward to just soaking up the information, the discussions and the experiences. I think on the whole it is just going to be one amazing learning opportunity,” said Havill.
“University sport in New Zealand isn’t as popular here as it is in other countries.
“UTSNZ, even though it is such a new organisation, has already brought about some incredible opportunities for tertiary athletes in New Zealand. There’s only room to grow, so I would love to assist with that.
“I think one thing that I would like to contribute would be to make sure that volunteers get properly recognised . . . For many people, they would tell you that they do not volunteer for the tangible benefits, but in order to retain those volunteers, we need to remember to thank them and recognise them accordingly.”
Continuing to juggle her extensive list of volunteering roles, training, tournaments, and full-time study, Havill said her planning diary often ended up “a bit worse for wear” and she wasn’t entirely sure about how she managed to fit everything in.
“I do love a good to-do list and I have a fairly sturdy diary planner that gets used constantly,” she said.
“Everything coming up, from assignments to family get-togethers to Crusaders home games that I might go to are written in it as soon as I hear about it.
“Knowing in advance what weeks and months are busier than others is always a massive help, because it allows me to squeeze more work in during quieter times that can then take the stress off a little bit during hectic times.”
Volunteers rarely get paid for the work they do, and are often left with the toughest jobs to handle. However, Havill said that being able to assist in a sector she loves, and to inspire others to take on volunteering opportunities, has “made it all worth it”.
“It’s what other people get out of my volunteering that makes it special,” she said. “I like to see people for who they are and volunteering allows me to work with new people and help them to set and achieve their goals. If I can help just one person, it’s totally worth it.
“I encourage others to get involved, I draw on my own experience to share the benefits with them. It may not always be obvious straight away, but volunteering can benefit people after they graduate, in work and other areas of their life.”
“If you can get your time management sorted there will definitely be time to give back, and you may even find it is the one of the most beneficial uses of your time.”