Jane Chamberlain
Campbell Burnes catches up with the 2020 NZR Volunteer of the Year and finds a lady who is the epitome of the selfless grassroots rugby person that makes her club tick.
The 2020 NZR Volunteer of the year is at the heart of the waikanae rugby Club community.
Saturday winter mornings, waikanae Park. It’s not long after 9am. you do not have to go far to find Jane Chamberlain. She’ll be helping out on the BBQ or organising the juniors. Last year she was the junior co-convenor with Jaime Bradbury. Chances are, if her kids are playing at home, she’ll be here most of the day. but she loves it and loves the Waikanae club.
Chamberlain is the 2020 Horowhenua Kapiti Rugby Union and NZR Volunteer of the year.
“It was very surprising to receive the first one, let alone the second one,” says Chamberlain with a modesty that is typical of rugby’s many volunteers.
“There are thousands of others out there donating their time. Jaime and I make a good team. I may have won the trophy but it’s representative of all the hard work that she’s been doing as well.”
Chamberlain is Wairarapa, not Waikanae, born and bred. But her and husband Duncan, who run a business together that helps sponsor the club, are in boots and all, with Jack in the Under 11s and Finn the Under 6s. Daughter Ella gets roped into helping too.
Mum helps fundraise behind the scenes. There are always projects on the go, including doing up and painting the clubrooms.
when Rugby News caught up with Chamberlain, she had just been helping set up the club for its centennial celebrations which, like many other clubs nationwide, had been delayed 12 months due to a certain pandemic.
There are some marvellous rugby people and characters at Waikanae. Think Ashley Drake, former Horowhenua Kapiti fullback/centre, or Keith Milligan, a union centurion and hooker who is still running out for the seniors at 46 and was even married straight after one game at waikanae Park (!) this season.
Chamberlain was on hand for the nuptials, but then she is always on hand. The juniors, from the nursery grades of ages 3-5 up to the Year 8s, have grown from around 120 two years ago to around 230 in 2021. That is some growth.
“The amount of growth ideas that Jane brings to the table is just incredible. She is very much about the fun and enjoyment side of bringing the club together. She looks outside of the box of just rugby.” says Bradbury.
One of the major aims is to have the seniors and junior clubs operating as one, rather than as separate entities, which is often the case at clubs.
“we try really hard to create a family atmosphere. The juniors are all about camaraderie and sportsmanship. That goes through to the seniors,” says Chamberlain.
The seniors will run the club day and take the juniors for skills and drills and will form a guard of honour for the juniors as they run out. That is a buzz and very cute, quips Chamberlain. Then the juniors reciprocate for the main game. They may act as ballboys or ballgirls.
“The kids are so keen that we have to create a roster, or it can be a bit chaotic!” says Chamberlain.
Saturdays are hugely busy, as you can imagine.
“Sometimes my phone will start buzzing as early as 6am. I used to go to bed hoping the weather would stay fine.
“We try really hard to create a family atmosphere. The juniors are all about camaraderie and sportsmanship. That goes through to the seniors.”
Parents get quite panicky when they see a shower of rain,” she says.
But it’s all a team effort. The coaches and managers do a lot of hours.
The Horowhenua Kapiti union is full of good rugby people giving their time. Chamberlain is the fifth from this small union to win the NZR award after Ken Swain (2008), Hilton Williams (2010), Dean File (2014) and Irene Eruera-taipa (2018). HKRFU is proactive and pays more than lip service to the grassroots.
As for Chamberlain, she’ll be sideline again in 2022, of that you can be sure.
“It’s quite hard to walk away. As long as my kids are involved. I’m more than happy to help out. I love seeing the smiles as they run out in their waikanae club kit.”