Don’t Be a Spectator, Go Volunteer at Sporting Events
Quick question: Is there any other way to be a part of the sporting community without actually being an athlete or paying to be a spectator? Yes, there is. You could become a Volunteer! Here’s a low down of why and how you can volunteer for sporting events.
Why Volunteer?
because its the coolest thing to do; besides you get to be so close to sporting legends; you could almost tough them! Volunteering at great sporting events like the Olympics, Wimbledon and The Commonwealth Games is nothing less than scoring a goal or winning a medal; in fact you feel like you have become a part of history. There are also outdoor sporting events closer to home like the Ganga Kayak Festival, India Surf Festival and others that constantly require volunteers to help them run the show. The time spent while volunteering at any of these championships or festivals will be a whole new experience; being more specific about the skill set you can provide will be an extra-ordinary experience added to your basic day-to-day experiences.
Besides being so close to sporting Gods, you get to travel, make new friends and learn so much. Volunteers help with organising and management of the event and your role could be anything from handling social media to ushering the champions to their games to even being the ball boy/girl during the event. You could also help in event logistics, registrations and more. Volunteers are needed for things like stewarding, driving, transporting things to and fro, looking after the athletes in their village, maintaining protocol at award ceremonies and managing press in the media village. Your social circle is raised; you get to learn new things, explore new places and perform some of the activities which you might have not done ever in your life.
An added perk at some sporting events is when your lodging and boarding is taken care of by the organisers. So imagine – you’d just have to pay for your travel!
How You Can Volunteer?
The procedure begins with filling the registration form available on the websites and if not that then writing a mail to the organisers personally. Post that, either you get a reply mail or a call giving you further details. Sometimes an interview is also conducted in order to know more about you. Once you are selected, you are explained with the schedule of how the live volunteering process will be pursued. Most importantly, you also get the training of how to gel and mingle with your role models at the championships. So now if you aren’t an athlete, not a spectator but still want to be a part of your favourite sport or an outdoor activity; you can do that by reserving your place as a volunteer and gain the opportunity of being one of the spokes in the wheel of a great sporting event. It’s just a click away. By volunteering for such events you get to witness the whole championship up close – which indeed is a great experience over all.
So I guess now might be a good time to check out the sport or an outdoor festival of your choice and head out there to support your team or better yet, volunteer and become a part of history! Get set, get ready and give a sporting kick start to your outdoor travels.