Volunteers - committee, coaches, first-aiders etc, give up an extraordinary amount of their time to make the club run.
Firstly, the committee members are working ALL year round as meetings do not stop with the end of the season. The next season has to be worked on immediately - coaches appointed, players recruited, sponsors confirmed, expenses paid.
Once pre-season starts, volunteers are on hand for approx 6 hours per week - 10 weeks of pre-season means 60 hours.
From the 1st game, the mid week committment increases to about 8 hours per week, or 176 hours.
Home games can see a volunteer on duty for 12 hours. Total there for 8 home games is 96 hours.
Away games require about 5 hours - for 8 away games that's 40 hours.
Working bees will see the volunteer around the club for approx. 20 hours per year, and organising and running social functions will also take about 40 hours.
That's a total of approx. 432 hours ( excluding off-season meetings etc ), all upaid, and whilst working full time ( sometimes self employed ) and taking care of every day life with family etc.
So, next time a volunteer taps you on the arm and says " Can you spare an hour or so in the canteen/bar/BBQ ?", don't think " Why did they ask me?". Instead, think " I can do that easy!".
Last Modified on 16/02/2013 09:39