Volunteers' Week - From helping out to World Championship selection

This week is Volunteers' Week. To highlight the outstanding work along with amazing opportunities that volunteering offers, we have found a young volunteer with Welsh Athletics, Amy Price. Here, she talks about her expereince, motivation and her highlights:

What are your roles and what do you do as a volunteer ?

I am a field official and I officiate at many different events of different levels ranging from junior leagues with my club to national competitions with Welsh Athletics. I officiate on all field events completing all variety of duties. For example, I could start the day retrieving hammers, followed by leading a pole vault and then measuring a long jump. Sometimes I'm a member of a team with a list of duties to follow and at other times I'm the one creating that list of duties and organising the other officials as field referee.

How did you get involved in Athletics and volunteering?

I began my participation in Athletics as an athlete, first competing in long distance running events before moving to throwing the javelin and eventually stopping competing due to a chronic knee injury. During my time throwing the javelin I began to start volunteering on the field in between events alongside my dad who is also a field official. I really enjoyed my experiences and decided I wanted to complete the course and become a qualified official. I completed the course in 2013 and it all went on from there.

How long have you been involved in the sport?

I began as an athlete in 2009 before retiring and becoming an official in 2013, so 8 years overall.

What do you enjoy and what are the benefits?

I enjoy the relationships that I have developed with other officials and even with athletes that I get to have a chat with at events. I enjoy watching athletes do well and achieve what they want and knowing that me volunteering has given them the opportunity to achieve these things is what really matters to me. The benefits for me include the fact that my commitment makes me get out of bed on the weekends and gives me something to dedicate my time to. I have gained friends from across the UK through officiating and I wish to continuing officiating for a long time.

Have you any highlights from your time volunteering in the sport?

I think the stand out highlight for me is being selected to officiate at the IAAF World Championships and World ParaAthletics Championships in London this summer. I was very surprised but I feel so honoured to be selected for such a prestigious event and I'm very grateful for everyone who has faith in me and those who have helped me to get to where I am.

What are your other interests?

I also volunteer as a Brownie leader with Girl Guiding Cymru and am currently training to become a PE teacher at University. I used to play football and have a huge love for that still but Athletics does take up the majority of my spare time. 

Further details of how to get involved in volunteering in Wales, please visit the Welsh Athletics volunteering pages.