London 2012 Volunteers look forward to Glasgow 2014

With the application process for volunteering for Glasgow 2014 now open we take a look back at some of the success stories of our Scottish volunteers at London 2012.

Over the next few weeks we will relive their experiences, sharing the highs of working at the largest sporting event Great Britain has ever seen and hearing what they got out of the experience.

With many of these volunteers likely going on to be involved in Glasgow 2014 here is your chance to hear their story and find out what you can potentially get out of the Commonwealth Games.

Name: Keith Joss
Role: Field of Play Team Member
Area: Sport
No. of Days Volunteered: 14
Current Location: Glasgow

Q: Tell us about your role at the hockey venue at the Olympics Games in London?

A: “The role of Field of Play team member involved working in a team of eight people looking after the athletes, team officials and technical officials from their entry to the Field of Play (the pitch) for warm up until their exit through the media mixed zone (interviews with the press).

We had to ensure the facilities were prepared to the high standards expected by the teams and technical officials, especially the watering of the pitch and the servicing of the team bench area. This involved close liaison with the manufacturers for sport equipment and pitch providers. Other roles included access control to the Field of Play (no one was allowed on), similar preparations on the warm up pitch and interactions with other clients on the Field of Play including press and broadcast. Our moment of fame came when there was a blood injury on the pitch and we were called on by the umpires to clean it up using special cleaning products.

One more unusual task involved removing strands of blue turf from pink surface by hand (this took a while but was great team work). One of the most important instructions from our Leader was to be discrete, not to get in the way of the team or to stand out in the background shots of the TV cameras.”

Q: What previous experience did you have before the Olympics and how do you think it helped you to get selected as a volunteer? How did the experience compare to the other voluntary roles you do here in Scotland?

A: “I used to be the lead organiser for indoor events at Kelvin Hall and outdoor events at Bellahouston, so a very different role from a Field of Play team member. I had no idea how much detail there could be in a Field of Play! I also used to be involved in the Great Britain Super League and other roles within international hockey.

The volunteer model at a major Games, like the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, makes your role a lot more focused than organising many different aspects of an event due to the sheer scale of the event. There is a lot more attention to detail and you are the eyes and ears of the competition management team. Volunteers seemed to get a lot more recognition and build up good relationships due to the length of the event and the exposure to the different client groups.”

Volunteer Setup (larger)

Q: How did your experiences compare to your expectations before you started your role?

A: “The days were very long especially if you were on an early shift but at the same time it didn’t feel long as there was always something to oversee. Being a volunteer was definitely more rewarding than I expected, especially building relationships with other departments that were difficult at the start but clicked into place as the tournaments went on. I also felt I had a good understanding with all the client groups, especially the teams who understood my role and felt they could ask for my help with tasks. It goes without saying that the other volunteers in the Field of Play team will be friends for life”

Q: What are your expectations for the volunteers who will be working at the hockey venue during the Commonwealth Games and how you think it will compare to the Olympics?

A: “We are very lucky to have a purpose built, brand new venue going in place for 2014 – what a great legacy for our sport already. It is definitely the time for Scotland to show the best of what we have and give an opportunity to our home-grown volunteers. We should also be aiming to be the best of the best, working on what we learnt as a team of volunteers in London and making this an event to remember for all the right reasons.

Other Comments: Remember this opportunity will not come again in our generation. It will be hard work but there will be so many great memories, it will be very rewarding, and you will be amazing how quickly you adapt to a surreal situation.”

Remember applications close at the end of February so if you haven’t submitted your application form go to the Glasgow 2014 site now!

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