The Volunteer Experience At London 2012: Louise Duffy

Name: Louise Duffy
Role: Athlete Services Team Member
Area: Hockey
No of Days Volunteered: 21
Current Location: Glasgow

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

“As part of the Athlete Services team, our role was to look after athletes and management teams throughout the athlete journey at the competition venue. This is from the moment they arrive at the venue, to stepping out on the pitch, to their departure back to the Athlete’s Village. My morning would start with a check of all the changing rooms, coaching boxes, video tower and athlete lounge to make sure they were clean, fully stocked and ready for the athletes.  I was there to welcome the athletes when they arrived at the venue and escorted them to the warm-up pitch. Once the matches began we were responsible for monitoring the video tower, looking after the team members sitting in the athlete seating area, ensuring the players were out on the pitch in time for the second half and then taking care of the next set of teams who would be arriving for the next match.  When a match was finished, we were then responsible for accompanying the coach and captain to the press conference, ensuring the changing rooms got cleaned ready for the next team and seeing the teams to their transport back to the Village.”

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?

“Before the Olympics I had very little volunteering experience within hockey, I had only volunteered at the Euro Hockey Youth Championships in Edinburgh in 2007 where I was a steward. The scale of the competition, the number of spectators and the number of athletes was far smaller. However, I think it was my experience as a hockey player which helped me to get selected for the role with the Athlete Services team.  Having been playing hockey for 14 years, I have taken part in many tournaments and have experienced the highs and lows that come with playing the sport. Although I have never played at an Olympic Games, I understood some of the thoughts and feelings the players had which I think was vital in a role where you are working so closely with the athletes themselves.  I think having the knowledge and experience of the sport was essential for me to be selected for my role.”

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

“To be part of something as iconic as the Olympics Games, nothing can really prepare you for what is in store. I didn’t exactly know what to expect but I thought as a volunteer I would probably be running around the basement corridors of a stadium, seeing very little sport and being unable to experience any of the atmosphere. The reality was the opposite. In my role I was fortunate enough to see a lot of hockey and was at the heart of the action in the hockey arena.
I didn’t expect my actions as a volunteer or the Gamesmakers as a whole to make much of an impact on either the athletes or the public. However I was astounded at the number of players, managers and people in London who stopped me and thanked me, as an individual and as a Gamesmaker for the work we were doing. I was also amazed at the strength of the friendships I developed with the other volunteers. All the volunteers and members of staff had a common aim to help make the Games a success and were more than happy to help each other out whether it was simply a friendly smile or helping carry an ice bath into a changing room! It really was an incredible event and experience to be a part of.”

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?

“I hope that the volunteers for the Commonwealth Games, not just at the hockey venue, will go into the event with the same enthusiasm and passion as the Gamesmakers, to make the Games a huge success.  From my experience at the Olympics and also from all the news coverage, I think it is apparent that the volunteers at these pinnacle sports events really can make a huge difference to the experience of the athletes and also the spectators.  I have no doubt that the hockey volunteers will be capable of making the competition in Glasgow just as successful as it was in London.”

If you are interested in sharing a once and a life time expeirence like Louise, Glasgow 2014 are still recruiting volunteers! Please click here for more info.

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