This week is National Volunteers Week and we are celebrating our volunteer coaches. Our Club is only as strong as our coaches. We have 93 volunteer coaches, 19 of which are youth coaches. Each of these coaches gives up an hour a week for training and at least another hour for game day, and then numerous other hours prepping, looking for drills and undertaking training and team activities. For some coaches who coach multiple teams, they contribute each week is up to 6 hours a week to help out club and players.
The Club is deeply grateful to all of our coaches.
If you are interested in coaching or taking in any other volunteer roles, please contact info@banyulehawks.com.au. We are currently looking for people to help with child safety, events, social media, well-being and conduct.
We wanted to use this week to introduce you to a few of these wonderful people and share their stories.
Today, meet Amanda…
I am currently coaching Banyule Hawks 15.3 Girls.
I initially started coaching wheelchair basketball in 2006 and then switched to coaching teams at Banyule Hawks 2019.
I am an occupational therapist and currently work for VicRoads Medical Review. I started playing basketball (wheelchair basketball) in 1990 after being diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis which left me a paraplegic in 1989. I played for the Australian Gliders Wheelchair Basketball Team from 1990 until 2012. I completed at 4 Paralympics (Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, and London). I also competed in two World championships.
I decided to volunteer as a coach as my son was playing for Banyule Hawks. I also wanted to give back to the sport that had given me so many opportunities over many years.
The best thing about coaching is watching the players develop skills and confidence both on and off the court. They develop friendships and learn how to work together to achieve an outcome. If anyone was thinking about volunteering, I would say go for it. I can honestly say that I have only ever had positive experiences from volunteering and have always felt supported by the organisations I have volunteered for.
