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 Pete…
About Me:
I am a father of two girls in primary school. During my youth and early adulthood, I played a lot of basketball until my early 30s when I stopped due to an injury. Although I didn’t often have access to great coaching, basketball taught me valuable life skills such as teamwork, leadership, winning and losing, and trusting and relying on my teammates. I wanted my daughters to have similar experiences in a fun, safe, and competitive environment, so I started coaching. I have just started my 3rd season of coaching and really enjoy it.
What made you volunteer?
Knowing that our club was primarily run by volunteers, I expressed interest in finding out more about coaching. I wanted to volunteer for something I was passionate about, which was creating a fun, positive, and safe environment for my daughters and their teammates to learn and develop their basketball skills. I wanted to ensure they got all the benefits of playing basketball and had fun experiences playing together, building their love and passion for the sport. It brings me a lot of satisfaction to see the kids improve each week.
What’s the best thing about coaching?
The best thing about coaching is being a part of the girls’ development, teaching them the game, and learning and growing through experience. Coaching has made me a better person, and I enjoy being around the girls and helping them achieve their goals.
What advice would you have for someone thinking about volunteering? Volunteering as a coach can be a highly rewarding experience. You don’t really need a background in basketball to be successful; just being able to create a fun, learning, and competitive experience is enough. Coaching will challenge and help you grow in ways that may surprise you. Especially at the youth age, you will learn the game together and how to coach along the way. Our club does a great job of supporting your coaching journey and is there to provide help when you need it.
