In honour of National Volunteer Week 2022, we've celebrated just a few of the many amazing volunteers across our Netball SA family.
Volunteers are truly at the heart of our great game and at Netball SA, we are forever grateful for everything they do to help netball grow and thrive all across South Australia.
As we take the time to acknowledge their immense contribution, we also say thank you for their dedication and passion.
#1 Carly Heintze
"I volunteer because I love to see players smile, laugh and enjoy netball! Our association may be small, but we have such passion and drive when joining together as teams"
Carly's Story:
I have been involved with Mallee Netball Association for 30 years, as a club player, association executive Secretary, Treasurer and committee member (oh my!). I've also been a part of Mallee Country Championships for over 10 years, in various roles of coaching, umpiring, team managing, as well as Coordinator for the Mallee Association for 4 years.
I volunteer because I love to see players smile, laugh and enjoy netball! Our association may be small, but we have such passion and drive when joining together as teams. Some players may never play outside their own clubs, and Country Champs enables them to travel to the big smoke, play on courts their idols may have played on and experience comradery and mateship, making lifelong friends in the process. If I can help them achieve this then I will continue to do whatever I can. I have 4 daughters, all have been or still are involved with country champs. I still wish that all Mallee players get the opportunity to play against their peers. It is time and effort to coordinate 6 clubs, but I feel whilst I can still do this, why not.
#2 Chris Allen
"Volunteering is rewarding. Seeing people become more confident as they achieve each goal in their lives. Sport is a wonderful way to achieve team work together and see friendships form"
#3 Jasmin Luscott
"I love volunteering around my favourite sport and my favourite team, knowing that all my effort on game days helps them, which makes me want to keep doing it"
Jasmin's Story:
I volunteer because I like knowing that the effort and time I put in helps the outcome. I also volunteer because I like the aspect of being a part of a team which you feel being a part of Team Pink or coaching at my netball club Reynella. I also volunteer because with my experiences with SEDA College and Netball SA, I have grown a passion to want to work in the industry and strive to be a part of that. After finishing with SEDA last year I have realised the opportunities I have had with them have helped me today, they gave me the set up for everything I have achieved. I love volunteering around my favourite sport and my favourite team, knowing that all my effort on game days helps them, which makes me want to keep doing it. I love the buzz that a game day gives you, because no matter how you feel you always know that you will feel 100 times happier when you are at the game helping. The most important part as to why I like volunteering is feeling like you are a part of the team but also a family. Netball SA and the Adelaide Thunderbirds makes every single person who is there feel a part of their family. I love volunteering my time towards helping my club out as well, I like that I can grow my skills around coaching with support from everyone.
#4 Trish Wooding
"Seeing them run around with huge smiles on their faces makes it all worth while"
Trish's Story:
The reason I volunteer is that I enjoy helping and if clubs, schools etc don't have volunteers our children can't do all the extra sports, music, dance etc that they all love to do. The Penola Netball Club is a huge part of our town, and to keep netball going strong in our town we need volunteers. I love how happy the kids are while training and playing, they get to spend time with their friends and make new friends. NetSetGO sets our children up for success on the netball court and seeing them run around with huge smiles on their faces makes it all worth while. When we played at half time of the Thunderbirds match I don't think I have seen kids SO excited in my life, the smiles and pure joy on their faces was gold. Seeing the kids being active and having fun makes me happy.
#5 Tracey Boxer
"I have made some lovely friendships along the way of which I will cherish for a long time"
Tracey's Story:
I volunteer because I love helping all the clubs out. I have made some lovely friendships along the way of which I will cherish for a long time. And for some stupid reason I love doing admin work. I am in my 18th year of volunteering and will finish up when I get to 20 years.
#6 Brendan Loechel
"I have always loved sports and my parents, like many others volunteered, where required. It’s fantastic to be able to contribute to providing an environment for the kids from Birdwood and surrounds to be able to come and participate and learn to enjoy sports"
Brendan's Story:
I have been President of the Birdwood Football and Netball Club for the last 4 years and am currently helping coach the U11s Netball team where my daughter is playing. Sporting clubs across the country are all suffering from a lack of volunteers and in many cases clubs or teams have folded because there are not enough people to help out. Our community really needs our sporting clubs to remain active so I am only too happy to put my hand up to help out. The rewards for volunteering are numerous but I think the main ones are the contribution to the community and the fact you are able to give kids an opportunity to play sport. I have always loved sports and my parents, like many others, volunteered where required. It’s fantastic to be able to contribute to providing an environment for the kids from Birdwood and surrounds to be able to come and participate and learn to enjoy sports.
#7 Jo Franklin
"Being involved in netball as coach and administrator for over 45 years has given me so much pleasure to see so many country players from all over the state succeed at all levels"
Jo's Story:
I volunteer because I am passionate about ensuring our country netballers get as much exposure and opportunity to develop and display their skills and love of the game. Being involved in netball as coach and administrator for over 45 years has given me so much pleasure to see so many country players from all over the state succeed at all levels. Watching our little Net Set GO players through our 9-year-olds and all the junior grades to our A1 gives me so much pleasure. The friendships made are so precious and valued.
#8 Steve McInnes
"One of my key thoughts to keep me involved as a volunteer is 'do it for those that are to come after us'”
Steve's Story:
My reasons for volunteering have very much changed over the years, early on I volunteered to simply keep the association (South Australian Men's and Mixed Netball Association) going, now I volunteer an even larger portion of my time to make sure that all future athletes have a secure pathway to play netball. One of my key thoughts to keep me involved as a volunteer is “do it for those that are to come after us”. I simply want the association and opportunities for future netballers to be greater than they are now and greater than those that I had when I started playing. I enjoy many things, mostly the sense of community and friendship my various volunteer roles have given me over the years. Volunteering has brought so many people into my life that I would not have met otherwise. I also enjoy being able to share and give back my knowledge to help grow others and enhance their future opportunities. Finally, I take real joy out of resourcing and building the association and gearing it up for a wonderfully bright future that will see so many more young athletes come through the ranks and grow into great players who will hopefully enjoy great success and possibly one day even become household names.
