September Volunteer of the Month

Nikki is a valued J1 official and the Officials Co-ordinator for Team Bath AS. Her role is to coordinate the training and assignment of officials at our meets and competitions that the club attends as well as officiating herself.

Why is Nikki Outstanding?

Open meet success is a vital element in the survival of our club not only in terms of reputation but ensuring that we provide appropriate competitions to the swimmers at varying levels of development from Level 3 to Level 1. Without Nikki’s co-ordination of officials these would not have run smoothly. Her personal qualities of being well organised, approachable and enthusiastic ensure that the committee and open meet team have confidence that all elements of her role will be completed smoothly.

The income generated from having enough officials attending our Open meets enable the club to survive. This ensures that fees are not increased dramatically which has a direct effect on our parents.

What has Nikki achieved?

Nikki has continued her self-development and is currently undertaking J2 training. She recently helped out at another network club for their club championships. In November 2016 the club ran a Level 2 meet, our expenditure for officials expenses was very high. Together with the Treasurer and the Workforce co-ordinator a new officials expenses policy was put into place at the next meet in March 2017 and the expenses were cut dramatically (again having an effect on the profitability and sustainability of the club).

Nikki is key to ensuring that all officials feel that they are treated well and with respect. She is always keen to thank all the officials and speak to clubs that have attended. Little touches like co-ordinating well with the open meet team ensuring breaks for refreshments and lunch are well planned. This is why so many feel that once they have helped out at a meet they will often return.

Besides our own meets she is committed to officiating at county, regional and open competitions. Often giving up full weekends of her valuable time before returning as many other volunteers to work the following day. She co-ordinates with our competition secretary and the Head coach ensuring that we provide officials for events.  At youth regionals, even when she had completed her volunteering an announcement went out for more officials for the final Monday afternoon session and she agreed to stay and help at the last minute.

Over the last year our own meets have required 25 officials at every single session, with up to 7 sessions running over a weekend. The requirements for officials at meets are strict and need to be fulfilled under licencing laws for swimming competitions to the letter.  She has shown determination under challenging circumstances when with days to go we did not have the required number. Nikki followed up every lead, asking other members of the committee and team to use all their contacts. It is qualities like staying calm and the ability to adjust and adapt to following a new plans of communication that are valuable to a club like ours. This has paid off with a successful meets this season.

Nikki’s on-going commitment to the club and contribution to it achieving its full potential cannot be underestimated. When you are tired on a Friday and then know that you will be up early and officiating full time for the next 2-3 days and that the clubs is reliant on these meets it is very stressful and at times the club has had to think whether the competitions can run at all. It is through her determination and what other people around see in her that inspires volunteers to make the same commitment. She is an outstanding role model for all the aquatic community.

Impact

During the recent Volunteers Week Nikki was given a club certificate for her volunteering with the slogan YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE and the details sent with an advert about Officials Training starting on the 20th June to the club membership and details were also tweeted. We had a course with 12 places to fill and some places were still available. Following the tweets we were able to fill the course which is currently running. This has had a direct impact in the number of volunteer officials that we have training and within the network. This in turn will improve the sustainability of the club and encourage others to take up roles. Each member of Team Bath AS also has a home club and county that will benefit from newly trained officials. She has targeted our meet in September to ensure that the trainee officials will be supported by a mentor.

TWEET: Thank you to Nikki for your volunteering as the @TeamBathAS Officials Co-ordinator & helping at all the meets @f2e8e7911e79435 #IVOLUNTEER

The tweet had 17 likes and 3 retweets with impressions of 1,137 and 84 interactions with this tweet.  Chris Alderton “Congratulations Nikki and thank you for everything you do for the club”

Team Bath AS swimmers, coaches, parent and committee appreciate the selfless role that Nikki has undertaken volunteering and we appreciate all her efforts and her impact on our club.