Honouring the Volunteers who keep Sport going

Volunteers and club members were recognised by Melbourne University Sport at the annual Sport and Volunteer Celebration event held in their honour at the Woodward Centre in Parkville.

13 awards were presented to individuals and clubs who had made a significant contribution to Sport at the University in areas such as Service, Performance, Inclusion, Social Justice, and Innovation.

“Sport at the University relies on the contributions of all our talented and passionate volunteers. There is something like 1000 active volunteers, who volunteer over 150,000 hours annually, which are critical for providing sporting opportunities and keeping our clubs running,” commented event host Tim Lee, Director of Melbourne University Sport.

Mr Lee also spoke of how volunteers and club members were crucial contributors to the consistently high performance of the 43 clubs that compete through the University.

“Our volunteers offer advice and support on advisory groups, serve on club committees, coach, and manage the teams. They are the ones taking care of the hundreds of tasks that go into running activities, right down to cutting the oranges and sweeping the sheds”

Awards were presented by special VIP guests Chris Bunting, Diversity and Inclusion Project Officer for the Office of the Provost, and Tony Steele, a stalwart of University Sport over decades.

The University is reliant on the selfless contributions of volunteers in order to maintain a reputation of high performance and social responsibility. While not all those who volunteer their time and energy were recognised at the celebration, their continued presence is a cornerstone to the University’s sporting community.