United by their love for the sport, netball simply wouldn’t happen without the time, talent and expertise of volunteers.
One England Netball volunteer, Yvonne Williams, became something of a crowd favourite at the Vitality Netball Nations Cup in January 2024 while cleaning the court, earning herself the nickname “The DYNAMIK Queen of the Mop”!
How was the whole mopping experience!?
I was taken by surprise, actually! I was just fulfilling my role and wiping the court so that the netballers could be safe. But I felt pretty embarrassed, so I was just waving my hand and smiling back. Now everybody wants to be a mop lady!
That’s pretty cool.
It is. Because I wasn’t going out to get any accolades or anything, I was just doing my role. But I always have a thing where if I’m doing something – volunteering or anything in life – I try to do it with excellence. I couldn’t just go out and do a shabby job. I’m not talking about perfection, but excellence, which is different.
When did you first get involved with volunteering?
I think I was ball girl, a team leader for England Netball at an event some years ago, and then it just carried on from there.
Did you love it straight away?
Oh yes! I mean, I was doing volunteering roles outside of netball anyway. I was a church usher and I did other roles elsewhere because I like sharing and doing things to help other people.
I’ve met loads of amazing people through volunteering. They’re all unique in themselves and we all get on well and work together. It’s like a family.
For me, it’s all about volunteering selflessly – providing a service, having a commitment to excellence and an unwavering belief in the potential of others. I hope my journey inspires others to approach their roles, big or small, with passion and joy. Proving that every action, no matter how modest, can make a significant difference. And for me it’s all about making that difference in people’s lives.
How important is it to have volunteers in netball? They’re sort of the beating heart of the sport, aren’t they?
Yes. Without volunteers, things won’t and don’t happen. Well, they happen, but there are loads of hiccups! When you’ve got volunteers doing their various roles, because everyone’s unique, it just helps put everything together smoothly. Without volunteers, we wouldn’t have the events we do. Spectators just see the end product, without knowing what’s happened behind the scenes.
We love the mop of course, but there are so many different roles that are needed at major netball events…
So many. And it is so important. The mopping looked a mundane role, but it’s important on court because if the floor’s wet, then you’re going to have injured players. Every role is important, from the Events Coordinator to those doing accreditation on the door. No role is more important than any other because everyone needs each other. Just like your head – your body needs every part to function.
How can we get more people involved?
I think doing features like this helps! Showcasing what we do, hearing people’s experiences. You may have people that are wanting to get involved but just don’t know how.
Lovely, and what do you think is the best bit about volunteering?
The smiles on people’s faces for me. You are doing your role, but people are smiling, because you’ve done something that made their day. That’s so important to me.
DYNAMIK Sports Flooring is England Netball’s official indoor sports flooring partner and they can support you with court maintenance and aftercare too to keep you playing all year round.
There are so many members of the Netball Family who make a difference at major events – our Courtside Crew! Fancy getting involved? Register your interest here.
Yvonne’s story was first shared in 5TH QTR, the England Netball member-exclusive magazine. If you’re a current EN member and didn’t receive your magazine email, check your preferences via the link in the footer of any EN member email you’ve received. Interested in becoming an EN member? Use the Club Finder to locate a club near you.
Refreshed for 2024, The Huddle promises to do what all good huddles do – bring the whole Netball Family together! We want to champion and celebrate your stories, and the stories of the people who inspire you, so share yours here.
