Laura’s British Gas Swimming Championships blog
21 February 2011
Follow 16-year old Laura Fearn as she makes her British Gas Swimming Championships debut… as a young volunteer. In this blog, Laura talks about why she got into volunteering and what her first few experiences as a volunteer were like.
I have enjoyed swimming every since I started. I have won gold medals at the DSE Junior Nationals for the last six years and swim for Sunderland Gateway.
The reason I got into volunteering is that I want to coach other disabled swimmers.
I also swim with the Great Britain Deaf Swimming Team and my favourite event is 400m Freestyle.
I did my poolside assistant training last year and really enjoyed it – I also did the aquatic organiser and planning fun sessions.
A lot of my family are involved in swimming – my Mum coaches at my club in Sunderland and my Grandad used to coach in Leeds.
The reason I got into volunteering is that I want to coach other disabled swimmers and learn by volunteering at other things like my Mum and Grandad do.
The first time I volunteered was at a gala in Sunderland where I was timekeeping. I remember being pretty nervous because I really didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know whether I would be able to follow the sheets and the reading and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to hear the start.
It all went fine though and I ended up really enjoying it
Bigger events can be daunting but there are more people who can help you and who you can shadow.
At Sunderland Gateway there are a lot of us who volunteer which is good – we do our sports leaders and other qualifications together so we can coach younger children.
It can be daunting at first to volunteer at bigger events because a lot of things need doing and it can be easy for people to assume you don’t know what you’re doing.
But I also find it really helpful because there are more people who can help you and who you can shadow.
The British Gas Swimming Championships will be my biggest event though.
I’ve not been to Manchester Aquatics Centre before but I won’t be alone – Declan Meakin who is also at Sunderland Gateway will also be volunteering the same days I am.
I’m really exciting about getting some experience at a really big competition and I hope to meet Rebecca Adlington. She’s my favourite swimmer because she is a distance swimmer like me!
Laura is a volunteer on the mygames programme which aims to increase opportunities for disabled people volunteering in the swimming community - click here for more information.
Useful?
8
