What was your experience in sport growing up?
Laura: I always loved watching sport (especially athletics and big competitions like the Olympics!) but I never played regular sport until I started playing lacrosse at Stirling University in 2004.
Fiona: I played a lot of sport growing up, cricket, tennis and squash to name a few but I started playing lacrosse at secondary school and absolutely loved it. My biggest draw to sport was always about being part of a team.
What is your volunteering experience to date?
Laura: I volunteered at my lacrosse club, Capital Lacrosse, for many years where I Captained the team for a couple of years (alongside Fiona!) before becoming Team Manager for Junior Scotland in 2021.
Fiona: I volunteered alongside Laura at Capital Lacrosse in Edinburgh for a number of years, taking positions on the committee and coaching school aged players. I joined the Junior Scotland program as Assistant Manager in 2021.
What/who inspired you to get into volunteering?
Laura: I always like to support organisations that I’m a part of, as I know that without volunteers, these clubs wouldn’t exist! Lacrosse has given me so many playing opportunities, incredible friends and it’s amazing to be able to pay back and give further opportunities to younger players!
Fiona: Lacrosse has given me so much that it just felt right for me to give back. It was actually the previous head coach of the junior Scotland team Dave Simpson who inspired me to get involved with the junior program. Dave was coach when I first joined the Senior Scotland lacrosse program and he supported me a lot and inspired me as a leader so I was really keen to join his staff when the opportunity came up.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
Laura: Being able to give players amazing opportunities like playing at the Home Internationals or International Championships, such as the European or World Championships. Also, working with a brilliant staff team has been brilliant too - I’ve made friends for life!
Fiona: Definitely working with the other staff and players. There is really something special about Junior Scotland as it’s the first time some players get the opportunity to play on an international stage and it’s brilliant being a small part of that experience for them.
Have you had to overcome any challenges or barriers whilst volunteering?
Laura: In the run up to major competitions, balancing volunteering with working full time as a Primary Teacher can be tricky but I’ve definitely learned how to balance my time effectively to make sure I’m able to do both!
Fiona: I would echo Laura and say that balancing working full time alongside volunteering. I work in Event Management so Laura’s and my skill sets complement each other perfectly. Also because we were friends first and see each other regularly at our lacrosse club it helps to make the ship run smoothly!
What advice would you give to others looking to get involved in volunteering?
Laura: Find an area or sport that you have a passion in and it won’t feel like work! Also, make sure that you have a good team around you to ensure that, if needed, you have people to not only rely on but to share success with!
Fiona: look for opportunities in the sports you play and love. The success of a lot of organisations relies on the volunteers so just giving a little bit of time can often make a big impact.