Reasons to get involved in 20-SERVEnteen!!
From Skype sessions with Judy Murray to watching Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon – Find out about what the Tennis in Nottingham volunteers got up to in 2016!!
“Volunteering at Wimbledon has to be the highlight of my life!”
Malachi Dennis (17) has recently been shortlisted for the Sport Nottinghamshire Young Volunteer of the Year award. Last year he volunteered about a month of his time, volunteering for a week at Wimbledon, helping people to try tennis at the AEGON Open Nottingham and volunteering as a ball boy at the British Wheelchair Open. We caught up with him to find out more about his experiences of volunteering in tennis:
When did you first get interested in tennis?
I first got interested in tennis 2 years ago after taking it up as a sport for my GCSE PE assessment. I started playing a year ago at an informal Cardio tennis session at Bells Lane Community Centre then moved on to formal lessons at Vernon Park.
Why did you first decide to start volunteering?
I first started volunteering to meet new people and get more involved in a sport that I had found a new love for.
What was it like to volunteer at Wimbledon? Did you get to see any of the tennis? Had you ever been to Wimbledon before?
Volunteering at Wimbledon has to be the highlight of my life! It was amazing to be part of such a big event – going behind the scenes and working with hundreds of people per day. It was so busy and you were on your feet constantly. The shift pattern was 2 hours on and then 1 hour off so I spent most of my breaks on Centre Court or one of the many other courts. I got to see some of my favourite players including Kyle Edmund, Andy Murray and Serena Williams. In addition to this I got to see Djokovic lose! This definitely set the bar high for my first time at Wimbledon.
What would you say has been the best thing about volunteering?
The best thing about volunteering would be all the incredible people that I have met and the confidence and skills that I have gained along the way.
My Own Volunteer Story: Helen Jackson: Tennis Blogger and Facebook Volunteer.
When did you first get interested in tennis?
I feel like I’ve always been interested! I remember having a little sit and ride toy as a toddler that was shaped like a tennis racquet with wheels designed to look like tennis balls. From there came swingball and then when I was about 5 I started tennis lessons, following in my older brother’s footsteps. Unfortunately a few years later I got ill with M.E. and was unable to play anymore but I definitely didn’t lose my enthusiasm for the sport, becoming an avid spectator and watching tennis year-round on TV – as well as attending Wimbledon, the Davis Cup, the Nottingham Open and later the ATP World Tour Finals each year.
Why did you first decide to start volunteering?
I was surfing the internet when I saw an advertisement on the volunteer website Do-it.org. There was an opportunity available for a Tennis blogger and it seemed perfect! I love writing and this was something that I could manage from home, even when my M.E. was keeping me indoors. It was great to find out that there were opportunities to get involved in tennis that were suitable for all abilities – you don’t even have to be able to run around yourself.
What special opportunities have you had since you’ve been volunteering for Tennis in Nottingham.com?
A few weeks ago I received an email informing me that I had been nominated for a very special skype call from a celebrity at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards! The idea was that athletes would phone volunteers to thank them for helping out. I was told to make sure I was available on the day of the ceremony, and they would try to get someone to call me from the red carpet! I started to get quite nervous (especially after my friend pointed out that I might not recognise them – particularly if they were a rugby player or a footballer, as my knowledge in those areas is seriously lacking!) But fortunately there was no need to fret on that account as it was Judy Murray who was there to speak to me!
What did you talk about?
She asked me about my volunteering and the kind of blog posts that I’d written for the website. When I mentioned the REBO walls (special practice walls that are set up in parks in Nottingham) she told me that when she was a kid she hit balls against the wall of her parents’ house so much that little bits started to come off the wall. She also asked me, who is your favourite tennis player? This was quite funny as I hesitated for a split second and laughed slightly before saying that obviously I like watching Jamie and Andy! She then asked me who else I like? (I think now that maybe I had sounded unconvincing) So I told her that I like Nadal. She said that she’s known him since he was 11 years old and that he’s always pulled at his shorts like that…