Having attended the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a spectator, Andrew remembered the enthusiasm and energy of the volunteers who helped people find their way, managed queues and contributed to the atmosphere surrounding the event.

“The volunteers were really good on the day and brought lots of energy,” Andrew explained. “That stayed in the back of my mind, so when the Commonwealth Games were announced for Glasgow, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved in a big event.”

Finding the right role

Andrew was already involved in athletics locally, so he applied for a role connected to the athletics programme.

When the volunteer roles were announced, he discovered that he had been assigned to the field of play (athletics) team. It was a title he wasn’t initially familiar with.

“I had to Google it because I didn’t really know what it involved,” he said.

Andrew didn’t learn the full details of the role until his first training shift. He soon discovered that he would be working trackside. Helping to place and remove starting blocks during sprint and relay events.

It was an important role requiring the team to work quickly and accurately. During some of the relay finals, volunteers had only seconds to run onto the track, position the blocks correctly and leave the field of play before the event began.

“You’re doing it in front of a stadium full of people, with television crews broadcasting around the world,” Andrew said. “There was pressure, but you became more confident as the week went on.”

Early starts and long journeys

Volunteers were required to complete at least six shifts across the Games. As the athletics programme lasted six days, Andrew volunteered every day of the competition.

His shifts included two early mornings, beginning at 7am, and four evening shifts, which generally finished at around 10pm.

For Andrew, the morning shifts meant getting up at around 4am and travelling to Glasgow. Evening shifts could mean arriving home close to midnight.

Although the days were long, the atmosphere inside the stadium made the commitment worthwhile.

“There was a genuine buzz from being involved in such a big event,” Andrew said. “Even when I got home late and was tired, I sometimes couldn’t sleep because I was still excited from the experience.”

Seeing what happens behind the scenes

As a spectator, it can be easy to focus only on what is happening on the track, in the pool or inside the competition arena.

Volunteering gave Andrew a new appreciation of the enormous team working behind the scenes.

“It was amazing,” he said. “As a spectator or even as an athlete, you don’t fully appreciate everything that goes into making an event work.”

Across the Games, volunteers supported everything from security and spectator guidance to athlete movements and competition preparation. Athletes had to be carefully guided between warm-up spaces, waiting areas and the field of play, while many other teams worked throughout the venues to ensure the events ran smoothly.

Andrew was particularly struck by the scale of the teamwork and organisation involved.

“There were so many different roles that had to be fulfilled by different groups of people. The amount of effort and teamwork needed to make it all feel seamless was incredible.”

A front-row view of the action

Working as a field of play volunteer also placed Andrew in a privileged position during the athletics events.

The volunteers were based beside the track and close to the finish line, giving them an even closer view than many spectators and officials.

Andrew witnessed memorable races, Scottish athletes producing standout performances and the stadium erupting when home-nation competitors did something special.

“We were right in the action,” he said. “The finish line was incredibly close to where we were sitting.”

One especially memorable moment came during a closely contested sprint final when two athletes dived for the finish line almost directly in front of the volunteer team.

The athletes also made an effort to acknowledge the people supporting the competition. After completing their victory laps, several athletes waved or gestured their thanks towards the volunteers.

“That recognition from the athletes was great,” Andrew said. “They seemed very aware of the work that had gone into supporting the event.”

Building a team through a shared passion

Most members of Andrew’s field of play team were involved in athletics in some way. The group included athletes, coaches, officials and parents of athletes.

That shared interest helped people who had never met before quickly become a team.

“We gelled really quickly because everyone had that shared interest and passion for athletics,” Andrew said.

The volunteers received practical, on-the-day training supported by experienced athletics volunteers who regularly assist at major events across the UK.

Although this “just-in-time” approach meant Andrew did not know exactly what he would be doing before arriving, working through each stage together helped the group build its skills and confidence.

By the end of the week, they were completing their tasks during some of the biggest finals of the athletics programme.

Would Andrew volunteer at another major event?

After his experience in Glasgow, Andrew would consider volunteering at another large sporting event in the future.

Members of the team shared stories of volunteering at athletics competitions around the UK and overseas, opening Andrew’s eyes to the range of opportunities available.

For anyone considering volunteering at a sporting event (whether it is a major international competition or something closer to home) Andrew’s advice is to move past the initial nerves and apply.

“There can be uncertainty because you don’t know exactly what it will be like,” he said. “But these events are completely dependent on volunteers, so the organisers need to give volunteers a positive experience.”

Alongside the excitement, volunteers often receive training, meet people with similar interests and gain access to parts of an event that spectators would never normally see.

Andrew also got to keep his official volunteer uniform, although he joked that it might now be saved for particularly well-dressed dog walks!

Asked to sum up his Commonwealth Games volunteering experience, Andrew described it simply as:

“An incredibly amazing time.”

Andrew’s experience shows that volunteering can offer the chance to use an existing passion in a completely new setting, become part of a team and help make an unforgettable event possible.

Feeling inspired? Start your own volunteering journey today!