10/06/2026
Grassroots Football wouldn’t happen without its army of volunteers , yet time and time again people who don’t volunteer don’t recognise the time and effort that these volunteers put in !
Please read from a club secretary! ⬇️
10 years ago I helped to organise our first tournament. This weekend this is me (club secretary and welfare officer) after being subjected to abuse when I challenged a grandparent for shouting that our 10 and 11 year old were embarrassing for conceding 2 goals.
Eight months of planning, late nights, and countless hours of work all come down to three 15-hour days to deliver another Newark Town Football Club Tournament.
A 50-page event plan, traffic management, emergency procedures, first aid provision, marketing, bookings, insurance, shopping, recruiting (and sometimes begging!) for support – all to make it happen.
This year saw:
• 90 teams
• Around 1,000 players
• More than 2,500 visitors
• 200 football matches played
There was rain, sunshine, wind, plenty of questionable two-way radio conversations, emergency refereeing, litter picking, toilet checking, refrigerated trailer stock checks 😉 (IYKYK), £2 parking charge dodgers, feisty BBQs, challenging visitors, and miles upon miles of walking.
None of this would be possible without an incredible group of people who give up their time to support the club. Many of them don't even have teams participating in the tournament. They are some of the best people I know and lifelong friends.
After 10 years of running the tournament, though, it's time for me to step back from the tournament.
Every year it becomes harder to find support beyond the trusted core team, and that's not what a community club should be about. I love everything about our tournament – welcoming teams from all over the country, the fun, the laughter, and the teamwork – but when you and your family consistently miss out because others don't want to help, there comes a point when enough is enough.
Volunteering is far harder than it should be. We don't do it for ourselves; we do it for others. We volunteer to make things safer, more enjoyable, and more nurturing for everyone involved. But even as volunteers, we have responsibilities, rules, and standards to uphold. When you are disrespected and treated poorly for simply doing what is right, and it reaches the point where you lose the love for something that means so much to you, it's time to walk away.
Thankfully, those negative experiences are very much in the minority, but they still cut deep and are incredibly upsetting.
If you know someone who gives up their time for others, or if you're part of a club, team, or organisation run by volunteers, please be kind, be respectful, and be supportive. Don't take them for granted, or be rude and abusive because they uphold the values of the club you are part of, because one day your children, family members, or friends may no longer have a team, a club, or a tournament to be part of.
To everyone who has helped over the last 10 years – thank you. You made it all worthwhile. Love you all ‘