Rewarding
It’s been a hectic few months for Westmeath Volunteers In Sport award winner Aoife McCarthy.
Firstly, the Mullingar woman and her family were surprised by Patrick Kielty and the Late Late Show in January to celebrate their work in the local community as their contribution to handball in the county of Westmeath was honoured in a very special way on live tv.
Then, just a few weeks later, Aoife was picking up her own personal award having been named the Federation of Irish Sport Volunteers In Sport Award Winner for Westmeath for 2024.
Aoife and her sister travelled to Dublin in late February to accept the award at a gala lunch event where volunteers from all across the country were also recognised for their efforts in helping clubs, groups and communities.
We were delighted to catch up with Aoife recently to chat about her award, why she believes volunteering is so important, and the great feeling she enjoys from helping others.
Tell me what was the initial phone call like, or how did you hear hear that you were going to get the Volunteers in Sport Award for 2024 for County Westmeath:
“So, I was actually on holidays in Portugal, and I didn’t recognise the number. I didn’t answer the first call. Then the second call came through, and I was saw it was an Irish number so I was like, ‘I’ll answer and see what happens’. I was delighted to receive the call, and I was very shocked and honoured to know that my club sees me in that light and someone had put me forward for such an amazing award.
I want to thank the club, of course, and Westmeath Sports Partnership too for their help and support.”
What was the ceremony like, and what was the day like itself?
“The day was fabulous; it’s just so rewarding to see what other people achieve through volunteering and why they do it for so many different reasons. You know, everyone has their own reason for volunteering, but just to hear their stories and why they got involved, and why and how they’ve helped people progress in their sports or in their communities, groups or whatnot it was really, really good.
It was so good to hear from other people how they went about things and to take some of those ideas on board then as well for your own program.
I think there was a volunteer there that was volunteering, I think he was either 84 years old or he had been volunteering for that amount of time, and he was just amazing. Like to get up and speak about all of his experience and then you had young people who have excelled too through Transition Year and it’s great they are focusing on something so important in TY, it was great.
There was such a broad range from mountaineering to GAA, boxing, athletics for children with additional needs so it’s just great variety, and across all sports, which is fantastic at the end of the day because sports won on that day.
I know I volunteer on behalf of Mullingar Handball Club, and I’m so grateful, but you know, there’s a great committee behind me as well.”
What does the award mean to you?
“It’s great. It means a lot to me. I know that my club held me in high regard and to be associated with all of those people in Dublin was wonderful. But at the end of the day, it’s just amazing to be able to give back to those children, you know, and to be able to see their wins and experience their wins with them. So the award is a massive token of appreciation to me, just on behalf of them, like, you know, and just to see how they see me and that I’m important in their lives for their development.”
Can you tell us a little bit about your work with the club?
“Yes, I suppose, like initially, about ten or twelve, even fourteen years ago, when I was in college, I was doing sports and sport development at Athlone Institute Of Technology (now TUS Athlone) as it was known at the time, and we were working with children with additional needs through my course.
But, then a family member, then we got news they were on the spectrum. And yeah, so just there was no kind of outlet for them during summer, summer camps or whatnot. So I was kind of like, ‘oh God, like, what are we going to do’ so I just kind of came up with a little program, seeing how far I could go with this. And well, it was myself and my sister Natasha that kind of put plans in place and it kind of rocked on from there.
Some of these children that were in the in the All Stars, like starting the All Stars many years ago, like they all participated in an under 11 event in the world championships last year. And that was just that special you know, just to see how far they can come from, not nearly being able to bounce the ball, to able to play a full handball match, it is such a reward and seeing the smiles on their faces and what they can achieve and just be somebody, that means a lot to me, to see them achieving.”
There has been a significant upturn in opportunities for people who are neurodivergent in the last ten years which must be very positive for you as a coach
“Absolutely, I suppose when we started this it was like, it was it was scarce and that was about twelve or fourteen years ago. But the leaps and bounds this country has made to accommodate children with additional needs and different sports environments and to adapt sports, it’s just been phenomenal and it’s a credit to everyone.
And again, it goes back to volunteers, goes back to people, of course, paid employees, but as a volunteers on the ground running this, gaining experience and it’s just it’s fantastic to have those opportunities.”
What would you say say to somebody that might be thinking of volunteering with their local group or club?
“I just tell them to do it, just to embrace it, just dip your toe and see how you feel. But you just have to believe that you’re going to shine through. People look up to you. You’re their inspiration. Then just embrace it all you know, and then give back to the children.
Handball has been in my life I suppose since I could walk, and there’s volunteers been around me, and just inspiring those children to go on, to help people in the future and that’s who they look up to so I’d say go do it, try it and give it your best and just get to know the children, because the reward at the end of the day is indescribable.”