The work of 500,000 volunteers in Irish Sport was recognised yesterday with the presentation of awards to eleven individuals across ten different sports.
Representatives from swimming, hockey, boxing, basketball, soccer, martial arts, Special Olympics, Gymnastics Ireland, Athletics and Gaelic Games received accolades as part of the National Awards for Volunteers in Irish Sport.
The award for Youth Coach of the year was given to Oliver O’Neill, pictured above with son Darren who captained the Olympic Boxing Team at the London 2012 Games.
“All of these winners epitomise true sportsmen and women who not alone get a great deal out of sport but perhaps just as importantly put a huge amount back as well,” said Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring.
The economic value of volunteering in Irish sport is estimated at being worth more than €500 million making it by far the most important factor in the provision of grass roots sport.
It is also the foundation that is likely to become of greater importance as the emphasis for commercial partners switches increasingly towards engagement rather than branding.
Volunteering will feature as one of the subjects in Sport for Business Members’ Round Table programme for 2013 which will be unveiled next week.
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