I thought I would just update the club on my volunteering roles at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
I was a ‘field of play team member’ which meant I was a part of what went on inside of the sports so in my case this was the road race, time trial and mountain bike races. Simply put, I was a marshal!
My volunteering began on the Wednesday before the opening ceremony with a 6am start to drive to Cannock chase for 9am for two days of assisting with the course building, including taping around the drop that was ‘Deer’s Leap’. These two days finished on site at 4pm and gave a great insight into what goes on to create a course at this level (especially with UCI commissaires in attendance!).
After a weekend watching three track cycling sessions in London as a spectator, I was looking forward to being the other side of tape (and security).
Tuesday was another 6am start to be back at Cannock for 9am, but this time for the athlete training day. This was the first time the athletes could use the full course and gave me a chance to learn the differences that come with mountain bike marshalling, as I am somebody that is used to road and cross. It was interesting to see the media set up for the event, and the odd small chats with team’s riders and coach was a surreal experience.
Wednesday was Race Day at Cannock: 5am start. The organisers provided free transport in the West Midlands, so cheers Dad for the lift to Nuneaton station for the 06:41 train.
I was on the course (with coffee) at 8:30am. This the lead to another surreal moment where Ned Boulting walked past and said “Morning” to me! I was positioned on marshal point 28 which was just before the rocks that took the riders towards the bridge and into the finishing arena, which was lucky as it was in the shade and meant the free factor 50 stayed in the bag. I was just in front of a TV camera so tried to casually spin as the riders came past! The racing was brilliant and fast paced especially past me and it was a cracking ride by Evie Richards to win the women’s race. After deconstructing the course and my attempts to deconstruct my own thumb with course tape, all the marshals and athletes’ services volunteers then took a photo under the finishing banner as seen below.
I arrived tired into Nuneaton station at 6:41 pm and grateful for Dads lift home.
Thursday: 4am start. TT in Wolverhampton but my sign on was in Dudley at 7:30am. Dash to Walsall in the car to get a train back across the city of Birmingham to avoid having to park in Dudley (limited and may be blocked in). I did get to cycle down the course and I manged to stay upright (looking at you G). The less said about the sandwich at lunch the better, but other than that it was brilliant. I was stationed on a Pedestrian Refuge Island (a bit of street furniture), so my job was to be the ‘flag and whistle’ marshal on that point along with another volunteer. Our job was to warn the riders of the island, meaning I got a feeling of the true speed of some of these riders as they passed me. It was a great day, including my decision not to shout ‘come on G’ at the top of my lungs, as he passed as it could have been counterproductive!
Two days off between the two events meant I got a chance to get some sleep and allow Dad to refuel car ahead of Sundays Road race.
Sunday: 3:45am start. Warwick College sign at 6am. This very much reminded me that if I am doing an event like this, I’m best-off booking accommodation. This start did however mean breakfast and lunch was provided by the organisers. However, no coffee at sign on meant I had to take up the offer from the very nice church near my station, that was giving some out for free; I hear there was cake later but I was busy marshalling so missed out. I was marshalling on the entry to a narrowing road so I was again armed with a flag and whistle as well as a high-viz jacket (which will live over the back of my chair at Uni, so not appearing on eBay – however nice the price may be).
Doing this was again a surreal feeling to see not only riders but cars in the convey move over to the left of the road upon seeing your flag. The sense of speed was amazing and at times I was almost concerned about taking a rider out with the flag. At the end of both races, I was feeling rather exhausted mainly from standing all day but as with the end of every event I had volunteered at I had a huge smile from the feeling that ‘I was a part of that’. It certainly created some brilliant memories.
There was also an after party organised by the Commonwealth Games management for all volunteers in Birmingham where over 5,000 of the 14,000 volunteers selected attended. There were two bars with closed roads between as well as food stands to keep us amused. Being 18, the details beyond this are a tad hazy but I recall all draught taps ran out at around 10pm!
This has been a brilliant experience and is definitely something I would recommend. You don’t have to do it on the scale of a Commonwealth Games as these roles are available at a club event – so sign up to something, because I am sure you will love it.
Would I do it again? Definitely, in fact I have my eyes on the Worlds in Glasgow next year, but I may need to give the piggy bank a good shake first! I also hear there is a minor multi-sport event in Paris in 2024 that needs volunteers….
Thanks Ben. It sounds amazing. What an opportunity!
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