GLASGOW COMMONWEALTH GAMES BOXING VOLUNTEER

Captain Dee Orwin PSAO B Coy 2 R IRISH Newtownabbey Belfast

Having been involved in boxing with the services for some 30 years and having volunteered before at the World Championships in Belfast, Commonwealth Games in Manchester, European Championships in Dublin and the Olympic Games in London it came as no surprise to my wife that I applied to be a volunteer in Glasgow.  Having gone through the application and selection process I was delighted to be given the appointment of ‘Field of Play Team Leader’ an excellent opportunity to be up close and personal with all the boxers and coaches in particular two service boxers, LCpl Alana Audley Murphy from my own club in Belfast and LCpl Ashley Williams from Wales.  Both boxers I know very well.

As I am heavily involved in the local boxing scene as an official and coach, the chance to get beside and support our local boxers was another added incentive to volunteer.  I had been at Jordanstown watching the squad preparing and have refereed quite a few of the boxers in recent years.

So the time came to set off on the 21 July for 2 weeks having submitted my leave pass and booked the car onto the ferry.  I was fortunate to be able to use East Kilbride Reserve Centre to stay as all expenses are down to the individual as a volunteer.

Some months previous I had been at a few training events and had met some of the key enablers and fellow volunteers but the first day was spent meeting all the volunteers who I would be supervising for the next 2 weeks at the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre (SECC).  The task we had was two organise all the flag bearers, coaches and boxers from behind the tunnel from where they would walk on to the field of play and into the ring.  The rest of the shift was at ringside cleaning each corner during intervals, managing the ring, assisting with marshalling and running the scores to the announcer.

The first few days we carried out rehearsals for the camera crews, announcers, the lighting engineers and the walk in of the flags and boxers, so I managed to get in the ring before any of the boxers to explain the routine.  Eventually the competition started and continued up to the semi final stage at the SECC 3000 capacity then across the park to the Hydro, 13000 capacity where the finals where to be held.  Both venues where used as the back drop to the BBC news bulletins.

As the games approached its finale, N Ireland had a huge interest in the medals to be won and it was very satisfying to have been with all our boxers and coaches during the competition including at the athletes village when I assisted with the weigh-ins.  So, some 350 bouts later, 2 sessions a day and having walked and travelled daily by train with many a late evening the event came to an end on Sat the 03 Aug for a very successful N Ireland team and my own club member, LCpl Audley Murphy who won bronze and LCpl Williams bronze medal also.  Next day 04 Aug 14, I headed home, tired but proud that I had played a key role in the success of the games.  My look forward: back to work on 04 Aug then retirement ha!  Or maybe the games in Australia 2018?