Volunteer Within Your Limits

After more than twenty years of coaching for ten months of each school year, I had an aversion to volunteering in any form. Yup, I was done with people’s lack of respect for what I was doing. Couch potato parents with little knowledge about athletics made it their goal to get me out of their kid’s lives. Which was such a shame, as I have many, many former student athletes who will tell you just how much fun we had during practices and games. Several of those individuals have gone on to coaching positions themselves. It truly makes me proud. I digress though. Sorry for that.

Five years after retiring, I decided to come out of my cocoon and volunteer to help with the Alberta Summer Games that were being hosted in Okotoks and Diamond Valley. “How hard could it be?” I asked myself. Coordinating isn’t the same as coaching, in terms of the time commitment — or so I thought.

What a nut case I was! Don’t get me wrong, the games were wonderful and the people I worked with were awesome. But, oh my goodness, I was exhausted and needed at least a week to recuperate. Aging just sucks sometimes, doesn’t it? Will I volunteer again for something that huge of an event? Not for a while, I can assure you. But then again, Calgary is hosting the North American Indigenous Games in 2027. I think I should be recovered by then, shouldn’t I?

I think of it a little bit like pregnancy, where the woman forgets the pain of delivery until she is about to give birth to her next child. I will give myself some time before I decide to move forward with that volunteer project.

Volunteering does get you out of the house, that is for sure. However, be careful not to over commit!

Until next time,

Joyce