Volunteering at Nationals/Worlds - experiences and advice?

[icedancer2]

I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has been a volunteer at either Nationals or Worlds and what your experience was like.

I am writing this because I live in Portland, OR and am active in the skating community here. I have signed up on the website to volunteer for 2005 Nationals and have attended one meeting that outlined the need for voluntary labor and signed up for some committees but have yet to hear back about any of it.

This is also the experience of several other people I know. So what I'd like to know is: is it all just political, do you have to just be in the right place at the right time, or is it just too early to be concerned about it and I should just relax... ???

Any insights or experiences would be helpful. Thanks.

[PAskate]

I've volunteered at both Nationals and Worlds. My Nationals experience was great - well-run organization that treated its volunteers well. The woman who chaired the volunteers there runs the volunteers for an annual professional auto race, so she knows how to run an effective organization and keep people happy so they keep returning to volunteer. My experience at last year's Worlds in DC was awful. Only my personal committment to maintain my promise to work my scheduled shifts kept me from walking out. I would highly recommend it if the chairman of the volunteers commmittee has experience running other annual major events that rely on volunteers for success. If the event happens annually, they have to know how to put on a professional event and keep their volunteers happy. Otherwise, they won't return to work another year. I would love to volunteer again, but after my experience in DC, I will never do it again unless I know that the person organizing the volunteers is a "professional" in experience.

[babyballerina]

PAskate - I am really sorry to hear of your bad experience. Events that rely on volunteers should always treat them well and maintain goodwill. One of my friends volunteered at Europeans in Lausanne 2002. I was not so brave. Despite the fact my friend could speak no French and the organisers spoke little English, she communicated with them in sign language and got by. I know my friend had a great time and got to meet lots of skaters. Her job was checking security badges.

icedancer2 - If you do get to volunteer, tell us all about it :)

[Candleonwater]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience at Worlds! I worked almost every day of them, and had a blast. Yes, they were disorganized, and things seemed chaotic, but overall it was fun! Were you at the main rink or the practice rink?

I wouldn't hesitate to volunteer again, in fact, my intention was to travel to Atlanta and volunteer down there, but it didn't work out. Hopefully I will have a chance again.

[manleywoman]

I was a volunteer at Worlds in DC too for the whole week, on the music committee, and I had a blast also. My team always knew where they were supposed to be and what they were doing. It was great fun.

I had problems only with one of the head committee chairs when she was the one checking volunteers in and out of shifts, but it was because I knew her personally and she decided she didn't like me that week. (She has a long history of decidiing who's useful to her a certain time, and then is nice to them according to her needs) Political and nasty, yes, but I knew her well enough to ignore it! I had such a blast otherwise.

I am interested in why the USFSA thinks that Worlds was so horribly run. My experience was so good, and our little volunteer crew got lots of compliments from the USFSA Music crew, so we thought we did a good job. So what was it about the bigger picture, and the LOC as a whole, that so aggrivated the USFSA?

[iceskaterdawn]

I've volunteered at the last 3 Nationals. I think LA was the best one to volunteer for. Dallas and Atlanta weren't too bad, but there were lots of problems along the way (especially with Atlanta). I have already signed up to volunteer in Portland and St. Louis. The only downside to volunteering is that you may miss some of the events you want to see. It does take a lot of your time, but I enjoy volunteering and it is a lot of fun.

[SkateFan123]

Originally posted by icedancer2
I'm wondering if anyone on this forum has been a volunteer at either Nationals or Worlds and what your experience was like.

I am writing this because I live in Portland, OR and am active in the skating community here. I have signed up on the website to volunteer for 2005 Nationals and have attended one meeting that outlined the need for voluntary labor and signed up for some committees but have yet to hear back about any of it.

This is also the experience of several other people I know. So what I'd like to know is: is it all just political, do you have to just be in the right place at the right time, or is it just too early to be concerned about it and I should just relax... ???

Any insights or experiences would be helpful. Thanks.

I've volunteered several times. It's a lot of work. You might miss events you really want to watch but it's very rewarding.

However, depending on the position you volunteer for, you could be giving up more time that you want.

[icedancer2]

Well, this all sounds like a lot of fun (generally) but I'm wondering if I should have heard more by now about volunteer slots, commmitments, etc., or whether I am just jumping the gun.

I'm also wondering if I need to buy a ticket to the event. One of the judges suggested that I should buy a cheap 300-level ticket just to get me in the door if I needed to and then the credential may allow me to sit in any empty seat or stand or whatever.

I am excited to be having Nationals 5 minutes from my house in any case!!

[iceskaterdawn]

Originally posted by icedancer2
Well, this all sounds like a lot of fun (generally) but I'm wondering if I should have heard more by now about volunteer slots, commmitments, etc., or whether I am just jumping the gun.

I'm also wondering if I need to buy a ticket to the event. One of the judges suggested that I should buy a cheap 300-level ticket just to get me in the door if I needed to and then the credential may allow me to sit in any empty seat or stand or whatever.

I am excited to be having Nationals 5 minutes from my house in any case!!

They usually don't start notifing the volunteers until much closer to time. Even when I was a local volunteer I didn't hear from them until at least September, so I wouldn't worry about not hearing anything yet. When I was traveling from out of state I didn't hear from them until November.

As for tickets, yes you do need to buy a ticket. A lot of times you can move lower especially early in the week, but you still need a ticket to get in.

[icedancer2]

Thanks. This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. A lot of my friends are getting quite anxious and so I'm glad that someone could enlighten me/us.

Thanks again.

[Mel On Ice]

I volunteered for Nationals in Cleveland and might head up a committee in St. Louis. Do it, you will love it.

[Figureskates]

I volunteered for Nationals in Boston in 2001.

I had practice ice at the Skating Club of Boston and at the Fleetcenter and also worked the Junior Ladies freeskate. It was a fun experience to be that close to the ice and skaters.

Don't worry about being notified. If I recall, we didn't start hearing anything until September/October and we didn't get our credentials to sometime in early/mid Decemeber and the event was held 14th-22nd of January.

One thing I am not sure of is how much closer the scrutinize volunteer applications in light of 9/11. Someone else I am sure can give you that info.

[tsolomon]

PAskate - As a Co-chair for transportation at Worlds I understand your comments and can only tell you that it was very difficult for the committee chairs as well. I would like to thank all the volunteers that helped us out and I know some were unhappy. You cannot compare the logistics of running a Nationals competition to running Worlds. The numbers of athletes, officials and volunteers, along with what we had to provide in the way of services is just unimaginable until you get involved at the upper levels. Most of the committee chairs were working 20 hours days and getting little or no sleep. For transportation alone we had over 400 volunteer shifts we had to fill. We were successful in pulling off a great competition and I look back on it as both the hardest and most rewarding thing I ever done.

Tom Solomon

[muggie]

I volunteered at Worlds in DC last year. Yeah, it was a little disorganized here and there, but for the most part I think it was okay. I know a lot of people complained, particularly about the transportation. But as the previous poster mentioned, most people have no idea how hard many of the volunteers worked.

I sat in the same room (operations) as the transportation people, so I have some first hand experience at what they went through. From what I understand, most of the skaters were nice and not too demanding. However, the officials from each country's delegation seemed to be extremely demanding; making requests for transportation to pick up friends and relatives at the airport with no advanced notice. Many of the transportation people worked well into the wee hours of the morning to make sure everyone got to the airport in time to catch their international flights. It was a lot of work, and add on to that DC's horrific traffic. Stop and think about it for a minute.....skaters, skater's families, delegations of doctors, coaches, trainers, judges, and ISU officials from 40+ countries all converging on DC, all landing at the airports at different times, all having to get baggage, all having to go through international processsing, all having to be taken to hotels....plus being transported from the hotel to the rink and the practice rink for ten days.....then they all have to leave. I give the transportation people a ton of credit for keeping a sense of humor and doing a great job.

My volunteering experience was pretty good. I had to deal with one VERY annoying person who was scheduled to volunteer at the same time as me for several days. Other than that, I had a great time. I got to see and meet many skaters, and not just those who competed. I met Tenley Albright, Dorothy Hammill (sp), Brian Boitano, Todd Eldredge, Derrick Delmore, and others. We got free food and soft drinks during our shift. We got to walk around the MCI center and watch a little of the competitions. We got to deal with skaters, coaches (I met Frank Carroll, who is lovely), and the public. Just about everyone was friendly, kind, and understanding.

I'd volunteer again in a heart beat. I've been spoiled for life! World's won't ever be the same.

[La Rhumba]

It's been very interesting to read all of your posts. Thank you. :D

My friend was the Competitor's Steward at the 2000 Junior GP Final in Scotland, held at the local rink where her daughter skated, and she found the experience wonderful. Although obviously on a much smaller scale than Worlds or even US Nationals, she got to meet and get photos and autographs of all the skaters - Tanith Belbin made the greatest impression, being the most charming. The only difficulty my friend encountered was the rudeness of a certain ISU Official, but I guess top of the list for all volunteers is to be calm and polite at all times! :D

If ever a Skating Event were to be held in London [Fat Chance!] I'd certainly volunteer to help.

[A.H.Black]

Icedancer - I have volunteered for 5 Nationals, 1 4 Continents and for the Olympics in 2002. I have enjoyed all my experiences. Luckily I was able to volunteer at ice level so I could see skating. The only jobs that will allow you to see any skating, really, are ice monitor or ice patcher. All others are either out of site of the ice or require so much running around that you won't be able to pay attention to the skating.

So - your decision must be how much skating you want to see. If you really want to see skating, you need a job at ice level or you need to find a way to volunteer before the actual event.

One of the reasons you have not been contacted is because the organizing committee is getting organized. If you are really a do-er they could probably use your help as a superviser of some kind. As someone who is involved in the skating community, you might want to use your contacts to see if there is anything you could help be in charge of. Trust me, they need you.

Here's a story. The lady who ended up organizing the ice patchers for the Olympics started just that way. She called them up during Nationals in 1999 and told them she wanted to put together the ice patching crew. They said yes. The rest is history.

[toepick]

I volunteered at Worlds in DC and found it to be a great experience. The area I worked in at least (credentials/security) seemed very well organized. I was at the practice rink the whole time so I can't really say if the situation at the MCI center was the same. My station was at the skaters entrance next to the rink so I got to see the practices while I worked.

[skatingatty]

I volunteered at Worlds 2003 in DC, and it was an ok experience. It was exciting to see the skaters up close, but we weren't allowed to talk with them, and I didn't like being treated like a lackey, trapped in a lounge for hours at a time. It would've been fun if I'd gotten a better assignment where I could watch the skating too, but I know those positions are scarce. I'm not sure if I want to volunteer at Portland. This past year in Atlanta, they expected you to commit to at least 4 six-hour-long shifts. If I'm going to take off a chunk of time from work and fly out somewhere, I'd prefer to watch the skating.

[lilwish]

I seem to remember there were not enough volnteers in Atlanta. We heard it at the event. I wonder if the the amount of time required was because there were so few volunteers or if there were too few volunteers because of the time requirement.

[manleywoman]

Originally posted by skatingatty
It was exciting to see the skaters up close, but we weren't allowed to talk with them, and I didn't like being treated like a lackey, trapped in a lounge for hours at a time. It would've been fun if I'd gotten a better assignment where I could watch the skating too, ...

I don't mean to single you out, because I've heard this from other volunteers as well, but you just brought it up, so I'll address it...

The skaters are not there to talk to anyone other than their coaches and friends. It should never be expected as a volunteer that you get to interact with the skaters that closely, They are there to do a job that they've been putting blood, sweat and tears into for a year, and they should not be expected to talk to volunteers and get distracted. I certainly had no problem following or sympathising with that rule.

And as for being trapped in a lounge for hours, it's part of the territory of volunteering, and to be expected. There are very few jobs where you get to watch the skating all the time. But most volunteers get to see some live skating for free, and hopefully enough that it's a good trade-off.

I was trapped in the bowels of the MCI half the time, and got to work amongst the skaters half the time, and frankly I found both exciting, because it was really interesting to see how the behind-the-scenes mechanisms of the competition worked too from the bowels of the building.

[Candleonwater]

Manleywoman, that is just how I felt as well! Imagine what it was like to try to locate other volunteers, only to find them either sitting in the seats (at MCI) or hanging over the railing watching the skating (at Convention Ctr). Their arguments were almost always "but I know them"...

[iceskaterdawn]

Originally posted by lilwish
I seem to remember there were not enough volnteers in Atlanta. We heard it at the event. I wonder if the the amount of time required was because there were so few volunteers or if there were too few volunteers because of the time requirement.

The four shifts of 6 hours has been the requirement for volunteering for the past four years.

I think the main probelm with Atlanta not having enough volunteers was the disorganization of the LOC. They kept losing paperwork and I think a lot of volunteers just got fed up with it. I had to resubmit my application twice, and ended up not getting an assignment until about 2 weeks before the event because of their disorganization. I had originally submitted my application well over a year in advance!! And then once the event began a lot of volunteers never even bothered to show up. I traveled half way across the country and I volunteered my four shifts plus an extra one! I had several friends that did the same.

[A.H.Black]

Manleywoman is right about not talking to the skaters. In 1999 at Nationals we were instructed specifically about this. Those who took advantage of the situation were not asked back for either four continents or Olympics.

After all it's pretty selfish. The skaters get enough people talking to them. At the most important competition of their year, they should be able to have the rink and the backstage area, at least, as a place where they can concentrate.

This year at Nationals, my friends and I were asked (begged) at the last minute to come and volunteer. We assumed that they were having trouble getting enough volunteers. I ended up with a broken ankle and didn't go. My friends did go, but, I think, had a rather up and down experience.

In the end, you have to choose. Do you want to see skating? If so, dont volunteer. Do you want to be involved and a part of things? Then, by all means, volunteer.

Bye the way, remember that some volunteering can be deducted from your taxes. You may want to check it out. Sometimes you can deduct the whole cost of the trip. If finances are a consideration.....

[muggie]

At the DC Worlds last year, we were SPECIFICALLY instructed not to speak with the skaters (or ask for autographs, or ask to take pictures or anything else intrusive) unless the skaters addressed us. I followed each rule faithfully. If you think about it, this is the most important few days of a skaters year (maybe even their career). The last thing they need is some idiotic fan disguised as a volunteer gushing and squealing. On the other hand, we were also told to smile, be friendly (especially to the foreign skaters). So if I encountered a skater that was not performing but just happened to be back stage....I said "Hi" or "How are you this evening?"

I worked at both the MCI Center and the old Convention Center and was lucky, in that some of my assignments meant I got to speak briefly with skaters. Even better, Frank Carroll popped into the Operations area at the MCI Center one afternoon. We offered him a seat and he sat down and chatted with us for a few minutes.

We had a close circut tv in the Ops room, so we could see everything happening on the ice. The really weird thing was that the ice was right around the corner from us, so we heard the tv and we heard the music, applause, etc. live.

Another cool thing was that we got to watch the kids who presented medals practice their routine. We got to see the medals up close. The medals and flags were in the room next to us. There was always a lot of stressing about which flags to get for the medal ceremony.

I viewed my volunteering at Worlds as a labor of love. And it was exciting just to be in the building when the skaters performed or practiced. I didn't expect to be so fortunate as to see a bunch of free world-class skating....and I wasn't. But what I do have are fantastic memories that will last a lifetime. Ahhhh....I was so excited this time last year. Watching Worlds on tv this year is going to seem like a huge anti-climax.

[icedancer2]

I want to thank everyone for all of their replys to my topic!! I am getting excited to be having Nationals in my city and excited about volunteering.

I have already been to Worlds twice and Nationals once in the last 3 years. I have seen lots and lots of skating (and no, not for free, but just being there was worth the price of admission) -- I don't expect to see a lot of skating and I don't expect to meet any skaters (I am not that kind of fan that insists that I have to have my picture taken with skaters, etc.) -- I respect that they are there to do a job, etc.

Again, thanks for the discussion.

[manleywoman]

Originally posted by A.H.Black

Bye the way, remember that some volunteering can be deducted from your taxes. You may want to check it out. Sometimes you can deduct the whole cost of the trip. If finances are a consideration.....


I wish I'd known that before I sent in my taxes! Grrrrrr.....