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VOLUNTEER PROFILE
In this feature we will focus on Charlie Farrell, youth
coach at Dungannon RFC.
While still a young man himself, Charlie first got
involved in volunteering two years ago at Dungannon
Rugby Club, where he currently fulfils the role of U16
youth coach, as well as coach for the club’s U12, U15
and U18 girls’ teams.
In relation to how he became involved in volunteering,
Charlie commented: “I got involved in volunteering
so that I could give something back to the sport and
club that has given so much to me. Through rugby
I have been able to make friends all over the world
and it has allowed me to travel and play sport in
other parts of the world. I first started coaching when
I was in New Zealand - that’s when I discovered
how much I enjoyed it. As soon as I returned home
to Dungannon I wanted to carry on coaching and
see what I could do to help my club. Throughout
my career as a player I have been coached and
helped by many volunteers; after realising the impact
those guys had on me I decided that I should go
out and do what I can to try and encourage the next
generation of rugby players as best as I can.”
An extremely dedicated volunteer, Charlie can be
found coaching six or seven days per week with the
various teams, which takes a lot of commitment, as
he says: “Coaching the U16 boys involves planning
and delivering sessions on a Monday night and then
taking the team on match days - organising buses,
playing kits, making sure players are on time and
know where they are going, as well as coaching the
team during their matches. I also help out on Monday
nights with the other youth teams taking specialist
sessions if their coaches need help with a particular
aspect of their game.
“Coaching the Dungannon ladies involves everything
from planning and delivering sessions on Wednesday
nights to organising blitz days/games for the girls. It’s
the most challenging role I have because I am trying
to coach three different age grades. Last season I
also volunteered to take rugby in some of the local
schools to try and encourage some more girls to play
rugby at the club.”
While Charlie’s volunteering requires huge
commitment, he acknowledges it is also extremely
rewarding: “For me, the best thing about volunteering
is seeing other people enjoying the sport I love. It’s
great to come down to the club any night of the week
and seeing the rugby fields full of players. I believe
my role as a coach is to help all of my players to play
to the best of their ability so when I get to stand on
the sideline during a match and watch the boys and
girls play rugby, enjoy themselves and come off the
pitch with a smile, it makes all the hard work as a
volunteer worthwhile!”
In addition to his duties at Dungannon RFC, Charlie
was also a key part of the management team for
the Ulster U18 girls, who won the first ever Inter-
provincial series at that level this year. The girls won
all three games against their provincial counterparts
on route to winning the series, and Charlie cites this
as the highlight of his coaching career: “Watching
the Ulster U18 girls win the first ever Inter-provincial
series was fantastic. We had worked a lot with the
girls over the summer, so it was great just to see
them win their first game against Leinster, but for
them to go on and win their other two games was
just incredible.”
Charlie was also recently awarded the 2016 Young
Sports Coach of the Year by Sport Northern Ireland.
In honouring Charlie, the judging panel commented:
“Charlie adopts an extremely professional approach
to his coaching, showing extreme dedication and
effort throughout the year to improve the teams he
has worked with, other coaches and himself.”
If you would like to get involved in volunteering
at your local club please contact Kerry Spence,
Ulster Rugby Volunteer and Policy Development
Officer on
volunteer@ulsterrugby.comVOLUNTEER PROFILE:
CHARLIE FARRELL, DUNGANNON RFC
In our Volunteer Focus series, we will be profiling some of the outstanding
rugby volunteers and highlighting the tremendous work carried out by them.