Being a volunteer is no easy task.
The early mornings, late nights, not to mention the dedication to helping their communities. Described as a tireless volunteer for the Belnorth Football Club, Kat Newman has been putting in the extra work to make sure everyone has an equal go.
By starting off as a player for Belnorth, Kat went on to become a team manager for her team, and then when Belnorth needed a Rooball registrar she decided to put her hand up for the job. She also has a part in the Just for Girls U6/7 and U8/9 competitions as well as managing her Women’s State League team and assisting with the WSL as a whole.
“Belnorth is a real community, especially with all our U5-9s at Kaleen each week, with a focus on inclusiveness and participation to build skills and develop a life-long love of the game,” she said.
“Having been around for a little while, I have seen many young players move through the age groups from U5s and now coming each week enthusiastically to game lead or ref before their game.
“Then the WSL in particular, everyone knows everyone and the teams all support each other.”
She is most grateful for her creation of the Just for Girls program, where she was the architect for bringing it altogether to help make Belnorth FC the prime northside club for girls.
Endlessly thankful for her dedication, Belnorth FC Secretary Ben Muir nominated her for May’s Capital Chemist Volunteer of the Month.
“Kat has been with the club for 12 years as player and then 7 with the committee, where she is constantly working hard and volunteering her time to make sure that the program’s she works with are getting all the attention they need,” he said.
“We asked Kat what some moments throughout her time at Belnorth FC make her go this is all worth it, she responded by saying, ‘seeing the growth in the Just for Girls competition has been really encouraging and exciting. I love seeing more young girls playing and enjoying football- hopefully only continue to grow especially with the home World Cup in 2023.’”
The nomination form for the Capital Chemist Volunteer of the Month can be found here.
