Football's "Football For All" Olympic Gold

Submitted : 12th September 2012 at 10:38:55 PM

This article below was featured in the match programme for the Northern Ireland v Luxembourg game. It features a well known Linfield supporter, Tracey McCormick, a member of the 1st Belfast Ladies Linfield Supporters' Club. The article is reproduced with the kind permission of the Irish Football Association.



Football For All volunteer Tracey McCormick has just returned from her role as one of the 70,000 Games Makers at the London Games. The Games Makers received praise for their contribution to making a positive games experience for participants and visitors alike.

Tracey has been volunteering with Football For All since 2009 on various events, from distributing ponchos at international matches to registering participants at conferences and events. Maria Wilson, Irish FA Volunteer Development and Policy Officer acknowledged the invaluable role of volunteers in local football: “Football in Northern Ireland would not survive without the dedication and commitment of volunteers giving up their time and sharing their expertise to develop and promote the local game.”



The positive impact that volunteering has had for Tracey led her to apply to become a Games Maker for the London 2012 Games: “I wanted to enjoy the experience of participating in such a global event, being part of such a diverse team and volunteering amongst the buzz.” Tracey had to travel to London for training in the lead up to the Games, and excelled in her role as an Olympic Family Assistant: “Every task was different; I had to work under constant pressure but loved the satisfaction of solving problems and finding solutions, and always had the support of my team.”

Tracey is looking forward to volunteering again with Football For All and will be applying to become a volunteer at the World Police and Fire Games in 2013 in Northern Ireland.

The World Police and Fire Games will take place from August1-10 next year, with the Games set to attract 10,000 competitors from over 70 countries as well as a further 15,000 visitors. Whilst the Games will be held at locations mainly in Belfast, other venues include those in Bangor, Newcastle, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Castlereagh, Portrush, Larne, Cookstown, Ballymena and the Newry and Mourne region.

To find out more about the 2013 World Police and Fire Games volunteer programme, including applying online, roles and dates/venues visit: www.2013wpfg.com/volunteers. For any queries or to find out more about volunteering opportunities in local football please contact Maria Wilson: 02890 688425 or mwilson@irishfa.com