Earlier this year we heard from RLSS UK Trainer Assessor Karen Stevenson as she had secured a volunteer role at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. We caught up with Karen with just a few days to go until the end of the Games to see how she was getting on...

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"I’m part of the Field of Play team which means we have to look after the hockey pitches and ensure they are ready for the teams to play on. We have a lot of time-critical responsibilities as our roles affect the playing.

"At the moment tension in the team is high as it reaches the critical part of the games where medals are there to be won or sadly lost.  We have to ensure that we remain neutral and perform our roles to the highest standards to ensure the players are not affected.

"I managed to get an opportunity to manage one of the games on the main pitch, which was a step up and exciting.

"It's been an amazing experience meeting new people and finding out about their lives and what they do outside of the game. There really are some amazing people out there doing amazing things within the community to help other people. For these games to take place many volunteers are having to take annual leave and give their time to make this event an amazing experience for those volunteering, competing or spectating. Also covering the cost to be in Birmingham - amazing people across all sports and roles.

"It has been tiring as we have early and late shifts and are on our feet all day, but it's been an absolutely amazing experience, making friends, networking, learning new skills, and developing current skills."

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Find out more about becoming a Trainer Assessor