2023 Canterbury Rugby Awards - Volunteer of the Year Finalists

Volunteering takes many forms and positively impacts our communities in ways that are immeasurable. Enabling our game to be played, administered and delivered, our Volunteer of the Year will be someone who gives their time to rugby, making it a better place for those they are serving and supporting. 

This year’s finalists are club members that are dedicated to their community, putting their needs behind those of others. Check out this year’s finalists nominations below.

Hunter Johnston - Christchurch

He is the first to put his hand up to help with anything at the club. He is down every Saturday 7.30am to set the fields up rain or shine. He helps with any running repairs around the club as well as goes above and beyond to host any visiting team either canterbury or travelling teams to the club. Offers his time for extra skills/ training sessions to junior teams and organises and runs rugby events to get more teams down to enjoy our club. He epitomizes our club values. For someone who is not a paid employee he gives up his time freely to help with all things in club.

Michelle Tocker - Woodend

Michelle is an outstanding volunteer who puts in countless hours for both Woodend RFC and NCRSU. I work closely with Michelle, in her role as Senior Rugby liaison person with the NC Senior representative rugby team. She constantly supports us, advocates for the players and also does a lot of work around JAB rugby in NC. She is an outstanding communicator and willingly makes things happen. Her ability and vision are extraordinary along with her passion and drive for grassroots rugby. She has a calm, approachable demeanour and on any given week, dedicates 20+ hours in a voluntary capacity to enable many young (and older) players are able to get out and play the game they love. I could not think of a more fitting recipient.

Steven Richmond - Marist Albion

Steven ‘Blocker’ Richmond has been a long-standing volunteer for Marist Albion. He is a passionate club man who has devoted countless hours to both Marist Albion as a club and the Division one team. Blocker is well-known throughout the club and is a consistent presence at all club functions and fundraisers. Blocker can always be counted on to arrive early to games with the team trailer. He is diligent and reliable in not only unloading the trailer, setting up the warmup and the changing rooms with uniform but also in ensuring and setting up Edgar Macintosh on home game days. This is an incredibly thankless task attributable to his selfless nature and passion for the club and its success. During the game, Blocker is sideline, water bottles in one hand and a towel to dry the ball off for both teams. He’s the first person to run water on the field and support the team. He ensures we have ball kids staying engaged, enjoying themselves and sharing a joke with them. Blocker can then be seen post game, when the crowd has dispersed and the players have retired to the changing rooms, packing away the flags, post protectors and sideline rope, often by himself, come rain, hail (as we saw this season) or shine. He is present at both Tuesday and Thursday trainings and can be relied on to give inspirational speeches and ensure players are in line with team culture and behaviour expectations. He treats the clubrooms like his own home (where he has often held team functions and events) and expects all club members to do the same, leading by example. Blocker is a stalwart of Marist Albion and someone that exemplifies the values of Volunteer of the Year and is a worthy nomination for this award.