Sports clubs rely on volunteers. A Cwmbran teenager plays a vital role at not just one club, but two clubs in the town.
I first met Alex Evans, 13, when I filmed a video at Cwmbran Youth Netball Club. Vicki Randall, the head coach, said he was one of their volunteer coaches.
Her club’s Instagram page had posted a photo of him holding an award with this caption: “How good is this! Not only is Coach Alex a qualified netball coach and fantastic leader with our tots group but he has just won Young Volunteer of the year for Cricket Wales 👏🏻👏🏻 Amazing and proud of our coach!”
Vicki said: “He has his netball leaders qualification, I don’t think Alex has ever missed a session!
“Alex leads our tots group and will often support some of the smallest ones 1-1. He joins in and encourages them all. He will plan activities and lead them, along with general coaching work like setting the session up beforehand and packing away at the end and for the tots, that is a lot of equipment.”
I got hold of his mum and dad to find out more.
Shelley, his mum, said: “He’s been coaching for about five years now. He only got into netball coaching as his little sister was in netball tots, and he was there with me. He started helping out the kids.”
Every week, he also volunteers for the first team and under-11s at Croesyceiliog Cricket Club.
Jamie, his dad, said his son handles the club’s scoring. He watches games with his laptop and constantly uploads match info live to a national website.
Jamie said: “Croesyceiliog Cricket Club love him. They think the world of him.
“He used to play cricket and gave up playing and started scoring. He does it every week, which is amazing. Me and Shelley are so proud of him, we’re quite a proud family.”