Whether it's washing kits, driving kids to matches or running the club's accounts, there are many ways you can help. And it's not just the team and the children that benefit. Volunteering can be a sociable role where you meet new people and learn new skills.

Most sports clubs are run by volunteers and require all kinds of assistance to keep them running smoothly.

You don't even have to be sporty
Many clubs are eager to recruit volunteers with a range of experience or skills. You may be able to help with:

• Catering - From pouring half-time drinks to preparing cucumber sandwiches for a cricket lunch.
• Maintenance - Whether it's a new lick of paint for the club house or helping to flatten a pitch.
• Transport - Kids need ferrying about. Maybe set-up a transport pool so everybody shares the load.
• Cleaning - It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it!
• Assistant coaching - Equipment might need to be set up; coaches always need help to run sessions.
• Administration - Who's available for the next game? You could organise it all by phone or email. Does the team need to register for a league? Maybe you can write the letter.
• Finance - Has the league subscription fee to a league been paid? Does cash need to be put aside for a special trip? Those with number-crunching skills can help.
• Fundraising - Can you organise sponsorship for the team through your work? Can you run events such as sponsored matches or car boot sales? A sports club always needs help with the pennies.

So why don't you volunteer to help out?
Think about what you can do and contact your local Dragon Sport Co-ordinator to see if you can help.

Click here for -   Advice on Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers