Back on the Beach - Birmingham 2022 Here We Come!

Di Hollows, an amazing role model.

Di Hollows tell the Foundation about her return to refereeing following the pandemic.

The pandemic has had an effect on most of us, some more than others. We think about what we have missed, I have definitely missed my volleyball family. I was so excited to hear that the UKBT was back on for this year, plus there would be a Funding Event for the Commonwealth Games happening too.

I first got into Beach Officiating when Mark Kontopoulos asked me to do my Beach Course so I could officiate at the Beach Events, how could I say no! I wanted to be an NTO at London 2012 and was not sure which sport I wanted to be involved with. After chatting with Jeff Brehaut, I decided that I would go down the beach volleyball route in the hope of becoming an NTO. Training for the Olympics had to be at CEV & FIVB events, we had two events in Blackpool and one event on the South Coast (maybe Brighton) all the other training happened abroad. I was lucky enough to travel to Gstaad twice and to Berlin. I did make the cut after our test event in London in 2011 and had the most amazing time at London 2012 and I was lucky enough to be the Assistant Scorer on the Men's Gold Medal Match (a dream that I had had since my second competition in Blackpool when I realised just how much I enjoyed the Assistant Scorer role!)

After Durban (South Africa) said they could not stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Birmingham won the bid to stage it, I was hooked again on training and hoping to attend the event.

Our first event was the Funding Event, it was so good to be back on the beach working with some new people for Birmingham 2022, plus some colleagues I worked with at London 2012. It was special for me as I was at the inaugural event on the Gold Coast in 2018. It was a busy event hosted at Canford Cliffs at Bournemouth, and it was great to see the athletes compete - it was extra special as I have known many of them from being juniors.

Next up we went to Weymouth, always a great competition, working hard again with the scorers, but also having an opportunity to referee.  The weather again was very kind to us. After Weymouth we went to Barry Island, more new people arriving to train as NTOs, it was really exciting to see our officiating family grow. I have just got back from the event in London, this was really special as two of our colleagues were able to join us from Italy, it was so good to work with Fi and Jeff Brock and to see them back refereeing and scoring, our beach family growing even more.

We have two more events left this year, the UKBT Finals at Bournemouth on the 11th-12th September and then our final event for this year - the CEV Event in Edinburgh on the 24th-26th September 2021. It has been an amazing summer, made all the more special by being able to see my volleyball family again, and to realise why I love this wonderful game of volleyball, and the fantastic volleyball family.

I wish every success to the NTOs working towards selection for Birmingham 2022, and especially to the athletes who are working so hard to qualify for this event. I will be there, NTO, Volunteer or Spectator!

Thanks Di - looking forward to seeing you in Birmingham.