Girl Power - Di Hollows can’t wait to be back on the referees stand.

1.     How did you first get involved in Volleyball?

My involvement in volleyball started late compared to most people, it was not a sport we played at school.  I saw an advert for my local club who were based at Grimsby YMCA. I joined and started training; this was my first taste of the wonderful volleyball family. I played in the regional league. This is also where I first met Janet Inman, around 1979-1980. I also got a job in the Youth Service as a Netball Umpire/Volleyball Referee, I was qualified as a Netball Umpire, but the youth clubs who entered, only needed the very basic rules of volleyball, and it was great giving them a taster of what volleyball was about. 

During this time, I had my two daughters, this made playing a little more difficult, finding a babysitter on training night, although we still had tournaments on a Sunday where we had a crèche to keep the babies and toddlers amused!

I also started a club in Immingham where I lived, we had good numbers especially juniors, but like most things, finance got in the way, some of the juniors joined Grimsby clubs and continued playing.

2.     What took you down the path of refereeing?

I moved to Pocklington near York and stopped playing for a while. Once again, I saw an advert for York Volleyball Club. I contacted them and started training and playing at Oaklands School. I realised that I would never be a good player, too short and they kept trying to make me a setter. They had a policy in the club to get people qualifies as Referees and Coaches. I qualified as a Grade IV Referee and a Level 1 coach in April 1992.  I loved being involved with volleyball, but found that after my referee course, I spent less time playing and more time refereeing their matches. Although I loved my coaching involvement particularly with North Yorkshire Juniors, I realised that coaching was not for me. I started refereeing NVL matches in 1993 after being upgraded to Grade III in July 1993.  I was invited to training weekends which we held at the Student Cup and County Cup, I was also invited to be involved with the Women 2000 project which was trying to get more women in refereeing.  I progressed through the grades attaining my National Grade in September 2003.  I was also involved with UK School Games, this event was wonderful to see the young people from all over the UK compete. I worked as a referee and an Event Official over the years.

People who know me, know I love refereeing, this enthusiasm as enabled me to become a Staff Referee and a Tutor for Grade IV Courses, and I was involved in the development of Referees whilst I was on the Referee Commission (now known as Officials Working Group.

3.     What has been your biggest challenge whilst on the stand?

Officiating at the IFIUS (International Federation of Inter University Sports), I have been lucky enough to attend these events in Dublin 2006 and Vienna 2007. I refereed the Men, Iran vs Russia Students, once without line judges. This was a high standard match with some fantastic attacking play, you really had to be focussed and in the zone, watching for backcourt attacks etc.

4.     What was your most proud moment?

Refereeing at my first Cup Final, I have refereed at a number of cup finals now, and I still feel very proud each time.  Also as a member of Competitions presenting the medals last year in the U18s Finals, most of these players I have watched develop from U15s through the age groups, I never tire of watching the standard of play in these young players and the dedication of the parents, coaches etc

5.     What have you missed most during lockdown?

I have missed officiating, however as I am involved with the Competitions Working Group, we have been very busy making decisions on the leagues, Cups, Junior Competitions etc, and looking to see how we can get the NVL back up and running after COVID, so I have been quite busy, and know we are looking at when we can return to our wonderful sport.

6.     What are you planning to do once lockdown is over?

I still have an involvement as a Divisional Lead, and also with WTR as an Appointer, I am looking forward to the fixtures being organised, and appointing referees so we can start playing our game, and seeing my lovely volleyball family, and of course returning to the stand to referee with my hand held whistle!