Phil Gibbin remembers London 2012
Phil Gibbin shared his experiences of London 2011 (Test Event) and London 2012.
How did you feel when it was announced that London had been selected to host the 2012 Olympics?
When the games were first announced way back in 2005, I hadn't really started taking an interest in sport. It wasn't until I took up playing sports outside of school a couple of years later that I realised how big of an event this was going to be in our home country.
2, Why did you decide to become a Gamesmaker?
I originally applied to be a part of the Volleyball NTO programme back in 2009. Volunteering opportunities for the Olympics were discussed by members of our Volleyball club and I thought I should apply.
I was accepted onto the scheme and passed the training at the UK Beach Tour Grand Finals in Blackpool the same year. I then started working towards becoming a Beach line judge for the Games. Unfortunately, I had to drop out of the programme shortly after as to gain more experience I was asked to travel to be a line judge at NVL games over 2 hours drive away. At the time I was too young to drive and was studying for A-Levels so was not able to continue.
I was fortunate enough to offered a position at the 2011 Beach Test Event at Hose Guards Parade as a part of the Athlete Services Team, and later take up the same position at the Beach Volleyball and Sitting Volleyball during the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.
3. What was your role in 2012?
I was a member of the Athlete Services team led by Freda Bussey. Our role was to assist athletes and coaches to ensure they had everything they needed so they could focus on the job at hand.
This cover a wide range of things. Early on we assisted in orientation for the athletes and coaches, ensuring they knew where everything they needed was on the site. We made sure athletes and coaches had everything they needed at the warm up and training courts.
We helped keep time on the warm up courts to make sure the athletes and coaches followed the strict protocols. We collected and passed athlete credentials to the FIVB delegates before and after games and we sat courtside to be on hand if the athletes needed anything during timeouts.
But the most important role... Giving the South Africa coach an over by over update of the South Africa vs England Test match!!!
4. What was your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was the traveling for the training for the roles. Almost all the training for the Olympics and Paralympics took place in London, which involved a number of trips from the North East! On a few occasions it meant getting up at 3.30am to travel to get the first train from Darlington station at 5.15AM and getting one of the last trains back out of London.
Another challenge was the 2011 London riots. This was one of the first times spending a period of time away from home, so there were a couple of worried calls from home as the situation developed over the first few days of being away. Luckily, I had travelled and stayed in a youth hostel with someone who was playing in another team within our local league so we kept each other company and travelled together to make sure we were safe.
5. Do you have an amusing story that you can share?
At the 2011 test event, there was a running joke I was a jinx. In the first few days of competition almost all the teams I assisted courtside lost... it became a little bit of a running joke between the coaches in the athletes' lounge.
I was selected to assist one of the pairs in the Gold medal match, The USA coaches had a little laugh when they saw I was looking after the Brazil pair. The Brazilian pair went on to win what was a fantastic match! Proof I wasn't a jinx!
In 2012 after the Women's medal ceremony one of the players left behind their bouquet of flowers in the athlete's lounge. We managed to find the cardboard medals that were used in the practice ceremony and held our own ceremony in the athlete's lounge when everyone had left.
6. What was your proudest moment during 2012?
The proudest moment had to be being selected to assist Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh-Jennings during the Women's Beach Final, where the managed to take the Olympic title for a 3rd time!!! It was a simply incredible experience and one that I will never forget.
7. What do you think the biggest legacy for volleyball was following 2012?
2012 saw a big uptake in people who took up volleyball in many forms. At the time my club saw many new players turning up to "give the sport a go" and I have met players at my current club who did the same, got hooked and are still playing today.
Thank you Phil
