Will Norriss
Football Officiating Hub Manager
Will is a PhD student at Loughborough who has been refereeing from the age of 14. He began refereeing at Loughborough through IMS games and now has a role as Football Officiating Hub Manager.
Tell us a little bit about yourself (hobbies, interests and background):
I have always been a football fan for as long as I can remember. Whether that was playing in goal for a local club or watching various professional teams throughout the years. I always had an interest in refereeing and when I was 14 took the refereeing course, since then I have never looked back and now focus solely on refereeing rather than playing.
How did you first get involved in volunteering within sport at Loughborough?
I first got involved with sport at Loughborough during my second year. Ka'mani Anderson was the officiating hub manager for football at the time and he did a great job at getting me involved with refereeing IMS and football at Loughborough.
During your years at Loughborough what have you got involved in through volunteering within sport?
After the conclusion of my second year, I took over from Ka'mani as the Officiating Hub manager for football, joint with Adam Crosby-Smith.
What has your experience volunteering been like whilst at Loughborough?
My experience of volunteering at Loughborough has been very positive, It has given me a great opportunity to meet lots of new people that I would not have had chance to meet otherwise. The community feel of Loughborough really shines through to refereeing and there is a great camaraderie between officials.
How has being involved with Loughborough Sport helped you develop and progress (personally and professionally)?
Being involved with officiating at Loughborough has allowed me to learn from referees at a much higher level than myself, this has allowed me to progress through the levels and learn what refereeing is like towards the professional game. It has also helped me learn how to manage conflict and teams in a professional environment as well as being a part of an organisation running a sporting programme at the best sports university in the world
What’s the best advice you could give to a Loughborough student looking to get involved in volunteering & gain the most out of their university experiences?
Don't be afraid to get in contact and ask questions, if you don't fully understand something, you are less likely to fully grasp the opportunities that are out there and engage fully with what is on offer.
Finally, what do you enjoy most about volunteering?
The community feel, getting to know new people and the opportunities to develop both personally and professionally
Feeling inspired?
Feeling inspired by Will's experience? Check out the CVA Portal regularly for opportunities like her's.