New role plan for Harrison after completing Board term of service 

During the early part of his service – which comes to an end at this weekend’s AGM after completing the maximum term of eight years – the organisation was in a difficult situation financially. 

It meant that the prime goal, certainly initially, was simply to keep functioning, day by day and week by week. 

Thankfully, the Board and the Hub team at that time were successful in steadying the ship – and have since plotted a course to calmer waters, where they have been able to draft and bring to life large parts of a long-term strategy, The Game Plan. 

While bumpy at times, Richard says the overall journey and experience is one he has largely enjoyed, having taken up post following retirement with the benefit of a lifetime of experience in the game. 

“The organisation is so different from when I started as a Board member,” said Richard. “In the early days it was about maintenance and keeping things going and only then, when we became more established, could we think about making progress. 

“I knew what the situation was because I had attended the AGM when it was clear there were financial problems. In 2015 it was OK, but by 2017 things had gone wrong. The organisation almost collapsed. 

“At that time, it was about the Board making difficult choices. For about three years we just needed to focus on restoring the finances. 

“It was only then we had some stability that we could look to the future and put together The Game Plan.

“Over the last six years, with the volunteers and hub teams working effectively together we have seen good progress in implementing that strategy and now there are a lot of programmes and processes in place that are maturing [working effectively] and it’s about how we fine tune things to get even better.”

“Covid forced us to adopt a different way of working. Face-to-face meetings were impossible for a time. During this period the Board met through Teams calls and we now conduct most of our meetings using Teams. We can meet quickly to discuss issues as they arise.

“Our business operations have been transformed. Sub-group leads can meet more readily in one-on-one calls with strategic managers. I’ve been able to get a better understanding of developments in Volleyball for Life, and to a small extent, help shape progress through my regular meetings with Gillian Harrison.

“We also have more engagement with members using online presentations and briefings for our education courses and rule changes for example.”

“We are fortunate in volleyball that we have always been able to attract good people into the sport, and into volunteer roles. Once everyone starts to embrace a new idea, then there are a lot of people willing to help and make it happen. 

“The Board’s role is to provide the guidance and to monitor to make sure things are done in the right way.

“I feel privileged to have been on the Board. I’m been one member of a group of people who have worked really well together. That has been the case with whoever has been on the Board as the make-up of it has changed over the years.” 

After being introduced to volleyball at Buttershaw School, Bradford by John Rodwel, who was Secretary of the English Schools Volleyball Association in the 1960s, Richard played in regional and national schools competitions and joined Bradford Volleyball Club as a young player. 

He went on to train as a PE teacher at St John's College, York and was player/coach in NVL 3 (North) and the Yorkshire Premier League. 

On Returning to Bradford Volleyball Club, he was player/coach in NVL 2 before later joining Leeds Volleyball Club as a player in 1980, being player/coach from 1988 to 1991.  

He also coached the Yorkshire U15 and U16 boys teams in the Inter Regional Schools Championships, as well as Yorkshire U16 boys for the Inter Regional Championships in the 1980s. 

From 1991 onwards, Richard focused on coach education as a tutor and coached some development sessions for players at Leeds in the 1990s. 

All that has given him a great insight into the sport which is his passion – and enabled him to take responsibility in a number of areas during his time on the Board. 

Richard said: “I have liked that I have been able to get involved with so much including Volleyball For Life, the Heritage Team, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Nominations Committee for the appointment of new Board members, also it has also been a pleasure working with so many fantastic people.” 

“Board members are responsible for the financial health and success of Volleyball England. It’s always sometimes a challenge between fulfilling the governance requirements that are needed by Sport England with doing what the members feel is needed to develop the sport. 

“That can obviously bring tension at times. I’m a member as well and I want the benefits from the organisation too, but how we do things always have has to be balanced against the other requirements an NGB needs to perform.” 

Although Richard will no longer be a serving member on the Board after the AGM, he will still maintain a strong involvement in volleyball. 

As well as continuing to coach in the Yorkshire Premier League, he is also set to take up another voluntary role with Volleyball England as Coaching Delivery Lead, subject to being successfully elected on Saturday. 

“I will miss the interaction with the people on the Board,” said Richard. I would also like to thank Charlie Ford (Chief Executive Officer) and Guin Batten (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) for what they have done since coming into post. It’s been a delight to work with them”. 

“Hopefully I will still be closely involved as the Coaching Delivery Lead, if elected. People have said about volleyball that you just can’t get rid of the bug once you have it. It’s in your DNA.  

“I once asked my players why they stayed in volleyball above all the other different sports and one of them said it was because the people were nicer.”  

Looking forward, Richard says that being competitive internationally remains the sport’s biggest challenge in England and across the UK. 

To put it into context, Great Britain has only competed in one Olympics in indoor volleyball and sitting volleyball – when they were the host nation in 2012. 

In beach volleyball, Audrey Cooper and Amanda Glover represented GB in the sport’s maiden Olympic appearance in 1996, but no team has since qualified, aside from being given home places in 2012. 

Richard said: “I started playing at school and there has always been an ambition that we should be playing on a higher international stage. 

“When I played the England team played a lot more regularly in competitive tournaments and that has since reduced. 

“We have to develop a stronger system to enable the performance programme to succeed at international level – and that is our biggest challenge.  

“Rather than having a culture of desiring that we can beat other nations, we have to believe that we can. Continuing to develop the ability and depth of coaches is so important, along with lots of other moving parts that have to come together.  

“That is why I want to continue in the Delivery Lead position because there is still that opportunity to make things better and I have the desire to do it.” 

Volleyball England would like to thank Richard for inputting his knowledge, and his dedication, during his tenure.  

For more information about the upcoming Volleyball England AGM, click here.