This Volunteers’ Week, Swim Wales is proud to celebrate the incredible dedication of our volunteers who give their time and passion to support aquatics in Wales. One shining example is Nicola Gruffydd, who was named Swim Wales Aquatic Technical Official of the Year at the Swim Wales annual awards in February.
Nicola’s journey into officiating started at her local club and has grown into a key role supporting competitions and mentoring others. We caught up with Nicola to find out more about her story, what drives her, and her advice for future volunteers.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got involved as a volunteer technical official in aquatics?
I’m mum to two kids, Mali (17) and Ned (15), who both swim for City of Cardiff. When Mali first started (aged 8), I helped out with timekeeping at our club champs and enjoyed it. I decided to train as a J1 just after Covid.
What motivated you to become a technical official — was there someone or something that inspired you?
After timekeeping at a few galas, I quickly realized that we needed a bit more diversity amongst our officials. I wanted to encourage more women and volunteers across a wider age group to get involved. I’d love to encourage more people to have a go!
What are some of the roles or responsibilities you’ve taken on at competitions?
I’m now a J2 (Judge Level 2), so I can cover a wide variety of roles at galas – turns, stroke, finish, etc. I’m also the Officials Coordinator for City of Cardiff, so it’s my job to make sure we have enough officials at our galas. I also mentor our trainees. I think it’s really important to build strong relationships with other clubs so that we all help each other to ensure galas have the right number of officials.
Is there a particular moment or event that stands out as the most rewarding part of your volunteering so far?
I recently won the Swim Wales Aquatic Technical Official of the Year award, which was so unexpected. There are so many amazing volunteers who do so much for the sport that I honestly didn’t think that what I was doing was special! It’s wonderful to receive that acknowledgment though, as I’m so proud of the officials’ community that we’ve built in Cardiff.
In what ways has volunteering as a technical official helped you develop new skills or gain confidence?
Officiating can look a little daunting from the sidelines (or stands) at first, but it’s really not. It’s a great community and everyone is so willing to help that your confidence soon grows. I remember when I first started being terrified at the thought of using a radio, but I enjoy hearing everything going on around the pool when I use one now!
What would you say to other young people who might be interested in volunteering in this kind of role?
If you’re thinking of officiating, please just give it a go! It is so much more rewarding than sitting in the stands and watching. You will be truly welcomed by some amazing people whose sole priority is supporting our swimmers.
What are your future goals, whether within officiating, aquatics more broadly, or beyond?
I’ll probably become a Starter (J2S) at some point, but I have a pretty demanding real-life job, so might wait for that to calm down a little first! I’d love to see us continue to encourage new officials to start their training and get involved, especially older swimmers who may otherwise leave the sport behind.
Swim Wales would like to thank Nicola and all our incredible volunteers who keep our sport moving forward. Your contribution truly makes a difference.
