HSBC Volunteer of the year nominee: Warren Colliss

Fri, Aug 5, 2016, 12:26 AM
Rugby Australia
by Rugby Australia

No matter the size of the club, volunteers are just as important as our star players. Every weekend across Australia volunteers give up their time so that you, your mates, or your kids, can enjoy the game of rugby. It’s an often forgotten role but the reality is that those who volunteer their time, really do make a significant contribution to community rugby.

That’s why the ARU, in partnership with HSBC, is running the HSBC Volunteer of the Year program, which aims to recognise the outstanding efforts of club volunteers across the country.

With only two weeks to go until nominations close, there have already been many fantastic and very worthy nominations but when it comes to longevity, you can’t go past Warren Colliss, who has been a rugby volunteer for a whopping 36 consecutive seasons.

At 78, Warren (Wazza) watched his son play his first season with the Hillview Under 15 team in Eastwood, Sydney, back in 1981 and – realising there wasn’t always trained medical staff on hand at his games – began attending sports trainers courses. Quickly, Wazza became extremely well qualified and put his knowledge to good use, helping thousands of players, from juniors through the internationals.

When Wazza moved to Perth in 2006, he continued his volunteering, getting involved with his son’s University of Western Australia (UWA) club, where he brought with him his skills and soon found himself strapping for every grade, whilst helping to grow the team’s team of trainers and physios.

Wazza has been an ambassador for rugby volunteers the country over. From all ages to all levels, Wazza has been involved with no less than 25 clubs across his 36 years of service, sometimes looking after multiple teams at a time.

This year marks Warren’s final year as a rugby club volunteer. At 78, he thinks he’s done his bit and will be quite content to stand with a stubby of Tooheys Old and watch UWA from the hill with the rest of the Uni faithful.

If you know a volunteer with as much passion, perseverance or permanence as Warren, now is your chance to put them in the spotlight and thank them.

And the best part? The winner for each category of HSBC Volunteer of the Year will win their club a $5,000 or $10,000 grant* from HSBC.

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