Volunteering comes naturally for Bill Scammell Award winner Angus Crouch!
Published Fri 24 Nov 2023
In a celebration of dedication and passion for the sport, Angus Crouch from the Adelaide University (AU) Rugby Union Club recently claimed the prestigious Bill Scammell Volunteer of the Year Award (student) at the 115th annual Blues Awards.
This recognition is a testament to Angus’ commitment to the club, embodying the spirit of selflessness and community that lies at the heart of volunteerism in sports.
Angus has balanced playing rugby and volunteering at the club whilst studying a Masters of Global Food and Agribusiness at the University of Adelaide.
Winning the Bill Scammell Award at the 2023 Blues Awards came as a shock to Angus, but something he was very proud of.
“It’s a weird feeling because you never do it for recognition and didn’t expect to be nominated,” Angus explained.
“To be recognised and to win is pretty humbling.”
The AU Rugby Club is the third sports club that Angus has been involved in since starting as an undergraduate in 2015.
He started off by playing 50 games with the AU Football Club then switched to the AU Soccer Club for a couple of seasons and is now in his second year at the AU Rugby Union Club.
As well as being a volunteer, Angus is a student member of the AU Rugby committee and has taken a leadership role both on and off the field. Angus has a focus on club sustainability and financial stability and volunteered his time to help improve the club’s revenue stream and operations.
He has managed the bar and canteen facilities working with AU Sport and Fitness to streamline operations and running and analysing reports after each home round which has resulted in a dramatic increase in revenue back to the club.
Coming from just out of Crystal Brook originally, Angus said that being a part of the AU Rugby Union Club was like returning home to play country footy. He said the club was the perfect fit for him and his partner Shona, who also plays for the club. Angus said there was a family feel to the club and said it was great that he and Shona could spend their Saturdays at the same place and then stick around for Saturday night’s events and dinner rather than heading home after their games.
The AU Sport and Fitness Board already recognises long term volunteers with the ‘Service to University Sport’ awards, however, these awards specifically recognise a significant achievement in past 12 months.
There were two Volunteer of the Year awards given out at the Blues Awards with Angus winning the student award and Callan Bubner from AU Volleyball winning the non-student award.
