Rob Wilkinson’s weekends felt a bit empty when he gave up voluntary match day duties after his sons stopped playing footy.
Then the scoreboard at The Canal went on the blink.
As a member of the Bond University IT department, when the incident crossed Rob’s desk, he instantly became the obvious choice to take over the scoreboard duties for Director of AFL, Andy Lovell.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of the sporting world, selflessly dedicating their time and passion to enrich their communities.
That’s a big reason why Bond University is joining with the Australian Sports Commission to celebrate National Volunteer Week.
Bond University is fortunate to have Rob Wilkinson as both an employee and a volunteer with a lifelong commitment to Australian Rules Football.
His service began when he was a teenager, operating the scoreboard for the senior team where he played his junior footy.
This early experience ignited a lifelong love for local footy and a desire to give back.
When his sons signed up with the Broadbeach Cats, Rob's involvement deepened, taking on coaching roles, goal umpiring and match day running duties.
But when his sons hung up their footy boots, Rob found himself looking for a new local club to call home.
“My volunteering started from when I was playing footy up in Brisbane," Rob said.
"I used to do the scoreboard for the seniors when I was a teenager and I've always been around my local footy clubs.
"Then my sons started at Broadbeach Cats. I used to do some coaching and I volunteered to do flags and be the runner, alongside various other duties.
“But my boys finished up footy recently, and I just love local footy so much. I went to one of the Bond home games at the start of this season and asked about whether they needed any more volunteers."
His first week in the new role coughed up a few surprises as he found himself dealing with more than just the score.
That weekend featured Anzac Day round and also Ash’s Day at The Canal with all the Bull Sharks games dedicated to Bondi stabbing victim Ashley Good.
Instead of just scoring, Rob was thrown into the deep end acting as gameday DJ and running the PA system.
“I picked it all up pretty quickly with my IT background, I thought I should be alright, but I didn't know about the Ashley Good presentation and the ANZAC Day ceremony.
“I had to make sure I got all the correct music and sirens playing during those. It was a little bit of a challenge because I thought I was just doing the scoreboard."
The passion he holds for volunteering extends beyond the sport itself.
He cherishes the opportunity to connect with people and having spent many years on the sidelines or in the boxes, he has come to appreciate the rich stories and backgrounds of his fellow volunteers and players.
"It's interesting listening to the stories of some of the young players,” he said.
“They will sit in the scoreboard with me and tell me about their background and listening to their stories has been quite refreshing."
Like most volunteers, his motivation is not glory or recognition, but simply the sense of community and camaraderie that comes from volunteering and his love for the game.
“I think the Bond football community is quite special,” he said.
“The sports program here is becoming second to none, not just for AFL but for rugby, swimming, and netball.
“If I can contribute some way to the Bond sport community, I'm happy."