Netball leader recognised as super Warwick volunteer

SECRETARY spends 20 to 30 hours a week helping in junior and senior sport.

EXPANSION: Linda Bunch is particularly proud of the new courts being constructed at Warwick Netball Association headquarters at Barnes Park. Picture: Gerard Walsh

NETBALL: Linda Bunch received the most nominations after the Daily News asked readers online to highlight the best sport volunteers in our city.

She first played netball at Karara State School and then started playing association netball in Warwick at the age of 15.

"For the next 20 years I was just a player but made many friends in netball and have lifelong memories of my time as a player,” she said.

She has won premierships and still plays for the Doorslammers on Monday nights.

Bunch said she had wanted to get a better understanding of how decisions were made so started going to meetings in 2005.

"A year after attending meetings, the secretary's role was up for grabs and I offered to take the position,” she said.

"I wasn't even at the meeting when I was elected.”

In her 13 years as secretary, Bunch moved the association from paper-based letters and registrations to digital.

"The digital age has streamlined procedures in netball,” she said.

Bunch is involved with junior and senior netball as well as the representative and mixed game.

"We have a mixed competition between September and December each year,” she said.

"We had to limit numbers in mixed in the past two years and it is likely we will have to do the same this year.”

Bunch guessed she put 20 to 30 hours a week into the sport.

"I love every minute of it,” she said. "My husband, Bruce, is very supportive as I do some of the work from our business, Albion St Auto,” she said.

"The major project in the past couple of years has been to develop Barnes Park to a seven flexi-pave and one grass court facility. The six new courts will be finished in October.”

Bunch travels to major netball games with some of the friends she has made in Warwick netball.

"In October, Bruce and I are going to Sydney to watch a Test match between Australia and New Zealand,” she said.

She is particularly proud of four moments/events during her time in netball.

"One was being awarded life membership with Warwick netball, being named Netball Queensland Volunteer of the Year, carrying the Commonwealth Games baton in Warwick early last year and the $700,000 court upgrade with help from government grants,” Bunch said.