Volunteer to use award as platform for women and girls' rugby

South Wales Argus

08-07-2025

Emily Dean has been recognised in the 'Connecting the Community' category at the Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards, which celebrate those who have had a major impact in their clubs and communities and demonstrated their commitment to the game.
Dean has been fundamental in growing opportunities for female players of all ages at Driffield, organising regular fixtures for girls' teams and fostering a growing relationship with the Women's Institute to make the club more approachable.
'When I took [the volunteering] on, I didn't expect to be recognised for it, but it is a platform that allows other clubs to see what is possible,' she said.
'It gives you the opportunity to say, making rugby more community based rather than just being a rugby club has worked, and it is working really well. It gives us a platform to shout about that.
'I love what rugby has given me. A team sport like rugby gives you so much more than the team aspect. You walk into a club and you are a part of a family automatically.
'When you get the opportunity to share that with other clubs and with other women, that's something that I feel very passionately about. It's given me so much more than just a team sport.'
Dean was driven to start a now flourishing girls' section in order to ensure the women's team could continue running long into the future.
It means that what was formerly a male-oriented community at the rugby club has become an inclusive space that is now promoting opportunity for all through sport.
Yorkshire seal the Gill Burns Women's County Championship division 1! 🔥
June 21, 2025
'We wanted to future proof the women's game,' Dean added. 'We had enough for a team when we started, but it was obvious to me that we didn't have anyone coming through.
'The girls could play up to under-11s, but then they had nothing in the juniors, so we didn't want to lose them.
'We started the girls' section, and we have pulled players from all over. We've built such a good pathway.
'We had two girls from under-18 picked for PDG (Player Development Groups) and two girls at under-16. They're growing the game themselves because they're showing the younger girls that this can happen for you.'
Such is the success of the club, Driffield now make sure they can play competitive matches by taking additional players to lend to the opposition.
Dean has also ensured there is a female presence across the whole club by bringing the Women's Institute on board to build a community at the club that extends off the pitch to volunteers and supporters.
'When you have put multiple people together, you can come up with so many more ideas. They've had lunches, they've had dance classes and there's things in the pipeline to be part of a breast cancer awareness afternoon tea in August,' added Dean.
'We noticed that we haven't got many women within the club who are over a certain age, but actually through increasing that footfall, some of them have come and watched us play.
'We've also worked with a Syrian refugee group through the WI. During half term, they came with their children, and we had a group of 20 outside playing a game of football together even though they didn't necessarily understand each other's language. It's increasing the depth of community.'
Volunteers are the backbone of grassroots rugby in England. If you'd like to get involved and make a difference at your community club, visit: www.englandrugby.com/run/club-management/volunteers