Phil Morley has spent more than two decades helping shape netball in Melbourne’s west — but like many volunteers, it all started with simply putting his hand up to help.
What began as supporting his daughter’s first netball team has grown into more than 21 years of service across community netball, including founding Wyndham Victory Netball Club 18 years ago and serving in multiple leadership roles across both club and association level.
Today, Phil wears many hats at Wyndham Netball Association and Wyndham Victory Netball Club. President, coach, scorer, team manager and All Abilities coach among them.
“Like a lot of people, I started because help was needed,” Phil said.
“My daughter wanted to play netball. Then the team needed a scorer, then a team manager, then a coach. After that, the association discovered I had a business background and the ball just kept rolling.”
As part of National Volunteer Week, Netball Victoria is celebrating volunteers like Phil whose contribution extends far beyond the scoreboard.
For Phil, volunteering is about community connection and creating an environment where everyone feels welcome.
“Netball is a great sport for bringing communities together,” he said.
“It includes people of all ages and cultures, while teaching young people values they can take well beyond sport.”
Phil says community sport has evolved significantly in recent years, particularly following COVID, with greater recognition of the role sport plays in mental health, social connection and wellbeing.
“The conversations have changed from being just about sport to understanding how important recreation is for positive mental health, social connection and physical health. Helping deliver those benefits to others also delivers them for yourself.”
Among his proudest achievements has been helping establish Wyndham’s All Abilities for Youth and Walking Netball programs — initiatives focused on inclusion and participation.
“Seeing participants from those programs progress into mainstream netball has been outstanding."
At club level, it is the everyday moments that continue to resonate most.
“Every time a family approaches us because they’ve seen the club environment and want their child to be part of it, especially families adding to our inclusion focus, that stands out.”
Phil believes one of the biggest misconceptions around volunteering is that people underestimate both how easy it can be to contribute and the impact even small acts of help can have.
“Every bit you can give lightens the load for another volunteer and helps build a stronger, more sustainable community around the sport,” he said.
“Everybody can give some time. A little or a lot. It all helps.”
And while wins are always enjoyable, Phil says some of the best moments in netball happen away from the final scoreline.
“Seeing a young player get their first intercept, score their first goal, or simply try something and succeed often brings more joy than the result itself,” he said.
During National Volunteer Week, Netball Victoria thanks Phil and the thousands of volunteers across the state whose time, energy and passion continue to make netball possible every day.
