Petri Anttiroiko, who received the award on International Volunteer Day on 3 December 2021, exemplifies the best of voluntary club operators: wherever something new is happening, you’ll find Petri, working responsibly and creating an atmosphere that makes it easy for new players to join. Petri and the club’s other volunteers also play an important role in the maintenance of disc golf courses.
Petri Anttiroiko is currently serving his fourth term as the president of the Tampere Disc Golf Club. He is proud of the award he has received, but also surprised.
“Being chosen for this recognition feels great, both on a personal level, as well as on behalf of the whole club. The attention feels especially rewarding, because in disc golf, we’ve long experienced a kind of little brother syndrome in the shadow of the larger sport, golf. This award is a recognition for the sport as a whole. Disc golf is no longer an underground phenomenon, but rather an actual competitive sport that is practised around the year.”
The popularity of disc golf has exploded in the last two years, which is also reflected in the demand for club activities.
“An award of 3,000 euros is a very significant show of support to us. We want to use the award money so the results last as long as possible. There’s clear demand for launching junior activities for the club. Disc golf is suitable for all ages, but these days, most of the people out on the courses are under 20 years old. Disc golf is a sport with a low initial threshold, with a social element that’s attractive for young people.”
Choosing a voluntary club operator of the year is part of the #Kiitosseuratoimija campaign, raising awareness of the volunteer work in sports clubs and encouraging everyone to be openly grateful to volunteers on social media. OP Financial Group and the Finnish Olympic Committee will provide an award of 3,000 euros to the Volunteer of the Year’s club.
OP Financial Group and the Finnish Olympic Committee have been in long-standing cooperation to support sports activities for children and young people, in addition to being main partners for club operations. This partnership is part of OP Financial Group’s corporate social responsibility actions and seeks to promote the wellbeing of children, young people and families with children in Finland.