大分工業高等専門学校紀要

第 55 号(平成 30 年 11 月)

PERSONAL GROWTH THROUGH VOLUNTEERING AT AN
INTERNATIONAL SPORTING EVENT – REFLECTIONS ON
PARTICIPATION IN THE PYEONGCHANG WINTER GAMES

Tomek ZIEMBA
Dept. of General Education

The summer Olympics are the most watched and anticipated sporting events in the world. With the next
summer games coming to Tokyo in 2 years time, and the Rugby World Cup in one year, as well as the World
Masters in Kansai in 2021, many international sporting events are being held in Asia, and specifically Japan.
In preparation for Japan’s leading role, the 2018 PyeongChang winter Olympic and Paralympic games were
held in South Korea earlier this year in February and March respectively. Through participation in as an
NOC/NPC Assistant through both games, personal growth and perceptions on volunteering for international
sporting events were measured, and its potential and expectations for students and the general Japanese
population from here forward are discussed.
Key Words : volunteering, international exchange, PyeongChang, Olympics, Paralympics

1. BACKGROUND
In 2002, Japan and South Korea were joint hosts
for the FIFA World Cup. The two countries have ahistory of conflict and disarrays but were able tocooperate for a successful tournament that is stilltalked about to this day. In Japan, the next big
international sporting events include the Rugby
World Cup in 2019, but the Tokyo 2020 Olympic andParalympic Games are most looked forward to.
Research shows that there are many influences
for wanting to participate as a volunteer for theseinternational mega-events, from the ability to travel,
meet new people, and also language practice.
However it seems that intrinsic motivation is one of
the most significant aspects. A study by Lee et al.
(2014) in response to the Yeosu Expo in 2012 showedthat patriotism had the greatest impact. Although
South Korea is different from Japan, similarities
should be expected for Japanese citizens for these
upcoming events.
However, recent news reports show that interestis as low as only 15% in some regions in Japan, withthe organization committee often being criticized in
the news and online for some of their controversial

decisions. These include not providing any residence
for the volunteers (although this is common practicefor Summer Games), nor having any significant
transportation costs covered (currently reported as
1000¥ a day being expected).
For these events to be a success, it is often said
that volunteers are the most important asset. Howeverwith the current state of affairs, how can these
upcoming international sporting events beguaranteed to be a success and increase patriotism
and intrinsic motivation for a greater amount ofvolunteers? To ensure deeper understanding, theresearcher volunteered to participate in the 2018
PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic
Games in preparation for these future events.
Applications began approximately a year before
the event, with a Skype interview, and online
language and technical training continuing formonths. After an early arrival to assist in teams
preparation at the athletes villages, work as an
National Olympic Committee (NOC) and National
Paralympic Committee (NPC) were conducted.
Although it is understood that Winter Games are
significantly smaller in scale to Summer Games,
comparisons and analysis are expected to be found.

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第 55 号(平成 30 年 11 月)

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

3. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

Before going into detail about the personal
experiences from the PyeongChang 2018 WinterOlympic and Paralympic games, it is crucial toinclude background information about volunteering
at major international sporting events, like theOlympics, and the conclusions of research alreadyconducted. These will later be cross-examined.
In 2016, Koutrou et al. conducted an analytical
study on sustainable volunteer management after the2012 London Summer Games. Their feedback fromvolunteers included positive aspects such as being
part of a once in a lifetime event, to the negative, suchas not being used to their fullest potentials (Koutrou
et al., 2016). The research included the unavoidable
point of many volunteers also being declined
participation through the application and interview
process ruining the image of these Games and ofvolunteering for mega-events in general.
At the same time, volunteers that are accepted andexperience all go through unique journeys and often
continue volunteering at major sporting events in the
future thanks to their experiences (Tomazos & Luke,
2015). Some long-term volunteers even see eachother again at other events around the world, which
was also noticed with some PyeongChang 2018
volunteers, especially for those who had volunteeredfor Vancouver 2010 and London 2012.
Research shows that, specifically for
PyeongChang 2018 volunteers, albeit have various
reasons for their motivation, are highest rated
egotistically by wanting to challenge their abilities
and improve their various skills throughout theirassigned tasks (Ahn, 2018). Volunteer satisfaction
and the feeling of them being used to their fullest
potential and making the most of their personal skills
is crucial to having a positive experience. Lack ofmotivation and even disappointment in the event as awhole are seen when these volunteer ideals are notmet, as detailed in research by Noordegraaf & Celebi(2015).
By matching volunteers with tasks that are in
their field, it was seen that not only volunteer
satisfaction and motivation increased, but also theeffectiveness of their work and their autonomy had
positive influences all around (Guntert et al, 2014).
Even if not assigned to tasks that are in the specificfields wanted by the volunteers, Ahn’s study (2018)
showed that intrinsic motivation improved during
training periods with rewards and recognition given
to those who excel in educational preparation, andalso leading to other volunteers wanting to obtainthese same goals as well.

(1) Pre-departure Online Training
After a successful online interview throughSkype which lasted but 10 minutes, the position was
confirmed about a month after the fact through theonline application site. Online training would
continue after in which not just language training, butalso basic Olympic and Paralympic organizationalterms and facts were tested as well. Full completion
and a passing mark on these tests were necessary to
be officially accepted for the positions assigned.
There were some technical difficulties amongsome volunteers, which were reported to theorganizing committee and appropriate actions weretaken to ensure that all successful applicants wereable to complete their necessary training. Regardlessof how thorough volunteers completed their technicaltraining, on-site sessions were also included upon
arrival to ensure comprehension.
Although there are a multitude of roles forvolunteers, the responsibilities given at this time wereof a National Olympic/Paralympic Committee
Assistant, abbreviated as NOC/NPC Assistant. These
are said to be the most difficult and highly demanding
positions, in which volunteers are assigned to specificcountries and are to support the committees and theirathletes in whatever they deem necessary to stay inpeak condition and obtain their intended results.

Fig.1 Official Olympic and Paralympic mascots
Soohorang and Bandai at the entrance of the
Daegwallyeong (formerly Hoenggye) Interchange―12―大分工業高等専門学校紀要

第 55 号(平成 30 年 11 月)(2) Duties as a NOC/NPC AssistantFig.2 Itinerary check and installation of flags in thein the PyeongChang Athletes’ Village
As previously mentioned, NOC/NPC Assistants
are assigned to a specific country/team and are
expected to do anything necessary for the team andtheir athletes and coaches to have an easy adaptation
to their new temporary homes, assist in their daily
lives to ensure successful results, and to help
consolidate all loose ends when leaving the villages
and returning to their home countries.
At first, since most of the volunteers were
university students or recent graduates, with noprevious experience at games of these scale, many
participants were confused and sometimes frustrated
with the gap between their intrinsic expectations andwhat was expected of them from their NOC/NPCs.
Initially, volunteers gathered with the officials of
their teams a week or so before the delegation arrival,
to check all of the rooms and install all that wasnecessary. Most volunteers were shocked that there
was so much mundane work assigned to them, andmotivation started low. Furthermore, once theathletes arrived, luggage was also distributed to theassistants to help sort and move, and even appliancesand specified equipment as well, which meant asignificant amount of hard, physical labor. Given that
not all volunteers were in ideal physical condition,and some were retired former company employees,some physical injuries like sprains and bruising had
occurred from the beginning of the games, which had
a negative impact on the intrinsic motivational
aspects of volunteers for the team.

Once the volunteers and their respective
committees reached a common ground after
extensive debate and understanding, motivations
seemed to increase although not all individuals weresatisfied with their roles. Some were restricted tomostly driving to and from venues with athletes,
coaches, or even dignitaries. Those who weredissatisfied with their designation claimed theywanted to work more proactively for their teams andcommunicate with the athletes more directly,
whereas on the other side some similarly designatedindividuals were more understanding, stating that
their roles, although not their ideal, knew that they
were doing what was needed of them to ensure abalance among the team and volunteers as a whole.
Some concerns that were shared among
volunteers on various teams, specifically to driving,
was that the one day of driving training was notenough to remember the ways to the venues, and thateven using smartphone navigation applications did
not always work with sudden road closureshappening, often without warning. This led to initial
frustrations, however over time and getting used tothe ‘norms’ of these games, a more accepting andflexible way of thinking grew within the volunteers.
However, similarly to the initial responsibilities,
checking out and assisting with luggage was also
necessary, yet this time volunteers were more
comfortable and less negative about helping because
they knew what was expected of them at this time.
Even if the end seemed abrupt and without a full
sense of closure, a vast majority of participants felt
more than expected levels of satisfaction in the end.
Although the games finish within a 3-weekperiod, it was seen that teamwork and connections
between the volunteers themselves and theircommittees grew more positive throughout the games,
and when the end drew near a sense of deep sadness
came to all, regardless of their varied roles andexperiences over the entire time together. Even to thisday, most volunteers on this specific team do keep intouch and meet regularly and have even continued on
to apply for the Tokyo 2020 games.
Disappointingly, it has often been recently
reported in Japanese domestic news outlets that theinterest of the general public, especially targeted
university students is very low, due to lack ofsubsidies and residences being available. However, it
is assumed that Japanese who volunteered for
PyeongChang in 2018 will also continue on and try
again for the Tokyo 2020 games to recreate the oncein a lifetime experiences they have just obtained,even if it is a different season and country.

―13―大分工業高等専門学校紀要

第 55 号(平成 30 年 11 月)(3) Variants in Olympic and Paralympic Games

Fig.3 Paralympic Agitos outside Gangneung Station

Often overlooked is the Paralympic Games,
which is held directly after the Olympics with abouta week time in between to make all the necessary
shifts from one to the other. Volunteer roles didchange in some cases, and even for NOC turning into
NPC assistants, their assigned teams changed as well.
Some volunteers were not happy with changing
teams after becoming attached to their Olympic
assignment, which was one reason for some of thevolunteers to withdraw from volunteering for the
Paralympic Games. Unfortunately for the Korean
academic year calendar, March is the start of theschool year and seeing as most volunteers werestudents, there were much less available volunteers to
help for the Paralympics compared to the Olympic
Games.
Even though the responsibilities stayed the same,the main focus of Paralympic Games assistance wasto ensure accessibility and to not go over what isnecessary in terms of assisting the athletes. Many
volunteers initially expected they would be pushingwheelchairs or helping athletes physically, but during
the pre-games training, it was reinforced to thevolunteers to only help when necessary or asked, as
they are world class athletes that have lived with their
specific disabilities for years and do not need to bebabied or felt sorry for.
One memorable experience occurred when
speaking to an athlete from a European country who
was told by a spectator after a less than satisfactory

result that they should be happy for just finishing in
one piece. The athlete was enraged by the comment,
stating that they came to win the gold medal and notjust to participate or finish. The athlete even further
mentioned their desire to compete with Olympic
athletes on an even level, which took the volunteers
around at that moment by surprise.
The greatest thing learned by volunteering for the
Paralypmic Games was that most people
underestimate the capabilities of para athletes. Albeit
the period of these games is less than half of the
Olympics, the amount of personal growth and deeper
understanding of impairments was life changing.
However, the greatest education in this respect wasgiven to the volunteers by the athletes themselves,
who are used to adapting to various backgrounds ofpeople and situations.
As for the volunteering tasks in general, NOC and
NPC assistants are identical, so the volunteers felt
more confident in their tasks and abilities during theParalympic Games due to already having experiencein the just-finished Olympics. Some volunteers whocame just for Paralympics were very confused andapprehensive, which is understandable given theirlack of experience with the preceding games androles. Even driving and navigating became second
nature, although the number of athletes and teams
were drastically smaller than during the Olympic
Games.
Finally, due to the disappointing lack of generalknowledge and common understanding by the public
in regards to the Paralympic Games, many logos andinstallations around the PyeongChang andGangneung areas continued to display the Olympic
rings instead of the Paralympic Agitos – a three curvelogo of red, blue, and green as seen in Fig.3, which
was only installed days after the Paralympic Games
had already begun after constant reminding of thechanges necessary especially for logos between
games. Even some volunteers, distributed with a‘conversion kit’ to replace their rings logos withagitos, hesitated to do so and were reprimanded
thereof because of it.
The Olympics and Paralympics are held together
for a reason – the participating teams, countries, andathletes all have the same goal of being the best in
their sport on the world stage for a competition held
only once every four years. However, with thelacking of media attention and coverage, this also
leads to a lower interest from the general public
towards para sport, and it is hoped that Paralympic
interest can one day achieve if not go beyond that of
Olympics, hopefully in time for the next games inTokyo or the winter of 2022.

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4. REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION FOR
FUTURE VOLUNTEER HOPEFULS
Although there is much research on the
motivational aspects and satisfaction ideals ofvolunteers at major international events, details on
the benefits and potential of cross-cultural
understanding was discussed in research by Qi et al.
(2018). Especially in the case of the event happening
outside of the volunteers home country and more sowhen in a foreign language, there are understandable
barriers and hesitations for satisfactory volunteer
participation. Although these are expected bumps in
the road of any volunteer at an international event,once overcome they are highly remembered andtreasured by participants.
In terms of Kosen students, a vast majority are
expected to go into the work force after the minimum
mandatory five years of study. In recent years, mostof them graduate with the understanding that they
will have to be able to communicate in English atsome point in their careers, be it to work overseas, orcommunicate with non-Japanese people about theirproducts or research. By participating in these majorinternational events, it would be an ideal experience
for the students to have to test their abilities and break
down any barriers and hesitations they may have incross-cultural exchanges.
The biggest concern is the timing of these events,
which often coincides with test periods and important
events, cooperation and understanding from theinstitutional side is essential. This is also seen inrecent efforts by the Ministry of Education in Japan
towards university students interested in applying tovolunteer for the Tokyo 2020 games.

5. CONCLUSION
Although the researcher was given special
permission to volunteer for the full time of both theOlympic and Paralympic games at PyeongChang, theintent to continue for Tokyo 2020 is high. It is alsostrongly recommended for students all around theworld, especially for Kosen students in Japan tochallenge themselves and also try to participate. A
multitude of apprehensions may make potential
volunteers afraid of applying in the first place, but avast majority of previously experienced volunteers
can reassure that taking the leap and going forwardwith this experience will surely change their lives.
REFERENCES
1) Ahn, Y-J. (2018). Recruitment of volunteers connected withsports mega-events: A case study of the PyeongChang 2018
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Journal of Destination
Marketing & Management, 8, 194-203.
2) Benson, A. M., & Wise, N. (2017) International Sports
Volunteering. London: Routledge.
2) Guntert, S. T., et al. (2014). Motives for event volunteering :Extending the functional approach, Nonprofit and Voluntary
Sector Quarterly, 44(4), 686-707.
3) Koutrou, N., et al. (2016). Post-Event Volunteering Legacy:
Did the London 2012 games induce a sustainable volunteer
engagement? Sustainability, 8(1221), 1-12.
4) Lee, C-K., et al. (2014). The influence of volunteer motivation
on satisfaction, attitudes and support for a mega-event.
Journal of Hospitality Management,International40, 37-48.
5) Noordegraaf, M. A., & Celebi, M. (2015). The challenges ofvolunteering during international sport organizations/events,
International Journal of Human Sciences, 12(1), 1263-1279.
6) Qi, H., et al. (2018). Cross-cultural event volunteering:
Challenge and intelligence, Tourism Management, 69, 596-604.
7) Tomazos, K., & Luke, S. (2015). Mega-sports events
volunteering: Journeys with a past, a present and a future,
Voluntas, 26, 1337-1359.
(Received October 8, 2018)

Fig.4 Olympic Rings in the Gangneung Village―15―