Jury member Wauchope appointed to help ParaVolley Euros run smoothly

The former Sussex Dolphins player first picked up a whistle in 1993 and qualified as a sitting volleyball referee in 2007 before going on to officiate at the London 2012 Paralympics. 

She subsequently refereed at ParaVolley World and European Championships before turning to other off-court international roles. 

Her latest assignment in Gyor, Hungary from 24th July to 3rd August, will see her help to ensure the event runs smoothly. 

This will include taking part in preliminary inquiries to check team lists, passports and uniforms, ensuring all match paperwork is present and correctly completed, checking officially-approved equipment is used and that uniforms comply. 

Other tasks will be to ensure the competition area remains compliant during matches and potentially witnessing referee alcohol tests and/or liaising with anti-doping should players be requested to be tested after a match. 

Alongside this, Dee is hoping to complete the practical element of her Level 2 Technical Officials training, which would enable her to act as a Technical Delegate at large zonal events, as well as a Jury Member at world events. 

She will also be present in her capacity as Associate Competitions Director, responsible for clubs competitions at the General Assembly, and at a strategy day to discuss what  future club competitions could look like. 

“I’m very pleased and proud to have been appointed as a jury member to the European Championships,” said Dee. 

“It is amazing to be able to have an extended involvement with ParaVolley Europe (PVE) and sitting volleyball beyond my refereeing career. 

“When I had to retire as an international World ParaVolley (WPV) referee in 2021, I knew that I didn’t just want to walk away from sitting volleyball ,so I considered what I might want to / be able to do instead. 

“I fancied a change from the typical route I could have taken of potentially becoming a referee observer or getting involved in the rules of the game. I also knew that I wanted to do something that would enable me to still be involved with events. 

“I spoke to the PVE President and General Manager and they asked if I would be interested in working in the Competitions Department with responsibility for club competitions. 

“I accepted that role and got involved with helping to set up and ensure these events (hopefully) run smoothly. WPV also introduced some formal training for technical officials a few years ago and so I started to look at achieving my Level 1 certification in that 

“I was able to complete that at the last PVE European Championships two years ago. I am hoping to complete my Level 2 certification this time round.” 

Dee hopes that her progress will encourage other English officials to get involved in international sitting volleyball in some capacity. 

She said: “I find it hard to think of myself as inspirational, compared to so many other hard-working and capable people.

“I just hope that what I am doing helps others to see that if you work hard and do a good job, then this may be recognised and also that it is possible to be involved in other ways with the sport you love, even when your international refereeing career has had to end.”

Find out more about becoming a Volleyball England official here.