Give Back to Givers: September Volunteer of the Month - Kevin Quinn
Each month, Give Back to Givers honors a "Volunteer of the Month" to highlight his/her service and dedication to the town of Holliston, and to show how important volunteerism is to the town. This month we honor Kevin Quinn.
What have you done in the past as volunteer work?
I have been coaching youth sports since 2004 when I started coaching my two older sons on a t-ball team at the Framingham YMCA. The next year I helped out with the Holliston T-ball program in town and also did a little bit of soccer coaching as well. Within a couple of years I was coaching year round in the Holliston Youth sports programs - Baseball and Softball in the spring, Basketball in the winter and Football in the fall. Over the past 7 or 8 years I have been the treasurer for Holliston Youth Football & Cheer, have held several different positions on the Holliston Youth Basketball Board, and been part of the Holliston Youth Baseball and Softball board as well. I have been part of planning and coaching two separate Holliston baseball teams in the Cooperstown Field of Dreams tournament and this past summer I coached a team from Holliston in the Youth Baseball Nationals in Myrtle Beach. Last spring I helped to chaperone the 8th grade class from Holliston on their April vacation trip to Washington DC.
What do you currently do as a volunteer?
Currently, this fall, I am coaching the 6th Grade Tackle football team for the Holliston Youth Football program and serving on the board of directors for Holliston Youth Football, Basketball and Baseball.
What made you want to get involved in volunteering?
Originally, I just thought it would be fun to coach my kids because I enjoyed and got so much from playing sports as a kid. It definitely grew from there though as I have learned and gotten so much more from coaching/volunteering.
What is your favorite part of volunteering?
My favorite part is the laughs, friendships and memories that I have made along the way. I have gotten to know so many people and families from Holliston and surrounding towns and some of my closest friends are the people that I have been lucky enough to coach with. It is a really amazing feeling for me when I go to an event around town (and sometimes out of town) and have what feels like every kid there between the ages of 10 and 25 walk past me and say “Hey Coach” - it’s incredibly powerful to me and almost makes me tear up when I think about it..
What have you gotten out of volunteering?
I feel like I get so much more from volunteering than I could ever give in doing so. The life lessons that I have witnessed being taught through volunteering as a coach are truly amazing. Helping a kid to see that working hard and doing the right thing can put them on a path to success in sports, and eventually in life is so powerful to me. The same can be said when helping a kid navigate how to deal with failure. I have seen the power and influence that someone can have when coaching kids through these situations and it is what drives me to continue to volunteer. I have been lucky enough to have had a lot of really good coaches along the way in my younger days and whenever I get together with my childhood friends, we still bring up their names and memories. My hope is that someday some of the kids that I have been lucky enough to coach are talking about growing up; that my name comes up as someone that made a difference in their life or made their experience growing up and playing sports in Holliston something that they will always remember.
Well deserved Kevin!
John Garvey | 2019-09-27 17:49:05
Congratulations Kevin for being recognized for all you do for the kids in Holliston!
Amy Gow | 2019-09-27 05:53:53
Kevin has given thousands of hours to the kids in this town. He is simply the best
John Ratcliffe | 2019-09-27 04:31:48