Volleyball BC is proud to celebrate the recipients of this year’s Outstanding Student Referee Awards: Arnold Acosta, Joshua Matsui, Jonah Violini and Brooklyn Delaney.
Offered annually to recognize registered student-referees who exhibit exemplary leadership and community involvement both on and off the court, the $1,000 award is made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor via the Vancouver Foundation to assist recipients with their education-related expenses.
Among this year’s outstanding recipients is Brooklyn Delaney, a Level 2 referee whose dedication to community and passion for officiating embodies the true spirit of the award.
Now working toward her Level 3 certification, Delaney uses refereeing as an outlet for her competitive spirit:
“The thing I enjoy most is the feeling you get before a big game,” says Delaney. “Your hands are all sweaty and [there’s] a knot in your stomach…It’s the exact same pre-game nerves you get as a player, a feeling I never thought I’d be able to experience again.”
On-top of her duties on the ref stand, Delaney has shown an extraordinary commitment to giving back to her community. Over the past five years, Brooklyn has helped coach school teams at Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary and mentored young athletes through Cougar Volleyball across house leagues, skills camps, and beach programs. Off the court, her focus shifts to healthcare – logging over 110 volunteer hours across four years at Baillie House long-term care facility, gaining vital hands-on experience for her aspiring career as a nurse.
Juggling academics, community work, and high-stakes officiating is no small feat, but Delaney credits the referee community with providing a supportive foundation:
“Being a student referee has taught me how to juggle school, refing, and life,” says Delaney. “It has helped me find a place that feels like home thanks to all the amazing refs who make this community so great.”
Looking ahead, Brooklyn plans to use her $1,000 award directly toward her nursing school tuition. “Reffing has taught me skills I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I thank everyone who made this possible for me and continuously pushes me to be better.”