Career volunteers in serious leisure : Queensland motorcycle racing officials

Stebbins (1996) argued career volunteering requires personal motivation, commitment and perseverance. A study was made of club members of the Queensland Flag Marshals League Inc. (QFML) who had more than three years experience as flag marshals. When racing motorcycles at speeds of over 200km/h, safety and proper track management are a vital issue for riders and officials. The efforts by members of QFML, when undertaking volunteer roles are of paramount importance in this management of risk. This exploratory study involved a qualitative experimental design incorporating in-depth personal interviews and personal observation. QFML volunteers were found to exhibit personal motivation, commitment and perseverance described by Stebbins (1999) as qualities for serious leisure engagement by volunteers. Additionally for career volunteers at extreme sporting events, this study has found that the activity of motorcycle racing was the most important factor motivating the volunteers, closely followed by socialising with like-minded individuals. However, possibly due to the intense and demanding nature of the volunteer experience in an extreme sport, recreation or regeneration was one personal reward few officials experienced.