Every championship moment in the NIRSA Championship Series—every final whistle, every award ceremony, every team photo under the lights—begins long before players and officials ever arrive. Behind each regional and national event is a dedicated network of volunteers serving on the NIRSA Championship Series’ six Work Teams:
- Analysis & Development
- Basketball
- Community, Connection & Service
- Flag Football
- Soccer
- Standards of Competition
- Unified
These one-year appointments carry the heartbeat of The Series. Work Team members shape policies, build resources, support host sites, train volunteers, and set the stage for hundreds of programs and thousands of participants. Quite simply: we cannot do this work without them.
And for those who step up to serve, the reward is just as meaningful.
People who serve on Work Teams often describe the experience as transformative: a chance to deepen their connection to The Series, expand their skills, and work alongside passionate professionals from across the country.
Pay it forward
Clifford Richardson, Coordinator of Competitive Sports and Camps at Oklahoma State University and current member of the Flag Football Work Team says that he volunteers because he wants to give back to the system that helped shape him:
Shape your professional identity
For some, Work Teams become a meaningful extension of their professional identity. Samantha Wary, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation at Millersville University of Pennsylvania and current member of the Analysis & Development and Standards of Competition Work Team explains how volunteering helped her find her place in the broader NIRSA community:
Discover inspiration
Others find inspiration in the collaborative, nationwide network of volunteers who bring NIRSA events to life. Rachel Lucas, Coordinator of Sport & Youth Programs at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and current member of the Soccer Work Team describes how the teamwork and shared mission have shaped her experience:
Connect your passion with purpose
And for many new professionals, this is where passion meets purpose. Sebastian Prado, Intramural Sports and Spartan Greens Coordinator at Michigan State University and current member of the Soccer Work Team captures it perfectly:
So, why volunteer?
Whether your strength is program analysis, sport-specific knowledge, community building, or event logistics—there is a Work Team that fits your skills and interests.
Volunteering gives you:
- A national network of peers and mentors
- Hands-on experience that grows your leadership and sport administration skills
- A meaningful role in shaping championship experiences for thousands of students
- A deeper connection to The Series—and to the people who make it what it is
This work is important. It is collaborative. It is energizing. And it depends entirely on volunteers willing to step forward.
Volunteer applications are now open for the 2026-2027 season and The Series needs you; the deadline to apply is January 29.
If reading this sparked something in you, we hope you will apply. If it brings a specific colleague to mind, we encourage you to invite them to apply.
Your voice matters. Your experience matters. Your passion matters. And your contribution can shape the next generation of NIRSA Championship Series events.
Join the people who keep The Series moving forward.
Join the people who believe in doing this work for the right reasons. Join the people who make The Series feel like home.
Because at the end of the day… the volunteers are, and always will be, the Heart of the Series. Apply to serve on a Work Team by January 29
- For more information, contact NIRSA Director of National Sports Programs, Nicole Jackson.
