"Volunteers were absolutely essential," Havill told the Herald, "I still remember the various coaches that I had that volunteered not just their time, but also their passion that then meant we had a truly enjoyable experience."
"Without volunteers the world would struggle to go around."
When she was 14-years-old, Havill decided to bravely balance her own sporting endeavours to begin volunteering as a touch rugby coach.
In the following years, Havill continued to expand her efforts volunteering in both coaching and umpiring roles for volleyball and netball, before opting to coach the Lancaster Park Cricket Club junior girl's cricket team last year.
Havill also became involved with the Forward Foundation, which aims to identify aspirational young female sport leaders to inspire participation in girls' sports.
Then leading the way for university students, Havill became the President of the Lincoln University Recreation Society, which offers students volunteer and paid opportunities in the sport and recreation sector.
Impressed by her "desire to grow sport," Havill was selected by University Tertiary Sport New Zealand (UTSNZ) earlier this year, to represent her country at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) Volunteer Leader's Academy in Kazan.
Havill will be the only New Zealand representative to attend the prestigious international volunteering forum, which hosts selected students from around the world to provide practical training on volunteer recruiting, leadership, and the organisation of volunteer programs.
Havill said she hopes to obtain valuable information that she can report back to the UTSNZ board to help grow University sport participation across New Zealand, and further enhance valuable recognition for volunteers.
"I'm really looking forward to just soaking up the information, the discussions and the experiences. I think on the whole it is just going to be one amazing learning opportunity," said Havill.
"University sport in New Zealand isn't as popular here as it is in other countries … UTSNZ, even though it is such a new organisation, has already brought about some incredible opportunities for tertiary athletes in New Zealand. There's only room to grow, so I would love to assist with that."
"I think one thing that I would like to contribute would be to make sure that volunteers get properly recognised ... For many people, they would tell you that they do not volunteer for the tangible benefits, but in order to retain those volunteers, we need to remember to thank them and recognise them accordingly."
Continuing to incredibly juggle her extensive list of volunteering roles, training, tournaments, and full-time study, Havill said her planning diary often ended up "a bit worse for wear," as she herself wasn't entirely sure about how she managed to fit everything in.
"I do love a good to-do list and I have a fairly sturdy diary planner that gets used constantly," she said.
"Everything coming up, from assignments to family get-togethers to Crusaders home games that I might go to are written in it as soon as I hear about it."
"Knowing in advance what weeks and months are busier than others is always a massive help, because it allows me to squeeze more work in during quieter times that can then take the stress off a little bit during hectic times."
As the title suggests, volunteers very rarely get paid for the work they do, and are often left with the toughest jobs to handle.
However, Havill said that being able to assist in a sector she loves, and to inspire others to take on volunteering opportunities has "made it all worth it."
"It's what other people get out of my volunteering that makes it special," she said.
"I like to see people for who they are and volunteering allows me to work with new people and help them to set and achieve their goals. If I can help just one person, it's totally worth it."
"I encourage others to get involved, I draw on my own experience to share the benefits with them. It may not always be obvious straight away, but volunteering can benefit people after they graduate, in work and other areas of their life."
"If you can get your time management sorted there will definitely be time to give back, and you may even find it is the one of the most beneficial uses of your time."
Havill will travel to Russia in June for the eight-day forum where she will visit major sport venues and hear from senior leaders from major sport and cultural organisations.
The Volunteer Leader's Academy, in affiliation with UTSNZ, hosts students each year that promote sport and event volunteering in their university and region.
