“It's a huge opportunity for me, for the city, and the whole country”

Hi Sati and Mukhammed, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. How did you first hear about the volunteering programme for the Games of the Future (GOTF)?

Mukhammed: Actually, my brother sent me the link. He said it would be a good opportunity to reveal yourself, maybe show some motivation in the games and sports field. I was immediately interested.

Sati: I heard about it from a close friend – he asked if I’d like to participate. Of course, with such a great opportunity, I said yes. I wanted to make new connections and gain new experience, and to bring my own contribution to something this big.

Had you volunteered at any sporting events before?

Mukhammed: No, but I actually am a sportsman. In the past I played football and volleyball. As a player, you just play and do your thing, but in the background there is so much organization and I really wanted to be a part of that.

Sati: I’ve actually volunteered before, at events like the Denis Ten Memorial and the World Boxing Challenge, so I really wanted to try it again here.

Before you applied, did you know what phygital sport was?

Mukhammed: To be honest, no. I just heard that it is  a combination of playing football on the Xbox or PS, and playing football physically in the same match. That seemed quite shocking to me, but also interesting.

Sati: Honestly, no – it was a completely new word to me. It means physical and digital combined, and that’s exactly what made it sound so interesting. It’s one of the main reasons I decided to apply, and it’s been one of the best experiences I’ve had.

What was the application and selection process like?

Mukhammed: There was a huge form about you, about your parents, where you live, how old you are, etc. And also there was a form for my parents, because I’m under 18. And there was an interview, so I went for a team leader role, and I was accepted.

Sati: It started in April. We applied through a Google Form, then they invited me to a face-to-face interview, and after that they decided to hire me as a volunteer.

What has your specific role been at Phygital Contenders/GOTF?

Mukhammed: At Contenders, I’m an attaché volunteer. My specific responsibility is to be with certain teams or players. So, for example, today I had Team Cyprus and I was responsible for being with them at the game, at the hotel, to make sure they got their lunch, arrange whether they wanted to practice physical or digital, and so on.

Sati: My main role is at the accreditation center, accrediting people coming into the project, and I also help transport the teams and organizers.

What does a typical day look like for a volunteer?

Mukhammed: I just getting dressed and go to the hotel . I prepare the team to leave for  Martial Arts Palace. Then I guide them to the practice, and then their games start.

Sati: It starts early – 8am! We arrive at 9am and head to our assigned areas.

What’s been your most challenging task?

Sati: Making sure everyone I’m responsible for gets safely from here to the hotel – without losing anyone along the way!

You’ll be volunteering again in a few weeks’ time at the Games of the Future. How are you balancing volunteering with work, study, or family commitments?

Mukhammed: Actually, I’m finishing high school, and when there is time before my volunteering, I try to study, because morning is the best time to study. And after I finish, mostly I get home very late, so I try to relax and get some good sleep. Sleep is very important.

Have you had a chance to watch any of the other disciplines, like basketball or phygital dancing — or try them yourself?

Mukhammed: We’re pretty restricted to our own disciplines so the Phygital Football is all I’ve seen so far.

Games of the Future includes a variety of disciplines. Which sounds most exciting to you?

Sati: I think Phygital Shooter sounds the most exciting – I’d love to volunteer there too. I’m really excited to watch all of it.

As a local from Astana, how do you think the city will benefit from hosting the Games?

Mukhammed: Any event in the capital will be good for tourism. Obviously, teams are from other countries and when they go back home, they will say, “Oh, Astana is a great place to host events.” And then other people will know that Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is a great place to live, or to visit.

Sati: It’s a huge opportunity for me, for the city, and for the whole country. It’s a worldwide project that brings real benefits – more foreigners will come to my city, see our culture, meet our people, and visit our beautiful sights. I love my city, so I’m really happy this is happening here.

I’ve also been telling my friends and family about Phygital Football, because it’s something no one really knew about – I didn’t either before this! We’re all broadening our horizons with these new sports.

What’s been your most memorable moment from this week?

Mukhammed: It was the quarterfinal game, and my team, Team Cyprus, actually lost. So there was a lot of emotions. Myself, I feel as if I am playing on the field, and I really… It was really sad. Well, I hope maybe they’ll still qualify for Games of the Future.

Sati: It actually just happened a few minutes ago – my team from Kazakhstan won the Phygital Football tournament! That’s been the most special moment for me, along with making new friends and getting to practice my English with people I didn’t know before.

What kind of skills do you think you’ve developed, or hope to develop, through volunteering?

Mukhammed: Obviously, this will be good for my communication skills, my English skills, and leadership skills, because it is not so easy to lead a team. They are all older than me, and they should listen to me, but not everybody does, so it is hard to get them to do what you need them to do. So it does really improve my leadership skills, even when your team does not listen to you.

Sati: Since this is an international event, I really hope to improve my English and communication skills, as well as my sense of responsibility. I think it’ll benefit every side of my character – I’ll make more friends, gain more experience with foreigners, and learn to coordinate whatever’s given to me.

I’ve already made a lot of connections with people I’ve met here – we’ve added each other on social media. I’m so happy to have found new friends, especially with the Games returning in about six weeks.

Are you inspired to try phygital sport yourself?

Mukhammed: I would like to, yeah. There is a local member that organises tournaments, so I will get in touch with them.

Have you made friendships and connections with other volunteers? Do you think they’ll last?

Mukhammed: I think so, yes. I made friends with a lot of people, especially my co-teammates. And I think we will see each other at other events. The Games of the Future certainly, maybe in other roles. But we will definitely see each other. Because most of us really like to volunteer for large events.

What advice would you give to someone considering volunteering?

Mukhammed: Be prepared for the worst situations. Hope for the best, be ready for the worst.

Sati: I love this question, since this isn’t my first time volunteering. My advice would be: enjoy the experience, try to stay calm under pressure – which is harder than it sounds – and be friendly with everyone you meet.

How do you think this experience will help your future studies or career?

Mukhammed: In university, I think it will be helpful with my studies – particularly when it comes to communication. You need to communicate with your professors, other classmates, on some projects and so on. So communication is your best friend. And volunteering is a good chance to improve it.

Sati: I hope it opens up more opportunities for me. I’m planning to study abroad and will be applying this autumn – I really hope this volunteering experience helps strengthen my university applications and benefits my future career.