More than a decade volunteering at Greensboro sports events
If you’ve been to a Greensboro Sports Foundation event in the last decade, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with Bob Black.
Bob has been a Greensboro Sports Foundation volunteer since 2011, starting with the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship at Grandover. Since then, he’s worked events across the city—at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, and beyond—driven by a genuine love of sports and a curiosity about every kind of competition, including cup stacking, which he cheerfully admits he never knew existed before volunteering.
A favorite memory at the Greensboro Aquatic Center
Ask Bob for a favorite moment and he doesn’t hesitate: serving as a drug chaperone at the Swimming World Championship Trials at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
In that role, he was responsible for escorting athletes through doping control procedures—up close to some of the world’s best swimmers. He still lights up talking about meeting Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh, and Caeleb Dressel right here in Greensboro, North Carolina.
That’s what “inside the ropes” looks like for volunteers: real responsibility, real proximity to world-class athletes, and memories you can’t buy with a ticket.
Why Bob volunteers at sports events in Greensboro
For Bob, volunteering at sports events in Greensboro is about more than the games themselves:
- Giving back to a community he loves
- Staying active and engaged
- Meeting new people—fellow volunteers, staff, athletes, and fans
And yes, he’ll be the first to admit it: “The free T-shirts don’t hurt.”
His advice to anyone thinking about volunteering for the first time: “It’s a great way to get involved in the community, make new relationships, and represent Greensboro as Tournament Town.”
Fun facts about Bob
Off the court and away from the pool, Bob has plenty of stories of his own:
- Favorite book: Season on the Brink by John Feinstein
- Favorite movies: Gladiator and Braveheart
- Favorite TV shows: Law & Order and ER
- Favorite local gems: Pastabilities and Country Barbeque
And his sports résumé goes way back—Bob played semi-professional football in New Jersey in 1960. These days, his bucket list includes a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, plus catching the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship and the Super Bowl in person.
Thank you, Bob
From NCAA golf at Grandover to world-class swimming at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, Bob has been part of more than a decade of major sporting events in Greensboro, North Carolina.
On behalf of everyone at Greensboro Sports Foundation: thank you, Bob, for more than ten years of dedication to sports tourism and to the athletes and fans who visit Greensboro.
Interested in following Bob’s lead?
Learn more about how to volunteer at sports events in Greensboro.