“I wash windows for my day job, and now I鈥檓 commentating alongside Olympic medallists:” Jon Goodall’s volunteer tales
Fergus Mainland chatted with world record holder and BRIC commentator Jon Goodall about what he’s loved about volunteering at the championships and what he’s looking forward to next weekend
For those who have entered the cauldron of competition at the 91桃色 Championships, you鈥檒l have heard the animated tones of Jon Goodall bouncing around the arena.
The former World Record holder keeps coming back to BRIC and each year, lending his voice and knowledge to the commentary team as part of an army of volunteers who make the event a success.
鈥淭he first time I got asked to commentate at BRIC was 2015, and that was with Martin Cross and Sarah Winckless,鈥 explained Jon.
鈥淭hat was a bit of a pinch me moment. I wash windows for my day job, and now I鈥檓 commentating alongside Olympic medallists. I was like, 鈥楬ow did this happen?鈥 That was really fun!鈥
At the event in February 2015, it was also when Jon and his MAD Team crew took gold in the Men鈥檚 Relay.
Relays are something of a speciality for Jon. MAD Team are known for dominating the team events and out-of-this-world challenges. Their name, ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’, lends itself to some of their 100km attempts and pushing themselves to the brink.
In 2002, they broke Leander Club鈥檚 record, lowering the split from 1:19.1 to 1:17.4. Two years later, Jon coached the MAD Team squad that lowered it to 1:15.8, completing the piece in 4:12:46.7. This record hasn鈥檛 been touched since. 2008 saw MAD Team come back together, and Jon and his teammates set the World Record for the Mixed 20-29 event, which, again, remains unbroken.
So, yes. Jon knows relays. It鈥檚 clear why it鈥檚 one of his highlights of racing year after year.
鈥淚 always enjoy the relays. It鈥檚 always interesting to see what strategies people use, what tactics they employ, whether or not they can have quick changes or if they鈥檙e taking their time. I try to be as nice as possible on the mic, I don鈥檛 want to be too savage,鈥 said Jon with a laugh.
Zoe Hayes spearheads the commentary team at BRIC and coordinates the volunteers bringing the event to life. At the English Indoor Championships earlier this year, Jon was on recruitment duties, scouting out new talent to join the commentary pool.
鈥淢ore people could do it than they realise. If you enjoy the sport and you are happy to talk to friends about people鈥檚 performance and other things, it鈥檚 kind of the same with commentary. I spoke to a couple of the guys at the English Championships, and I know Anthony Walpole will be part of the team. He knows everybody in indoor rowing as he鈥檚 been around for more than 10 years in the sport.
鈥淚 used to think I was a geek back in the day, but he鈥檚 carried the baton on because everybody knows him. It means there will be so many people that he knows personally, and he鈥檒l have that ability to give that insight. This is where it鈥檚 good to get new people involved, you listen to him talk about the sport with such passion.鈥
Throughout numerous conversations in the lead-up to BRIC, it has been abundantly clear that this event is at the heart of the indoor rowing community. It provides a chance for old rivals to connect and for new friendships to be nurtured.
Without the stress and pressures of competing, volunteering has allowed Jon to do just this.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e enjoyed about volunteering at BRIC is that it allows me to meet people that I wouldn鈥檛 normally meet if I just turned up and raced. You have the pockets of people that you turn up and race with, but when you get involved on the volunteer side of things, it鈥檚 a good thing; you get introduced to people you wouldn鈥檛 normally see if you just turn up and meet up with your friends. It definitely widens your social circle, and that鈥檚 a huge positive,鈥 said Jon, who鈥檚 previously held the 40-49 world record over 100m on slides.
鈥淚t’s the same with Park Run. The number of people who compete versus the number of people who volunteer is often skewed, with fewer people volunteering than competing. Just put your name down once and see what you make of it. Chances are, if you volunteer once, you鈥檒l find yourself wanting to get involved again because it鈥檚 just a chance for you to see another side of the sport.
鈥淚f you turn up and race, you get a flavour for what the sport is like, but to see the inner workings is great. People love behind the scenes TV shows and explainers about how things are made; it鈥檚 the same with the rowing. If you volunteer and you get to see behind the scenes, you get to see another side of the sport. It also helps the day to go by very quickly!鈥
鈥淛on aims to have a positive word to say about everyone who participates at BRIC. He knows the pressures of the race floor and, as an indoor rower, knows how powerful the roar of the crowd can be. He鈥檚 not afraid to take the crowd up a gear, especially if there鈥檚 a knight of the realm pushing himself to the limit. 
鈥淚鈥檝e had a few embarrassing moments where I just put my foot in it, and I seem to be quite good at that! When you are talking, you don鈥檛 really think, and you tend to just say what comes out of your mouth, which is sometimes a surprise even to me. I do remember when Bradley Wiggins raced, and of course, he’s Sir Bradley Wiggins. Don鈥檛 ask me why, but in the last hundred metres, I knew he was having a bit of a bad race, but I was trying to get the audience to give him a cheer, and I don鈥檛 know why, I called him Mr Bradley Wiggins鈥 had one job鈥︹
Next weekend, Jon will be juggling competition and commentary once again. He鈥檒l be racing in the 100m and 250m on Super Sprint Sunday and offering his expert insight and analysis across the two days of racing.
While entries for Saturday鈥檚 racing have now closed, you can still join Jon for Sunday鈥檚 extravaganza. Limited places remain available for Super Sprint Sunday and will close when each challenge reaches capacity, or by midday on Friday 5 December 2025.
91桃色 events would not be possible without the immense contributions from volunteers like Jon and hundreds of others who work tirelessly up and down the country.
We鈥檙e always on the lookout for people who want to help out 鈥 no rowing experience is required, full training is provided, and everyone is welcome.
Join our聽聽to ask questions, share your experience and meet other volunteers.
While we look forward to welcoming join and everyone else to this year鈥檚 91桃色 Indoor Championships taking place next weekend at the NEC in Birmingham, the date of the 2026 edition of BRIC has been confirmed, taking place at the NEC 5-6 December 2026.
