Biography
Making connections with children through sport, watching them progress, while having fun, are the best parts of coaching. Having been a volunteer coach for several years, and now being employed as one, I know this is the career, I would like to follow. Playing many sports myself, I want to pass on my passion and enthusiasm for the physical and mental benefits of participating in sport, and encourage as many people as possible to take part in physical activity.
Being lucky enough to be working towards the coaching HNC, whilst still at school, has given me a great insight into the type of course I would like to take further, enhancing the skills I already have. As a volunteer head coach at the Tryst Community Sports Club camps, for the last 3 years, has allowed me to work with children of primary school age, letting them experience many different sports they may never had the chance to try. Here, I take responsibility for planning content, ensure all the equipment is set up safely, and instructing and demonstrating what we would be doing throughout the sessions. The camps are always very busy, so we have to make sure we work as a team, have good communication skills, and be adaptable, to accommodate all the different levels of ability. This makes sure everything runs smoothly, and most importantly, they all have fun. In S4, I was very proud to receive the Volunteer of the Year award at the school sports’ awards.
After a basketball coaching course, run by Basketball Scotland, and having played for several years, I volunteered as a coach for TCSC. Now, employed by Falkirk Fury, run sessions for all school age children, and table referee for the club, and school games. I was also asked to help pupils, with less experience in basketball, improve their skill leading up to the Higher PE exam. Being a football coach, providing one to one sessions, let’s me share my love of playing, encouraging the players to work hard and not to give up, whilst still enjoying participating.
Constantly challenging myself, keeps me motivated. After a rugby basics course, a new sport to me, run by the Falkirk Coaching Academy, led me to become a rugby ambassador, running taster sessions at a local primary, and a festival for other local primary schools too. I've passed my football refereeing exam, and become a basketball table referee. Completing a pool lifeguarding qualification, has enabled me to secure a job as a leisure attendant with Falkirk Council, and provide cover, when needed, at swim school. Barista training, allows me to volunteer in the school coffee shop in the evenings, and during school events. This has been a totally different experience for me, learning customer service skills, and using a different style of communication.
Being part of a team, has been at the heart of my own sporting career, celebrating the wins, helping each other through the loses, and building great friendship. I've played football since I was 3, playing competitively for 11 years, played basketball for 6 years, for Falkirk Fury and play for both of the school teams. I enjoy going to the gym, and running, representing the school at the local schools' competition last year, being part of the winning sprint relay team. I believe everyone should have access to sport. I had the opportunity, along with other pupils, to help a great cause, and make a little difference to the disability football team, run by Syngenta FC. Through the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) programme, we won the £3,000, allocated to our school, going through various stages, presenting the purpose of the project, and how the money would be used. We were lucy enough to be chosen, givng me a great sense of achievement, being able to help others, who may not have had access to sport, experience the same feelings I do, especially being part of a team.
Skills
Play basketball and football for a team
Can play most sports
Coaching sports
Confident presentation
Lifeguard