On Wednesday 12 January, Jess Reid from Marr College was officially presented with sportscotland’s Young Person’s Coach of the Year Award 2010.
The award, given annually to a coach who has made an outstanding contribution to the introduction and early development of sport for under 18s, was presented by sportscotland’s partnership manager Iain Kennedy in a special ceremony at Marr College in Troon, where Jess teaches PE.
Outside of her scheduled teaching hours Jess has built up one of the most successful Junior Clubs in Scottish Volleyball who consistently achieve honors in the Junior National League, the Scottish Schools Cup and the National Schools Festivals. In 2010 alone, 7 of the players selected to represent Scotland at the UK School Games were coached by Jess.
However, there was no time for celebration after last night’s special presentation as Jess got straight back to work, coaching the young volleyball players until 10pm.
The long hours and commitment displayed by Jess are fully recognised and appreciated by the SVA, and we would like to express our sincere congratulations to Jess on receiving this very worthy award. Numerous players benefit from all her efforts, and the comments below from S1 pupil Corrie Gwynne and S5 pupil Eilidh Cruse echo the sentiments of many others:
‘I have been interested in volleyball for a little while, when my brothers started volleyball in 1st year, I started to get interested. My brothers are now in 5th year and in 2010 I went to see them play for the West of Scotland in the UK School Games. It was great to go and see them play along with all the other players. It teaches you a lot to go to and watch other people play. Just recently I went to watch Marr College Senior Boys play in the Scottish Cup semi finals against Carluke. A few of my other friends who play volleyball came along. Mrs Reid organised a bus for us to go and learn a few tips. It was amazing to see all the control, they made it look easy!
In the summer holidays of 2010 I went to Marr College Volleyball summer Camp. We learnt a lot all thanks to our great coach Mrs Reid.
From September onwards (when I started Marr College), I started to play volleyball. Every Tuesday and Wednesday night Mrs Reid takes me and a bunch of other girls and coaches us and gets us ready to play games.
Mrs Reid is a great coach and has earned this award. Last Wednesday night Mrs Reid got presented with this award. The photographer took photos of us all playing, some seniors came along and got their photos taken as well with Mrs Reid. Everyone was very smiley!’
Corrie Gwynne
‘I am now in my Fifth Year at Marr College, and Ive been trained by Mrs Reid, since the Summer before I started at Marr. I had never played Volleyball before, but my brother went to the Summer Camp and continued to play and encouraged me to go and try.
Mrs Reid encourages so many people to come to Volleyball and we have a great team spirit. Not only with the team we play in ourselves, but the whole Volleyball Squad at Marr supports each other we are all great friends and we wouldnt be if it wasnt for Mrs Reid.
As part of my Duke of Edinburgh Service award, I volunteered to help Mrs Reid coach the younger players. Last year, I was lucky enough to be included in the UK School Games Squad, for West of Scotland, and Mrs Reid stepped in to take over as Coach – It was great to have someone we all knew so well with us to guide us through the competition!
She was very happy the night she got presented with her award. Lots of volleyball youngsters were there to see the presentation and to get in the pictures, but it didnt last long as she had to rush off to start the first training session out of three that night.’
Eilidh Cruse