Junior Achievements

Evan's Tutor's Achievement Award - December 07

REAY Golf Club's Evan Sutherland has gained recognition at Highland level for his work in mentoring coaches and training staff in schools to deliver the primary school game of firstclubgolf.

He was presented with a Tutor's Achievement Award at a ceremony in Inverness on Thursday organised on behalf of the Community Learning Strategy and Development Partnership. Nominations of tutors and learners came from all parts of the region for the Celebration of Achievement Awards, with Evan's nomination coming from Highland junior golf manager Willie MacKay.

Rory MacLeod (left), of Communities Scotland, guest speaker at the Highland Community Learning and Development Partnership awards ceremony, presenting Reay Golf Club's Evan Sutherland with his Tutor's Achievement Award at the Thistle Hotel in Inverness. Photo: Phil Downie.

The nomination form noted how Evan qualified as a PGA level 1 coach in 2004 and two years later became one of only six PGA level 2 coaches in the UK. In addition, in 2005 he qualified as a firstclubgolf tutor and started to deliver golf training to primary school teachers as well as assisting active schools co-ordinators.

It was through Evan's energy and vision that the four Caithness golf clubs formed the Caithness and North Sutherland Junior Golf Partnership. Its aims are to further develop coach education and mentoring in the Far North and support newly-qualified coaches by sharing good practice and helping with tutoring staff to deliver firstclubgolf in schools.

Junior golf in Caithness continues to grow, and the next project Evan will be involved in is a remote coaching initiative for junior players. This project will need over £20,000 to become established. The aim is to offer PGA professional coaching to juniors in Caithness through a video computer link to SGU academy professional coaches who can illustrate swing changes on a video-analysis graphics package and send feedback to Evan, who as a level 2 coach can run the practice sessions at the juniors' local golf clubs.

Willie MacKay explained: "Otherwise it means nearly a 200-mile round trip with valuable coaching time spent on the road and, at the best, monthly sessions with little support outside these times. With the remote coaching project, a six-weekly coaching session with the professional will be supported by weekly video links to the same professional and instant feedback on individual swing faults.

"Also the practice sessions are videoed and the professional sees the junior working at the practices. It is not beyond future developments to have live video link coaching sessions similar to video-conferencing.

"All involved are aware that nothing will replace the human contact with a golf professional, but where and when that is not possible this remote coaching project is a hugely exciting opportunity for golf development in Caithness."

Evan commented: "It is great seeing more and more juniors coming into golf in the Far North and it's nice to receive recognition for being part of that. However it is a team effort and there are many coaches throughout the Caithness clubs working hard to keep this trend going.

"The juniors who started with us in clubgolf some four years ago are now at a level where they need regular advanced coaching and, because of our geographical position, we need some innovative ideas on how to achieve that. "It is our next big challenge. However, we need to reward those juniors and those coming behind them for the ongoing effort they are putting in to improve their golf by providing coaching that will allow them to reach their own goals and potential."

The Caithness and North Sutherland Junior Golf Partnership is applying for funding to various organisations and looking for sponsorship to raise the £21,000 needed to provide the video and ICT equipment, transport and coaching hours needed to establish the project. Evan Sutherland, head coach for the partnership, can be contacted on 01847 811439 or 07751 452091

The Celebration of Achievement Awards were sponsored by the Highland Council and Communities Scotland. Making the presentations in the Highland capital's Thistle Hotel was Rory Macleod, community learning manager with Communities Scotland, who was very impressed by the winners.

The awards, now in their fourth year, honour individuals and groups for their achievements in learning and community work. Event organiser Barry Northedge, the Highland Council's principal community learning and development officer, said: "The contribution tutors are making to their local community was also acknowledged. These often unsung heroes give generously of their time and expertise to help others.

"Many of the people who attended had travelled long distances to be at the event but all agreed that it was well worth the trip because the stories of achievement they heard were so inspirational."

report and picture provided by John O'Groat Journal

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