Leadership | Hamilton Youngsters Complete the Leadership Award
Scottish Gymnastics is committed to supporting clubs to be the best they can be and assisting them in achieving their ambitions. Gymnasts from Hamilton have recently completed our accredited leadership award and shared their experience with us.
The Scottish Gymnastics Leadership Award is accredited by Sports Leaders and consists of four modules focusing on the basic skills a leader needs to lead others in any sport or activity, and delivered in a gymnastics context. The award is part of our Leadership Pathway and helps young people to grow in confidence.
Wendy Lucas from Hamilton is one of the course’s tutors, and helped run the first course for the club back in 2020 following the re-opening of the gym after the covid pandemic. With the support of Scottish Gymnastics, the club put together a learning programme for some of their older gymnasts across all disciplines who were looking to take on new roles in the sport.
Wendy said: "The Scottish Gymnastics Leadership Award has really helped us at Hamilton. All of our learners really enjoyed the course, and since then, we have delivered additional development courses alongside the leadership award, with two learners moving on to modern apprenticeships with the club.
Since delivering that course, 10 out of 12 of the young leaders have now completed a level one coaching qualification. It’s been a really great process to get young people into coaching. The course is also really good because it teaches you the things that you don’t get on your formal coaching qualification courses which are more skill based learning.
The leadership award offers a lot of learning around how you coach a child, a group, how to deal with challenges, and how to set goals. It’s been hugely beneficial.
Katie Coull applied for the modern apprenticeship and completed the role in January 2023. Having just applied for college she said: “Through my time with the club, I’ve really found myself, and I don’t think I’d be where I am without their support. I’ve struggled with the written side of the modern apprenticeship, but the club has really helped. I’m hoping to get my level two and keep progressing.”
Erin Smith completed the leadership course just after lockdown and said: I’ve been able to use the knowledge from the leadership award to help me with my level one coaching course. I’m going away to university this year, and I’m hoping to continue with my coaching. The course has given me confidence and helped me find a love for coaching. I can’t thank the club enough, it’s opened so many opportunities for me.
Abbie Nicholl, a gymnast selected for the women’s artistic performance pathway and level one coach added:
I’d really like to thank the club for their support in helping her achieve my modern apprenticeship after leaving school. I used to be really shy when I started and the leadership award has helped me to come out my shell and now I really enjoy coaching and helping all the little ones to see their potential and grow.
If you are interested in delivering the leadership award in your club, we have a bank of tutors across the country who are ready to deliver the award. The course costs £25 per learner – if you're interested in taking part, email our team on coacheducation@scottishgymnastics.org for more information.