Fleckney paddleboard and kayak coach scoops top national award

A paddleboard and canoeing coach from Fleckney has been announced as a national award winner.

Tony Kerr, who also teaches kayaking, has won the Change a Life Award by UK Coaching, which recognises coaches from across the country for their work transforming lives and communities.

The coach was selected for his dedication to trainees, ability to coach those with varying needs, for holding inclusive sessions and ensuring everyone involved feels comfortable and confident in the sport.

He said: “It’s completely blown me away to be an award winner. I’m really happy and proud. First and foremost, I love coaching because I get a real buzz out of seeing other people achieve, especially when someone says they can’t do something and then they give it a go, and then suddenly they are standing at the top of a mountain or paddling a boat for a first time.

“It’s all about providing them time and space to try things, given opportunities in sports they never would be confident enough to try on their own.

“This was the first awards ceremony I had been to, it’s massively inspiring to me to speak to other involved in coaching, I am finding my feet a little but the UK Coaching Awards has really opened my eyes to the amazing work coaches are doing across the nation. Thank you so much for this award, it is a genuine honour.”

The awards are now in their 25th year and seen as one of the most prestigious within the coaching community, created to recognise the rcontributions coaches make.

UK Coaching chief executive Mark Gannon said: “I would like to extend a huge congratulations to Tony on his fantastic work over many years as an outstanding coach. Tony and all our UK Coaching Awards finalists, don’t just support more people into physical activity and sport, they also change lives, tackle inequalities and help build communities. They also have an insatiable appetite to be the best versions of themselves in order to help their participants.”