Licensed Workshop Partner of UK Coaching

The Guernsey Sports Commission is delighted to announce that it has been approved as a Licensed Workshop Partner of UK Coaching, the lead agency for coaching sport in the UK.

This will mean that a number of qualified coach developers across the Island’s sports will now be able to deliver UK Coaching’s workshops and qualifications in the future. David Turner, the UK Coaching Lead for Safeguarding and Children has visited the Island and has worked with the Sports Commission over the last 12 months to reach this agreement.

Jeremy Frith from the Guernsey Sports Commission explained:
“One of our key goals is to become more self-sufficient and sustainable, coupled with a need to provide greater support to those working in the sport and physical activity sector. Previously these workshops would not have been accessible in Guernsey or would have cost thousands of pounds to run. Working with our colleagues across the Island’s sports we have been able to pull together an experienced team of coach educators who can support coaches beyond their own sports. We also know that accessing coach education programmes for some sports in Guernsey is a significant challenge. This partnership with UK Coaching, whilst not replacing the sport specific qualifications, will allow us to provide accredited and recognised qualifications and workshops to all of our member sports and the schools in which we work. Being a licensed partner of UK Coaching recognises the work that the Commission has undertaken over the last 12 months and the experienced group of tutors that exist on Guernsey and we are indebted to David’s support. This would also not have been possible without the support of Education Sport and Culture whose funding of our work in primary schools has been a real catalyst for this positive change.”

David Turner said:
“I have seen at close hand the work the Sports Commission is doing behind the scenes as it prepares to relaunch its work in primary schools and I was delighted to be part of the team that secured the financial support from Education, Sport and Culture. Guernsey is fortunate to have the quality of coach developers that it has, and it is incredibly powerful to see them working together under the Sports Commission’s banner.
People often say that a sport or activity changed their life. Why? Well, when you ask what they mean, they talk about an individual, someone who supported them to be better, to be themselves or to live the life they wanted. That’s great coaching. And that’s the job of UK Coaching. We want everyone to experience great coaching and licensed partners such as the Sports Commission are key to us achieving that.”