A Royal Inspiration
10th Anniversary Graduate of the Month: October – Scott Cooper
Back in 2021, when we first interviewed Scott, we asked him what work he’d like to be doing in the future. His answer was “youth work”.
Fast forward to this month, Scott was shaking hands with Princess Kate and proudly telling her all about his career as a youth worker with Barking and Dagenham Council.
Scott Cooper is a 26-year-old from Grays, Essex, who completed his Coach Core programme and has worked with Essex Cricket and Red Balloon Family Foundation in the past.
Scott, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, has shown determination to get to where he is today.
“Yes, I may have a disability, but I can still coach at the same time. I’ve faced a lot of barriers throughout my life, a lot of being told I can’t do things...but I won’t let that define my sports coaching career.”
Showing resilience and enthusiasm, Scott has worked his way up and is a true inspiration to others. At Coach Core HQ, we’re constantly getting positive feedback about Scott; the latest being from Princess Kate, who told him he ‘inspiration because of the way he showed grit and determination’.
“Scott has been a fantastic apprentice...he’s confident... the participants love him.”
When starting the apprenticeship, Scott was quiet and nervous, but quickly grew into the role. He’s now working on encouraging others with disabilities to also become youth workers.
Scott’s approach to coaching is considerate and concise. It’s clear that he not only completed the qualification but has spent time using the skills he learned to shape who he is today and always with others in mind. Scott sees himself as a role model and takes away as much as possible from every experience, using it as a tool to pave his future.
“I love being a part of something and seeing that people are happy with my coaching skills”.
Listen to his story here: