Coach Core nominated for 3 UK Coaching Awards
A Coach Core programme, apprentice and Learning Coach have all been selected as finalists for UK Coaching’s prestigious awards.
The UK Coaching Awards is a national celebration event, created to celebrate the remarkable contributions coaches make – from delivering high quality and technical coaching, to supporting participants both physically and mentally. UK Coaching are the team behind the nation’s coaches, providing support, tools and guidance which assists coaches to be great, inspires people and transforms lives. They created their awards to shine a light on the UK’s coaching workforce, the unforgettable moments they deliver, and their profound impact at every level of sport and physical activity.
We are delighted to say that 3 aspects of Coach Core have been chosen as finalists for this year’s awards by an expert judging panel.
Gabi Reid – Young Coach of the Year
Gabrielle Reid is a member of our England Boxing programme that started in 2022. She is a coach with a strong commitment to inclusivity; she co-creates and adapts activities to enable participants with varying needs to participate and reach their goals and seeks feedback to guide future sessions and to better support the people taking part.
Gabi has had an incredible impact in her first year of coaching, creating a vibrant and empowering atmosphere that fosters positivity, pride and fulfilment in the children and young adults that attend.
Paul Thompson, Director of People and Learning at Coach Core:
“We’re really proud of Gabrielle – she’s dedicated to helping everyone succeed and feel included, especially those who traditionally experience barriers, discrimination, and lack of opportunities. Gabi is great at connecting with each person, involving them in decisions, and making her coaching fun and engaging. She has made a big impact, inspiring and transforming lives through boxing, and her nomination for Young Coach of The Year at the UK Coaching Awards is well-deserved.”
Wasim Collins – Coach Developer of the Year
Wasim Collins is a Learning Coach based in the North East. He takes Coach Core apprentices through the education content they need to pass their apprenticeship and provides engaging learning and content and holistic support to young people from deprived or challenging backgrounds or who face limited opportunities.
A role model for young people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, he has supported apprentices who have experienced homelessness, been in foster care, left prison, experienced discrimination, and needed mental health support.
Taking the time to understand each apprentice and the environment/community that they work in, Wasim takes a personalised approach, adapting his delivery to fit the needs of each individual, instilling self-confidence and assurance. Over 77% of his first cohort experienced positive exit routes from their apprenticeships.
Paul Thompson:
“We are incredibly proud of Wasim and his remarkable work as a coach developer at Coach Core & Lifetime Training. His dedication to understanding and supporting coaches, particularly young people from challenging circumstances, is truly inspiring. His commitment to ensuring that these young coaches feel valued, supported and listened to is exceptional.”
England Boxing Programme – Inclusive Coaching Award
Espousing a people-led approach, the Coach Core programme we run with England Boxing was launched to create a legacy of opportunity for all. Offering apprenticeships to young people aged 18-25 from underrepresented groups (specifically, lower socio-economic groups and ethnically diverse communities), the programme supports their development, empowering them to deliver great sessions, become role models and ambassadors and develop invaluable transferable skills.
Paul Thompson:
“We’re extremely proud of our collaboration with England Boxing. By recruiting young apprentices from diverse backgrounds, including lower socio-economic and ethnically diverse communities, we’ve leveraged the influence of relatable young role models to make a real difference. These apprentices, coming from similar backgrounds as their communities, have played a crucial role in organising training sessions, events, and projects that engage and motivate underrepresented individuals. This recognition is a testament to the outstanding work of England Boxing and its profound impact on inspiring and transforming lives through boxing.”
The Awards will take place on 5 December 2023, at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.
UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon reflects on the extensive range of coaching talent, among the announced finalists:
Across the board we have seen so much talent, passion and commitment amongst our amazing coaching workforce, and this year’s finalists represent the best of our nation’s coaches who do so much to support people through sport and physical activity. All of our finalists should be extremely proud of what they have been able to achieve and fully deserve this recognition. We are very much looking forward to celebrating together at our UK Coaching Awards ceremony, bringing together the coaches that are going above and beyond to deliver outstanding experiences and make a real difference in their community.