People making an incredible impact across Scottish sport have been celebrated at the 2024 sportscotland Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering (COV) Awards.
The sportscotland COV Awards, celebrate people working in sport who break down barriers, inspire others, and commit their own time to afford others the chance to benefit from sport. This year nearly 300 nominations were received covering 34 different sports and all 32 local authority areas.
The COV winners collected their awards at a presentation ceremony at Glasgow City Chambers on Thursday 7 November.
Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said: “Every year the Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the people across the country who have given so much of their time and dedication to Scottish sport and are making such an impact on their sport and their community.
“Across Scotland, there are thousands of people who recognise the impact that sport can have on us all. The people we are celebrating have taken that recognition and, with a huge amount of hard work, helped to change people's lives.
"Our award winners have dedicated a huge amount of their time to helping others realise their sporting potential.
“Funding for so many of these local clubs and organisations that we have celebrated tonight, would not be possible without the National Lottery, and we thank them for their continued support.”
Find out more about the 11 award winners below.
Young Coach of the Year - Maleeha Khaliq
Maleeha has worked tirelessly to help create an environment at Glasgow ANSAR where young girls feel welcomed, valued and motivated to achieve in sport. Many of the girls she works with come from communities where opportunities for participation in sports for girls are limited. Maleeha has helped break down barriers and allowed many who weren’t previously engaged in sport the chance to enjoy netball.
High Performance Award- Steven Tigg & Bradley Hay
University of Stirling Swimming Performance Coaches Steven and Bradley guided seven of the programmes athletes to the Paris 2024. Duncan Scott made history, his gold and silver medals made him Scotland’s most decorated Olympian, while there were strong showings from Katie Shanahan, Keanna MacInnes and Lucy Hope.
Performance Pathway - Ally Jack
Ally Jack has had a huge impact on the Scottish Volleyball performance pathway, both on the other coaches he leads as coaching manager and the players he works with. The Scotland men’s under-20 team had a historic year under Ally’s guidance. Scotland would claim victory in a European Championship Qualifier, to take Scotland to their first ever European Championship Finals.
Disability Sport Coach of the Year - Neil Russell
Neil is the founder and coach of the, ‘Adaptive Riders Collective’ (ARC). Neil has shown an extraordinary commitment to the sport and has also been an inspiration for countless individuals with disabilities. Neil has successfully removed significant barriers to participation, one of which is the cost of specialised equipment. He has worked tirelessly to secure off-road adaptive cycles, making them available to those who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to experience the benefits of mountain biking.
Community Coach Award - Craig Masson
Since the establishment of Fife Cycle Speedway in 2016, Craig has been the driving force behind its growth and success. His approach to coaching has turned what began as an extracurricular activity at Queen Anne High School into a thriving community club that encourages participation from people of all ages and backgrounds.
Young Volunteer of the Year - Charlotte Askham
Charlotte Askham has been recognised for the time and dedication she has given in disability sport. Charlotte is a member of the Scottish Disability Sport Young Person's Sports Panel, and a volunteer with Forth Valley Disability Sport. She attends almost every Scottish Disability Sport event, helping to develop policies, procedures and social media content to raise awareness of disability sport. She also coaches a number of inclusive sport sessions each week with Forth Valley Disability Sport and coaches with Falkirk Active Schools.
School Sport Volunteer of the Year - Connor Paterson
Connor has been volunteering with North Ayrshire Active Schools since he was in S3. In that time Connor has gone from helping out with the football team in his old primary school to being a sought-after coach throughout the area. The 19-year-old volunteers 15-20 hours every week to help improve sporting opportunities for school pupils across North Ayrshire.
Volunteer of the Year- Stevie Halliday
Serving as the Director of Youth Rugby last year, Stevie has transformed Dalkeith RFC's mini and youth rugby sections. Under his leadership, the club fielded its first under-18 team in over a decade, culminating in Dalkeith RFC's inaugural appearance in a national final. The club's mini and youth sections have seen remarkable growth under his guidance, now boasting over 300 boys and girls.
Young Official of the Year - Finlay Thompson
Finlay has made significant contributions to NL Chiefs Basketball Club this year, combining playing and officiating. This season he has officiated an impressive 54 fixtures, covering various levels from under 14s to seniors. His value to the club continues to grow as Finlay is taking on coaching qualifications with Basketball Scotland.
Official of the Year - Aly MacPhail
A key part of Orkney Athletic and Running Club, Aly is also heavily involved in the preparations for the athletics competition at the International Island Games in Orkney in 2025. An essential part of that is coordinating the officials. Aly is actively recruiting volunteers to officiate and helping to organise their training and development.
Lifetime Contribution - Jen Quinton and Eileen Ramsay
Eileen and Jen started Discovery Swimming Club in Dundee in 1993. Their dedication in running a disability swimming club for that time demonstrates their commitment to inclusivity and improving the wellbeing of athletes with disabilities.
Find out more
About the COV Awards.
