Laurie MacDonald from Helensburgh has been named Coach Developer of the Year, recognising the significant contribution she has made to the development of coaching across a multitude of sports.
The sportscotland COV Awards celebrate all those who break down barriers, inspire and enhance the lives of others through sport, and recognise the commitment of those who apply their own time and effort to make sport accessible to all.
Working across sailing, triathlon and snowsports, Laurie has been shaping coaches at all levels, from grassroots to high performance sport, for many years.
After a hugely successful career as a sailor and youth sailing coach, Laurie wanted to give back to her sport and those who had supported her coaching journey. She has boosted the performance sailing coaching community through a number of innovative initiatives, driving bespoke support for different regions.
Laurie’s talents do not stop at sailing – she has also provided targeted support to coaches in numerous other sports, including ground-breaking work in triathlon, using her skills to take complex ideas and transform them into easy-to-understand everyday coaching techniques.
Laurie has been a driving force for positive change in the world of coach development which earned her a place on the UK Sport Supporting Coaching in High Performance Sport Programme. Her Coach Developer of the Year award recognises her continued contribution, not just to the ongoing development of coaches, but to fellow coach developer practitioners.
Laurie McDonald said: “I’ve spent my whole life in sport and I’ve spent most of my childhood out on the water at Helensburgh.
"Over time I became really interested in the role of coaches – I think they play a pivotal role, not only in performance but in participation and development of people.
“A coaches’ role, working in a pathway, performance, elite or world class environment, comes with very different demands and they need specific knowledge and skills. I support the development of those skills to extend and stretch so the coaches can be as effective as possible.
"There’s a support mechanism there – health and wellbeing of coaches is critical and I hope I play a part in that as well. I’m really grateful to all the sports and the coaches who have invited me into their environments to let me do this work with them.”
Mel Young, Chair of sportscotland, said: “Our Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards give us a chance to celebrate the great sporting achievements and moments that are taking place every day and congratulate those who are making an incredible commitment to Scottish sport.
“Across Scotland, there are thousands of sporting enthusiasts who recognise the impact that sport and teamwork can have on our lives. The people we are celebrating have taken that recognition and turned it into a life-changing force for good.
"Individuals like Laurie have dedicated their time to helping others realise their sporting potential and shown the far-reaching benefits of community spirit and participation.”
This year sees the awards return for the first time since 2019, with sportscotland receiving 320 nominations covering 30 different sports across 31 local authorities. People keen to recognise the invaluable contributions of selfless coaches, officials and volunteers working across a range of sports the length and breadth of the country submitted their nominations earlier in the year.
The COV winners were invited to attend a presentation ceremony at Glasgow City Chambers as a thank you for their continued work and dedication.
Find out more
Find out more about all our COV winners for 2022
