West Lothian wheelchair basketball coach Mark Stevenson has been recognised for his invaluable contribution to developing sporting talent in West Lothian and Scotland, after being awarded Performance Pathway Coach of the Year at the 2023 sportscotland Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering (COV) Awards.
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.
Mark is the Head Coach at Lothian Phoenix, West Lothian Wolves and at the Scotland National Academy and has a wealth of coaching knowledge and experience of both running and wheelchair basketball and applies this to support and develop athletes within his teams.
Mark is a personable coach, and as a volunteer is always willing to provide additional coaching support and training sessions for players. As a result, several of his Academy athletes have been invited to attend GB senior development squad training and U23 squad training, in preparations for international events in the coming year.
Mark is Head Coach of the Scotland U18 National Academy and took them to British Wheelchair Basketball's National Junior Championships in August 2022, following this, the young squad when on to compete in British Wheelchair Basketball's Junior League becoming the first Scottish team to win the league.
Mark Stevenson said, “My favourite thing about coaching is just seeing players get better. We sometimes put too much emphasis on outcomes, on winning and losing and I just like to see a player take on what we’ve done and go somewhere with it.”
“We have to adapt a lot in a wheelchair basketball setting. You have a lot of different things to think about. You have ability, you have their disability and how that affects them, but we are determined that everyone who wants to play, gets to play.”
Mel Young, Chair of sportscotland, said: “Every year the Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards provide us with the opportunity to celebrate 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 community.
“Over the course of the last year, we have seen thousands of sporting enthusiasts who give up hours and hours of their own daily lives, to make a difference in sport and physical activity and who have an understanding what an impact that can have on people’s lives. The people we are celebrating have taken that recognition and turned it into life-changing ambition and force for good.”
“Funding for so many of these local clubs and communities that we have celebrated tonight, would not be possible without the National Lottery, and we thank them for their continued support. Throughout the years, the contribution from the National lottery players has truly changed lives and supported people and communities to improve and grow.’’
