Long-serving Alan Murray MBE has stepped down from the position of chief operating officer at Waterski & Wakeboard Scotland.
Alan has been involved in all corners of the world of waterskiing for many years - from instructing, coaching and boat driving to strategic planning - to drive the mission of growing the sport in Scotland. The impact Alan has had on the lives of those involved in the sport cannot be measured.
Alan was also heavily involved in leading the development of ski boat driving, qualifications and building sporting networks in Scotland which led him to work with British Waterski & Wakeboard (BWSW) and the British Disabled Waterski and Wakeboard Association (BDWWA).
Alan also led the direction of WWS's four-year Grassroots to Gold strategic plan which concluded in 2020, as well as founding the National Training Site at Townhill, Dunfermline, which was officially opened by Prince Edward in 1993. Overall, Alan has had a profound and widespread impact on towed water sports in Scotland.
Changing lives
The impact of Alan’s work on changing lives was acknowledged when he was awarded an MBE in the 2019 Queen's New Year Honours List for services to water-skiing and attended his investiture on 2 July at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.
The Queen was in attendance to present at the award ceremony. Alan expressed his gratitude and excitement on the occasion, surrounded as he was by loved ones and people who have helped him in his journey with Waterski & Wakeboard Scotland.
"This award was one that I will always cherish - it was a memorable day for me and one which I was truly humbled by."
Alan began skiing around the age of 25, participating in local events across a range of disciplines. He had a true passion from an early stage to make a difference in how the sport was being delivered in Scotland, striving to ultimately get more people enjoying the sport in a safe and inclusive environment, particularly originating from his determination to develop the experience for beginners.
Inspiration for the future
Alan has worked tirelessly to keep his beloved sport in the public eye, supporting individual athletes while striving to gain funding for a varied range of programmes. His contribution has ranged from supporting skiers to reach world champion level through financial support to helping clubs develop their websites and grow their membership.
Alan has made a dramatic impact through his extensive and undying passion for the sports of water-skiing and wakeboarding and this will play as an inspiration to the WWS community.
