England Golf coaches rewarded for ‘outstanding contribution’
Golfing coaches who go the extra mile to support their players and squads have been recognised by England Golf with new awards to mark their contribution during 2014.
Mark Day from Hertfordshire, Ryan Fenwick from Sussex, Lysa Jones and Graham Walker form Yorkshire, and Andrew Nicholson from Co. Durham, are all coaches to England Golf squads.
They received their awards at this week’s England Golf Coaching Conference at St George’s Park. All five will now be considered for the ‘Coach of the Year’ award, which will be announced in April 2015.
England Golf performance director Nigel Edwards said: “We know that the players who succeed have talent and ability, together with resilience and the desire to work hard and to achieve.
“But we also know that around successful players there is always a team of people who encourage and guide and support them during both the good and bad times. So, for the first time this year, England Golf is recognising individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to coaching during 2014.”
Nominations for the award were received from volunteers and managers and Edwards added: “The awards are being presented to coaches who have gone the extra mile to support the players and squads they are working with.”
‘Around successful people is always a team of people who guide and support them’ The award winners:
Mark Day of Whipsnade Park in Hertfordshire is coach to the England Golf Thames Valley U16 girls’ squad. The judges noted that he had transformed the junior talent pathway for girls and boys within the county. He established The Futures Tour and worked with others in the county to develop with the iTour, which encourages players to get their handicap and play in local junior opens.
Ryan Fenwick of Golf at Goodwood in Sussex is coach to the England Golf South East U18 squad. His students have included Jack Floyd of Sussex, who has gone on to study at university in the USA, and George Mullins of Kent, who won the South East Group junior championship and set a course record at Moor Park, Hertfordshire, in the English boys’ U18 championship.
Lysa Jones of The Oaks in Yorkshire is coach to the England Golf East Midlands U16 boys’ squad. During last year, four members of the East Midlands’ boys’ squad were selected for the national U16 team, reaching the pinnacle for their age group. Several of the squad players have also chosen to see Lysa for individual coaching.
Graham Walker is also a coach at The Oaks is coach to the England Golf men’s squad. His player success list over just the last two years includes being coach to the 2014 English Girls’ and Scottish Lady Junior Champion, 2013 Deloitte Ladies Open Champion, 2013 European Men’s Team Champions and Home International Champions and 2013 British Amateur Champion.
Andrew Nicholson of Wynyard in County Durham is coach to the England Golf Yorkshire U16 girls’ squad. Among the golfers Nicholson has coached over the past 12 months include Yorkshire’s Nick Marsh, the English amateur champion and England’s top placed player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
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