Voluntary coaching is at the heart of the Badenoch and Strathspey Sports Council’s Community Coach of the Year Award and this year’s winner, Warren De-Vry from Grantown’s Highland Black Belt Academy certainly puts in the mileage as well as the time. For Warren travels the 22 miles across the often treacherous Dava Moor between his home in Forres and Grantown on three, and sometimes more, evenings per week - and has been making that journey for the past three years in the interests of furthering martial arts.
Based largely in the Grantown YMCA building, Warren De-Vry’s Black Belt Academy now meets regularly on Tuesdays and Friday and involves classes for four different age groups starting with the Little Ninja’s in the late afternoon and continuing through to the Adult Classes in the evenings. In addition, he has separate classes on Monday evenings covering different facets of the martial arts world, including the use of standard weapons.
But it is clear from his pupils that Warren is much more than just a teacher for he is there to counsel and guide his charges, encouraging them to see martial arts skills not as a way of fighting but more as a life-style promoting self-discipline and self-confidence. Among his more recent projects has been a series of Bully Busting sessions that he conducted with the 5th and 6th year girls at Grantown Grammar School along with a series of primary school visits during which he talked to the children about dealing with bullying.
Said Caroline Sterritt of Badenoch and Strathspey Sports Council:
“Our criteria in making the Award was that it should go to someone who, on a completely voluntary basis, encouraged and assisted people to participate in sport locally. Warren De-Fry does much more than that for, through his sport, he is also tackling a major social problem within the community. His pioneering work in helping youngsters stamping out bullying, without resorting to violence themselves, is outstanding and teaching youngsters to have some basic training in martial arts is no bad thing. It certainly boosts their confidence even if they are not particularly interested in competing in martial arts competitions. In this case, it is the taking part and gaining the skills that is more important than winning cups and trophies. In fact, everyone involved in the Highland Black Belt Academy is a winner because participation has made them more self-confident individuals.”
The Community Coach Award, along with a cheque for £200 towards club development will be presented at a special Gala Dinner within The Ptarmigan, at the top of the CairnGorm Mountain Funicular on Saturday evening when the guest speaker will be Peter Mitchell, the highly popular diarist from The Press and Journal. Mitchell, a former sports writer, is also a past winner of the highly prestigious Scottish Sports Dinners’ Speaker of the Year Award and is a highly entertaining and hilariously funny speaker.
There are still a few tickets left for Saturday’s Gala Presentation Dinner and, priced at £30 each, can be obtained from Heather Galbraith on 01479 861334. The dinner is timed to start at 7.00 for 7.30 and dress for the evening is Lounge Suits.
Said Tania Adams, CairnGorm Mountain’s Marketing Manager:
“Last year’s event was very popular and, being the first event that we had hosted at The Ptarmigan, it set the standard of quality for the rest of the year. The setting is something quite special and getting Peter Mitchell along to speak, alongside local shinty guru, John Robertson, has been a great coup for the reputation of both the event and the evening.”
Ends
Further information from
Bill Nolan
Tel: 07885071804
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