Scotland

Naomi Pountain

Date of birth: 12.06.86

Area of leadership involvement:

COACHING: Goalkeepers Coach to current S1, S2 and S3 teams at Currie High School. Naomi started coaching the girls in August 2001 when they were in S1 and S2 and she now coaches the S1 boys too.

Success(es):

Naomi helped introduce goal keeping to new intake of players, coaching on Wednesdays after school and at Saturday morning matches.  Team successes are that the goal keepers still play and train as a group and are keen to play and learn. Naomi personal success is that she had played GK for the Currie 1^st X1 hockey team for the last two seasons.

Special leadership qualities:

Naomi shows commitment and reliability as she coaches the goalkeepers every week from August to March.  She is good at motivating players and making the sessions fun and enjoyable.

Naomi collects in the player’s valuables, is responsible for the goal keeping equipment and by example has taught the juniors the responsibility of looking after and maintaining their own kit.

Value of youth leaders' work for hockey promotion or for the improvement of quality of hockey:

Without Naomi’s coaching input the goalkeepers would not have any specific coaching training nor coaching.  Through her enthusiasm for the game of hockey goalkeepers have shown improvement not only in their confidence but in the quality of their overall play.

Adam James Bain

Date of birth: 16^th March 1987

Area of leadership involvement:

Coaching of local Primary and Secondary School Pupils and Kelburne Hockey Club “Mini Hockey” Junior Members.

Success(es):

Over the last two years, under Adam’s guidance 10 members of our “mini hockey” section and six school pupils have successfully moved on to become players in the Junior club teams.  Two have gone on to represent the SHU West District in tournament hockey. 

With Adam’s assistance, Renfrew High School have now formed junior and senior hockey teams who play in the school leagues with successful results, this year reaching the semi finals of the Scottish Schools Cup.

Special leadership qualities:

Adam has Scottish International caps at U16 level, is once again in the years national squad and is the Captain of the West District U16 squad.  He has been able to transfer a great deal of the knowledge and experience gained through his involvement in these squads to the junior players he is coaching.  This includes not only hockey skills, but other aspects such as exercise, nutrition & healthy eating, discipline and good behaviour.  He displays a great enthusiasm for coaching the youngsters and very much enjoys watching and helping them participate in the various festivals and tournaments they are encouraged to play in.  Because of his age, he has a great affinity with the young players and he is able to relate to them and communicate well.

Value of young leaders’ work for hockey promotion or for the improvement of quality of hockey:

Kelburne hockey club work closely with the local primary and secondary schools to promote hockey as a sport in the area and to provide substantial club links for those players who wish to progress to a higher level of competition and learning.  The work being done by Adam and others like him, is vital to ensure the continuous progress of the sport and to further establish the sport as one of the top participation sports in the community.  As a  sport, hockey enjoys wide press coverage in the Renfrewshire area.