Top athletes promote positive coaching

Sports minister Aileen Campbell is to meet some of Scotland's top athletes today to promote positive coaching.

Sports minister Aileen Campbell. Picture: Steven Scott Taylor/ JP License

The minister will be visiting an athletes’ education session at Murrayfield to learn about the Champions in Scotland role model programme.

Some of Scotland’s leading athletes, including Commonwealth Games medallists Charline Joiner – racing cyclist – and Steph Inglis – judoka – as well as former Rugby Union player Colin Gregor, Team GB basketball player Kieron Achara, curler and Olympic medallist Claire Hamilton, and Team GB swimmer Michael Jamieson will be taking part in a session about how to create a positive learning environment for young people.

The session is being delivered by the Positive Coaching Scotland programme from the charity Winning Scotland Foundation.

Each of the athletes are already involved with the charity as role model “champions” and deliver workshops for young people in schools and youth groups as part of the Champions in Scotland role model programme. The charity now wants to further develop their athlete champions by helping them understand how to work with parents, coaches, teachers and young people to create a positive learning environment in sport.

The minister will hear from the athletes about their own experiences of being coached and coaching others.