SDS is delighted to be able to thank some great people in Volunteers Week, 1-7 June. Over this week SDS will be highlighting volunteers who contribute so much to making sport happen at a local, regional and national level. Today the spotlight is on coaches who provide so many opportunities and are staying connected with participants in different and creative ways during lockdown and the phased return to sport. One coach SDS is shining the spotlight on is Peter McGuire….
Peter began his sporting journey as a player back in 2005, when he played his first game of boccia and fell in love with the sport. He reached the pinnacle of his playing career when he represented UK at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Two years later he began his coaching pathway when he achieved his UKCC level 1 and started to support Jenny Nethery, as a coach with the West of Scotland club. Peter has continued to increase his coaching opportunities, and before the Covid 19 pandemic, Peter was coaching 5 times a week at a range of boccia sessions and clubs to different ages and ability levels from recreational players to ones on the talent development programme. He relishes the variety and challenges presented by players of different ages and stages and in 2020, he was appointed as a coach to the Scottish National Boccia squad, moving him one step closer to his dream of coaching at a Paralympics.
In 2016 ,peter successfully gained his UKCC level 2 Boccia qualification and he continues to develop and evolve as a coach by attending ongoing learning opportunities for example the SGBs L2+ course, workshops, coaching conferences and in April 2019 he gained a place on the UK Boccia Coach Advance Programme.
Not only does Peter coach, but as a volunteer, he is Chair of the Glasgow Gladiators sports club providing wheelchair users sporting opportunities in powerchair football and boccia. He also is a committee member of South Lanarkshire Disability Sport branch and when he has a spare moment he is an active member of the Scottish Power Football Association committee.
Peter is a truly remarkable volunteer and provides so many enriching sports opportunities for many people. Thank you, Peter and all the coaches who work so tirelessly to make sport happen.