A chance to say thanks
Coaches and volunteers give up countless hours to sport It is widely acknowledged that sporting life in Perth and Kinross is greatly enhanced by volunteers and coaches who give up their time and expertise for free.
From grassroots level community sports teams for the kids, to weekly clubs for adults and specialised coaching for performance path athletes, often our active lives are only made possible thanks to these dedicated individuals.
For example, here in Perth and Kinross, within the 118 PACES registered sports clubs - our local quality assurance scheme managed by Live Active Leisure - there are over 600 volunteer coaches serving 7420 participants.
There are a number of studies that show that volunteers and coaches remain engaged in their sport for longer if they feel they are appreciated and recognised for their efforts.
Hazel Donaldson, community sport officer at Live Active Leisure, is asking us all to take a little time and do just that.
She said:“When was the last time you thanked your coach? Or recognised the work your club committee does behind the scenes?
“Often it’s a fleeting ‘thanks’on the way out of the door without any real recognition as to what these people mean to the sporting life of our communities.
“That’s why we’ve launched our #PKThankYou campaign. We’re aiming to promote a culture where more coaches and volunteers are thanked for the commitment they put into sport across Perth and Kinross.”
To take part, you are invited to film yourself, your team mates or your club colleagues saying thank-you to someone who makes a difference in your sport of choice.
The campaign will run until late February, and all videos will be shared on Live Active Sport social media pages before being collated to be displayed during the Perth and Kinross Sports Personality of the Year Awards in early 2019.
On top of public accolade, each video submitted will be entered into a monthly prize draw with a chance to win a £25 Campus Sports voucher for their nominee.
So how can you get involved in the #PKThankYou campaign?
Say a big #PKThankYou to the people who make a difference in your sporting life, from grassroots to highperformance coaches, from minibus drivers to club secretaries, referees and parent helpers.
Firstly, video yourself, team, club or group.
· Filming can be done on a smartphone.
· The video should be around 10 seconds long.
· Remember to include the words thanks or thank you followed by a few ways your coach/ club volunteer have impacted you/your sport/your club.
Second, send the video to Sport@ liveactive.co.uk
· Remember to include your club and name in the email.