The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Dawson sheds the pounds in bid to regain Kings spot
● Long-serving goalkeeper has lost a stone during lockdown
Kingussie goalkeeper Craig Dawson has lost a stone in weight during lockdown and five stones in all in an amazing fitness campaign to kickstart his shinty career.
John Gibson, manager of the Mowi Premiership champions, said: “Most people have put on weight in lockdown but Craig’s the opposite.
“He’s embraced his need to get fit and is clocking up some serious distances in running and cycling.
“I hope we play some shinty this year because Craig richly deserves the opportunity to play for this club again.”
The goalkeeper played only three full games in Kings’ title-winning season after rupturing a calf muscle from the bone against Newtonmore and then tearing ankle ligaments in training.
The 37-year-old greenkeeper at Kingussie Golf Club said: “I had become just too big and realised that if I wanted to prolong my playing career I had to do something about it.
“I’d become too complacent and was lazy in training and it was also hindering my work at the golf club.
“From my condition this time last year to where I am now is a massive improvement. Bob MacPherson came in when I was injured and did really well but now I want to continue his improvement by pushing him for the place.”
Dawson admitted: “I worked really hard last year, even though injured, and the weight began to drop off.
“But in pre-season it became clear I wouldn’t be in the first or second teams and I refused to accept that. Only James Hutchison has been longer at the club and I wanted to set an example to the younger lads.
“Lockdown’s actually been great for me as it’s enabled me to further step up and make huge progress. The team started a Strava online fitness group but at first I was reluctant to join as that was too public. I just kept my own times.
“My focus became on setting my own goals. I’d never ran 10km, but I did that. Then I aimed at 10 miles and ticked that off. Then a half marathon and that too was achieved as my fitness got better and better in recent weeks.
Dawson added: “I bought myself a road bike and really got into the cycling, including a route in the Cairngorms.
“The recurring tweaks and pulls I used to pick up in shinty training have all disappeared. Kingussie have more competition for places than they’ve had in 15 years and I want to be part of keeping the pressure on our talented youngsters.”
Dawson, who made his senior debut aged 16 in 1999 and became a regular two years later in the forward line, has been a goalkeeper since 2012, winning the Camanachd Cup two years later.
Gibson said: “Everyone’s been impressed by his weight loss, but even more so by his prodigious performances during lockdown. If you’d told me a year ago he’d run a half marathon, I’d have laughed at you.
“He’s now as fit as he’s ever been and his commitment and achievement have put him back in the first team squad.”
Meanwhile, Newtonmore’s shinty aces have smashed their target of 34,000 press-ups, 1,000 for every one of their Camanachd Cup triumphs and crashed through the 50,000 barrier by the time the week-long challenge ended.
Team manager Orston Gardner, whose idea it was, said: “We thought 34,000 was a really testing mark but we reached it with two days to spare and just kept going.
“It’s a really great effort by our first and second teams, under14s, under-17s and primary sides. And Badenoch Ladies team, who are coached by our players Scott Campbell and Iain Robinson, chipped in.
“The challenge really caught on. Club president Norman MacArthur did his bit, while the local minister, Catherine Buchan, added 200 press-ups of her own. I don’t know if it qualifies for the Guinness Book of Records, but it’s another honour for the club.”
The phenomenal press-ups performance has raised in excess of £1,500 for St Vincents Hospice, May’s Walk for Marie Curie Cancer Care, and Newtonmore Church of Scotland for its Covid-19 community work.
International midfielder Steven MacDonald included press-ups in four online fitness classes during the challenge.