Young People’s Forum members with Eilidh Doyle at the Conference (photo by Bobby Gavin)
Delegates, presenters and guests left our first-ever Athletics Trust Scotland Young People’s Forum Conference enthused about the future of our sport.
A series of inspirational presentations, led by double Olympian and multiple medallist Eilidh Doyle, were augmented by breakout sessions as youngsters aged 12-23 gathered at the Emirates Arena.
It was our first staging of a conference by the Young People’s Forum with support from various partners, including Roon the Toon.
One of the big takeaways was that there is a role for everyone within our sport – as a volunteer or indeed a more permanent position – and our Q and A panel in the afternoon highlighted routes into Officiating and Coaching.
YPF members are already moving into those roles and in video interviews below we hear from Erin Quinn of VP-Glasgow, who has taken Officials courses, and Natalie Sharp who moved into coaching at 14 and now has a key position in the coaching structure at Kilmarnock Harriers.
Diane Ramsay, another member of the panel for the Q and A in the afternoon, spoke about her journey from Team Scotland athlete at Glasgow 2014 to becoming a Technical Official and now helping in the ‘team effort’ which delivers events.
As as well Diane and Natalie, that panel also features superb insight and candid opinions from Paul Forbes, Derek Rae and Annabel Simpson.
Photos on Facebook from Bobby Gavin
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Eilidh Doyle spoke about the importance of life balance for athletes of all ages.
‘Athletics has been a huge part of my life and very important to me,’ she said.
‘But it also helped shape me as a person – dealing with the highs and lows.
‘I worked with a sports psychologist after the 2022 Olympics. The atmosphere at London and representing GB and NI at that level had blown my mind. I wasn’t sure I wanted that kind of pressure.
‘The psychologist helped me realise life balance was so important. There are always ups and downs when you compete. It is about dealing with those and making sure you enjoy it.’
In the Q and A session Eilidh was asked if she had any regrets around retiring.
‘The time was right for me and I look back now and I am very…
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