GBR coaches Keith Cook and Ben Peggs and BF Pathways Director Steve Kemp were invited to Buckingham Palace alongside more than 300 Olympic and Paralympic coaches, celebrating their remarkable contribution to sport in the UK.
The event, held on Tuesday 22nd October at Buckingham Palace, was in partnership with UK Coaching and UK Sport and recognised both summer and winter Olympic and Paralympic coaches for their invaluable contribution to supporting our world class athletes.
Plaudits were led by UK Coaching patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, where coaches were invited to meet Her Royal Highness personally during the reception.
Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth, Stephanie Peacock and representatives from the Department of Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) also attended to honour the exceptional coaches behind Great Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The reception marks the first time that coaches in the UK have been recognised to this scale, with calls made to ensure coaches are supported ongoing to be able to continue playing the pivotal role of supporting others at every level of sport.
Great Britain’s athletes continually deliver on the world stage with medals and memorable moments; this is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the coach’s well-deserved moment to take centre stage for all their hard work.
Adam Elliott, coach of Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal winning triathlete Alex Yee, was one of the coaches to meet Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.
He said: “I think it’s important that great coaching is being recognised in such a fantastic way. Coaching for me is about helping and enabling people to be the best versions of themselves and sometimes exceed even what they believed was possible. Done well, it allows someone to be able to look back and believe they are better off for the experiences that they have had through sport.
“To be able to be part of someone’s journey when they aim to achieve their best performances is an amazing feeling. For me, it is never about the result but is about the process of working towards something with all the highs, lows, challenges and emotions that come with such great undertakings.”
Mark Gannon, CEO of UK Coaching, reflected on the event: “This is a special moment for each of the coaches here at Buckingham Palace and could not be more deserved. We know well how much support they give to their athletes to be their very best helping them, cope with the pressure and compete on the world stage. It’s important that coaches are seen every bit as much part of Team GB and Paralympics GB.
“We exist to represent coaches across all activities and at all levels, to help them to develop and best support their athletes or participants. Coaches are the essential catalyst for getting people active – the picture of health and wellbeing in this country would look very different without them – and we are here for the coach at every step of the way working to help sport thrive.”
Dr Kate Baker, Director of Performance and People from UK Sport, said: “We have exceptional coaches across the UK, and I am so proud we are able to celebrate and recognise their incredible dedication and commitment to their sport.
“The extraordinary sporting moments we witnessed over the summer at the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games could not have been done without the support and tireless work of the coaches behind the scenes over the years.
“We believe that the UK benefits from being home to some of the best coaches in the world, and we feel it’s important to champion and celebrate their hard work in supporting British athletes and their sports.”
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