Irvine ladies football coach wins BBC Unsung Hero award

Nov 30 2012 by eric mcgowan, Irvine Herald

Community cop Siobhan Kay will put away her uniform and pack her glad rags when she heads for London next month to attend the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year award ceremony.

The 25-year-old has been named BBC Sport Unsung Hero in Scotland 2012 for her work in developing girls’ and women’s football in her home town of Irvine.

She launched Irvine Thistle Girls/Ladies FC four years ago and there are now 70 players and six coaches on the books of the club which trains at the Magnum and has a women’s team and four different girls’ age groups up to U15.

When she’s not pounding the beat in Greenock, Siobhan spends much of her spare time at the club she started four years ago and devotes at least 12 hours a week to leading the training sessions.

In addition Siobhan takes coaching sessions for pupils at John Galt, Loudoun-Montgomery and Woodlands primary schools as well as Irvine Royal Academy.

“I’ve never had a problem finding the time, I just do it because I love it,” she said.

“It’s great to see so many girls and women getting involved in playing football and I’m glad I’m helping that to happen in the area.

“If I can’t make any of the training sessions because my shifts, one of the other coaches will always step in.

“It was a shock when I was presented with the award but I’m looking forward to going to the event - maybe I’ll get to sit next to David Beckham!”

Siobhan was nominated by teenager Erin McAuley who appreciates the support her coach has given her since she joined the club.

“Siobhan has really brought on my confidence since I joined Thistle,” the 15-year-old said.

“She’s always willing to help me progress as a footballer and lets me help her coach the younger teams as well as some of the primary school pupils.

“Siobhan is an inspiration to so many people and after being part of the club and seeing her work I want to follow sports as a career.”

Now in its tenth year, the Unsung Hero Award is given to someone who goes the extra mile to help out in local sport with nominations coming from members of the public.

Siobhan will attend the Sports Personality of the Year awards in London on December 16 when the overall Unsung Hero for the UK will be announced.

The ceremony will be held at the 15,000-capacity ExCeL and promises to be the biggest in the programme’s illustrious 59-year history