Peter Pearse

Disability Sport Wales

Disability coach crowned Coach of the Year
With his performers aiming for the London 2012 Paralympics, the Disability Sport Wales Academy Boccia Coach has been crowned the Sport Wales Coach of the Year for 2010.
At the annual ceremony in Cardiff, a lifetime achievement award was also handed to 90-year-old Swansea table tennis legend Betty Gray, while GB basketball coach Damien Jennings, from Cardiff, was recognised for excelling in his sport.
A former Paralympian himself, Boccia Wales Head Coach Peter Pearse, aged 39, from Hertfordshire, has been heading up the Welsh Academy since 2007.
In 2010, his squad has won countless titles across the UK and Europe, and his players are on the GB fasttrack programme aiming for a place at London 2012.
At the recent GB Boccia Nationals in Scotland, two Welsh players – Jacob Thomas and Karl Parrish – brought back medals for Wales. Thomas grabbed the gold while Parrish seized silver in the BC3 category.
Thomas has now been selected for the GB Boccia Elite Squad – a pathway to the London 2012 Paralympics.
Pearse said:
“It is a reflection of the hard work and success of the athletes I coach that is most pleasing.
“There are so many positive aspects to being a coach, particularly empowering individuals through boccia.
“In the future I’d like to see one or more of the Welsh athletes I first came into contact with a couple of years ago, reach the podium for GB.”

Starting her table tennis career before the war, Betty Gray won countless medals and trophies.
Now, she is still an active coach and oversees weekly sessions and competitions at leisure centres across the city. Players flock to the Swansea youth clubs, play schemes and training development sessions she has helped to run for more than 30 years. Some are just five years old.
Damien Jennings is Head Coach at UWIC Archers Division 1 Women’s Team, is Head Coach of the GB U20s women’s squad and Assistant Coach of the GB senior squad.
This year the UWIC Archers were British Champions – the first Welsh team to do so since the Rhondda Rebels.
As Head Coach of GB U20’s, he won the European Division B, securing promotion to European Division A for the first time – a crucial factor in influencing the case for a host nation place in London 2012.
Other winners at this year’s awards ceremony include elite coach Bud McAllister, Head Coach of the British Swimming Intensive Training Centre at the Wales National Pool, Swansea. Three of the four Welsh swimming medals at the Commonwealth Games were won by athletes under his guidance.
Aberaeron RFC stalwart, Glyndwr Evans picked up the volunteer award, while 23-year-old Rebecca Daniels picked up the Young Coach/Leader of the Year title for her work to spread the hockey message across Europe.
Earlier this year, The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) committed an additional £1 million of funding pledged towards coaching – taking Sport Wales’ annual coaching investment over the £5 million mark.
Minister for Heritage, Mr Alun Ffred Jones AM, said:
“I’m delighted that the Assembly Government has been able to provide additional funding for coaching in Wales, our investment is a reflection of the crucial role played by coaches the length and breadth of Wales. I’d like to congratulate each one of the winners for their dedication and to thank them for their hard work and commitment. Their stories are a real inspiration, which I hope will motivate others to take up coaching in order to make a difference.”
Sport Wales, along with its partners, has committed to doubling the number of coaches and volunteers in Wales, from around 110,000 to around 250,000 by 2016 – around 10% of the population.
Chair of Sport Wales, Professor Laura McAllister said:
“The winners are the perfect role models for what we want to achieve in Wales. Every one of them should be rightly proud of their achievements.
“More than ever, there is agreement and appreciation that coaches and volunteers are the lifeblood of sport. Without the fantastic work of the thousands already making a difference in communities, from grassroots to elite level, we wouldn’t have opportunities to take part in sport in Wales, and to excel.
“Now we need more of the public to follow their lead. We will need an army of enthusiastic and qualified coaches and volunteers. We’ll need help to encourage more people to help out – more mums, dads, family and friends. Once they’re involved, they’ll be hooked too.
“Congratulations to Peter and all our winners and finalists.”
To sign up to coaching and volunteering opportunities in sport in Wales visit www.behindeverystar.org.uk. For more information visit www.sportwales.org.uk.
The Winners:
Male Coach of the Year (Sponsored by Totalteamwear)
Stuart Williams – Rugby League – RCT
Having excelled in domestic competition with the Valley Cougars, Stuart was identified as an exceptional coach with a knack for developing young players.
Appointed head coach to the U18 national side in 2008 – he immediately won the European championships. The Crusaders then set up an U18 team that would play in the amateur winter competition. Again, after a fine season, they were crowned champions at the first time of asking.
At the start of 2010, the Crusaders first team relocated to North Wales and the U18 team located in the south moved over to the professional summer competition, playing against fellow super league teams.
Their success in the transition has been helped in no small part by Stuart’s dedication and technical expertise.
Female Coach of the Year (Sponsored by Totalteamwear)
Catherine Hares – Netball – Blaenau Gwent
Catherine is Head Coach at Tredegar Netball Club and has been coaching for more than 10 years.
She runs five weekly sessions and offers inclusive opportunities for all ages to participate and develop in netball.
She lives and breathes netball and is a fantastic ambassador for coach and community sport in Wales.
The club has a number of players how have reached County representation since the club was established.
The club is also fully inclusive for all ages and abilities.
Community Coach of the Year (Sponsored by Brand 68)
Anthony Palmer – Various Sports – Caerphilly
A coach for 10 years, if there’s a session for any sport of any ability happening in the area then Anthony’s probably coaching at it.
Anthony leads on all festivals and competitions in the Upper Rhymney Valley, as well as delivering a Dragon Rugby community programme five days a week in the local primary schools.
He leads three breakfast clubs a week in a secondary school and also works a Friday evening at a leisure centre delivering racquet sports.
Anthony has recently been offered the role of team manager for the Gwent Dragons U16’s district team – another role he takes on in his spare time having come through the ranks as a local volunteer, to become coach and then team manager in a professional set-up.
Volunteer of the Year (Sponsored by Strachan Sports Travel)
David Glyndwr Evans – Rugby Union – Ceredigion
Co-founder of Aberaeron RFC in 1977, Glyndwr and has been club secretary since 1978.
His efforts make the club what it is today. From raising money, applying for grants and sponsorship for the day-to-day running of the club, purchasing a team mini bus, the refurbishment of the clubhouse and an extension to the building.
He also organises the annual dinners, maintains the grounds, drives the team mini bus, works behind the bar and does most other tasks associated with running the rugby club.
He lead the organisation of the annual Aberaeron Festival of Rugby 7’s in August.
He is the pillar of the community and has given 33 years of his own time, effort and endless unpaid work to the wonderful game that he loves so much.
He believes wholeheartedly in volunteering and working hard for grass roots rugby and for bringing the community together – in his own words, ‘this is where it all begins’.
Coach of the Year to Disabled Sportspeople (Overall Winner) (Sponsored by Mon Motors)
Peter Pearse – Boccia – Cardiff (lives Hertfordshire)
Head Coach for Boccia Wales and GB Performance Coach, Peter has been involved in the sport for more than 20 years.
Peter joined Boccia Wales as Head Coach in 2007 and all the performers under his guidance consistently excel in competition.
In 2010, his squad has won countless titles across the UK and Europe, and his Boccia athletes are on the GB fasttrack program aiming for a place at London 2012.
At the recent GB Boccia Nationals in Scotland, two Welsh players, Jacob Thomas and Karl Parish, brought back medals for Wales.
Karl Parish runner up (Silver Medalist) in the BC3 Category, and Jacob Thomas was the winner (Gold Medalist) in the BC3 Category.
Jacob Thomas has now been selected to the GB Boccia Elite Squad – a pathway to the London 2012 Paralympics.
Peter has an exceptional track record as an athlete, being a four times Paralympian himself. His cool, calm training approach is his trademark.
Young Coach/Leader of the Year (Sponsored by UWIC)
Rebecca Daniels – Hockey – Carmarthenshire
Already involved in coaching for eight years, Rebecca is credited with helping to establish the renowned hockey fun centres in Llanelli and helped to pioneer primary school work in Carmarthenshire.
Head coach of UWIC’s 2nd team and assistant coach at Whitchurch Saints, she is also assistant coach at the Welsh Hockey Union Regional Academy and assistant coach at Cardiff Performance Development Centre.
But Rebecca’s commitment to hockey doesn’t end there. She has been secretary for the World Hockey Youth Panel since 2009 and is on a working group tasked with establishing a GB Youth Panel that will be a voice for young volunteers in hockey. It will even link with the European and World youth panels.
Rebecca, aged 23, is a teacher at Fitzalan High School in Cardiff.
Coach Educator of the Year (Sponsored by SportsCoach UK)
Roger Middleton – Hockey – Ceredigion
With more than 10 years experience, Roger is viewed by the Welsh Hockey Union as a leading coach educator.
A sign of his training skills, candidates on one of his summer courses have requested assessments already – just two months after completion. A significant achievement considering candidates have two years in which to complete the qualification.
This year, after receiving positive feedback from the Chair of the Qualifications Group for Sports Coach UK he can now deliver level three workshops and assess level three candidates – making him the first UK Coaching Certificate level three assessor in Hockey in Wales.
As well as provided training for UK courses, Roger runs one of the Welsh Hockey Union Performance Development Centres (PDCs) in Aberystwyth.
Roger’s son Barry in one of the most capped GB and England player and currently plays his hockey over in the Netherlands alongside many other international stars from GB, Australia and Spain.
Elite Coach of the Year
Bud McAllister – Swimming – Swansea
Three of the four Welsh swimming medals at the Commonwealth Games were won by athletes under the guidance of Bud McAllister.
A highly respected coach, Bud is Head Coach of the British Swimming Intensive Training Centre at the Wales National Pool, Swansea.
Originally from Michigan, he has been coaching in Swansea for three years. The season finished with a silver (200m) and bronze (400m) for freestyler Jazz Carlin, and a bronze in the 50m backstroke for Georgia Davies.
Special Award: Coaching Special Recognition -Damien Jennings – Basketball – Cardiff
Involved in Basketball coaching for eight years, Damien is Head Coach at UWIC Archers Division 1 Women’s Team, is Head Coach of the GB U20s women’s squad and Assistant Coach of the GB senior squad.
This year the UWIC Archers were British Champions – the first Welsh team since the Rhondda Rebels. They were also crowned British Universities Champions for the third consecutive year with 41 unbeaten victories.
As Head Coach of GB U20’s, he won the European Div B and promotion to European Div A for first time – a crucial factor in influencing the case for a host nation place in London 2012.
As Assistant Coach to the GB Senior Women, he oversaw a win in Division A as pool winners, and qualified for the Eurobasket Finals 2011 – highest ever achievement for GB Women.
Damian also won top student on the European Coaching Diploma Course 2009 and appointed Coach of the first U18 European All-star game.
He was the highest qualifying coach of the inaugural candidates of the FIBA Europe Coaching Certificate.
Damian also has a full time job as a lecturer in sports development and management at UWIC, yet makes time to create an exceptional coaching and sport development environment.
He is a leading light in Welsh and British Basketball and is a fantastic ambassador for Welsh Coaching and Welsh Sport.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Betty Gray – Table Tennis – Swansea
For more than 50 years Betty Gray has been a living legend in Welsh table tennis. The 90 year-old from Swansea has taken honours all over the world – raising the profile of the game and acting as official ambassador for the sport and Wales.
Betty started playing table tennis in 1939. Nearly all the young men had gone off to the war and sport provided an alternative social life.
The Young Conservatives’ Club had a table and it was there, behind windows blacked out with wooden shutters, that Betty discovered she was a ping-pong wizard.
Betty moved to the Post Office after 1945 and became a star player in their mixed team.
She was Welsh champion for more than 10 years, won innumerable medals, trophies, cake-stands and more then 250 cups.
During her playing career she has won gold in the European and world singles championships for her age group and bronze in the doubles – no mean feat for a woman with arthritis in her hands and four steel pins in an ankle.
Betty is still an active coach and oversees weekly sessions and competitions at leisure centres across the city.
Never has she let her youngsters down. Players flock to the Swansea youth clubs, play schemes and training development sessions she has helped to run for more than 30 years. Some are just five years old.
Like most veterans who want to repay their chosen sport, she has become more involved in administration. She’s president of the Table Tennis Association of Wales, of Swansea Table Tennis League and of the new Cymru Veterans’ Association.
In 2001 Betty was honoured for her services to Table Tennis in the New Year’s Honours List.