Denny volunteer Caitlyn Ross up for sports award with more than 60 events

Caitlyn Ross, from Denny, volunteers with Forth Valley Athletics Club, Forth Valley Disability Sport, Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) and her local Brownies group, to give other young people opportunities in sport.

The 23-year-old, former Denny high pupil, has had a busy year becoming a key member of SDS’s Young Start Programme and its Young People’s Sport Panel. Her 2019 achievements include several qualifications and accreditations including ETC modules on conflict resolution and goal setting. She is also currently looking at opportunities to complete her swimming teacher qualification.

Now her determination to help others has been recognised after she was named as a finalist in the Event Champion of the Year category at sportscotland Scottish Sports Futures Awards 2020.

And Caitlyn says the reward of helping provide support and guidance to the other young people she works with makes all her hard work worthwhile.

She said: “It feels amazing when you see the difference in the young people you are working with, from what they were like when they first started. The pride you get when they are achieving all the goals you set them, or even when the kids achieve something that seems like a small thing but might be their biggest achievement yet.

“Just seeing them coming and going from your sessions smiling, laughing, making friends, and just having a great time at one of your sessions makes it worth all the hard work you put in to keep it running smoothly.

“I wish there were more sessions I could do with them and get more children and young people to come along.”

The sportscotland and Scottish Sports Futures Awards 2020 will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow on February 28. and will showcase how sport can be used for positive social change and celebrate the incredible commitment of the young people who engage in sport through SSF and those who have supported them throughout the year.