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Steven Thomas-Spires - my coaching journey
17/05/2019 00:00, In Blog /
Athletics Clubs across Wales rely on community coaches, often volunteers who start out as athletes and 'find' themselves getting involved in coaching. Steven Thomas-Spires coaches Sprints, Jumps and Endurance for Wrexham AC as well as being their club coach coordinator. As a Level 2 coach, he works with athletes in a whole range of age groups and gets a real buzz from seeing athletes take on board his coaching and put it into practice in their performances.
I have been involved in athletics since 1985, I ran for Newark AC, when I moved up to North Wales in 1999, I decided to join Wrexham AAC and it was not long after that I found myself coaching the Under 11 group. This was daunting at first, but very enjoyable and rewarding. After moving up the coaching ladder I soon grew my own group of very talented sprinters, jumpers and endurance runners with great success, Sion Roberts and Matty Willis to name drop! I also spent some time in the local schools taking Dragon Sports Classes and I often take a fun session away from the track that takes in some of the natural local beauty spots in and around Wrexham.
Steven continues to develop himself as a coach, learning from experience and from the other coaches he interacts with as coach coordinator. He balances life working as a full time carer, with coaching and looking to train and compete himself.
I still try to compete (Welsh Master) and my enthusiasm hopefully spreads throughout my training group, no matter who they are or what age. Since 2005 I have been involved with Open Athletics in Manchester, they are a group of LGBT athletes that I help and coach with whenever needed and I also help to coach and coordinate the Pride Games track sessions whenever they are held. I would like to think my coaching journey has been a colourful one, that changed for the better when I came out to the Club, they showed solidarity and friendships were formed, they became my family, you often hear of discrimination throughout the sports world, no matter in what disguise, not at Wrexham Athletic Club.