Sport / ‘A real honour’ – dedicated coach in running for national award
ONE OF Shetland’s most dedicated coaches is in the running for an award celebrating those who “consistently go the extra mile” for their sport.
Julie Grant has been nominated for the Spirit of Gymnastics award at the 2025 Scottish Gymnastics Awards.
Grant, who has been a key member of Shetland Gymnastics Club over the past 20 years, described the nomination as a “real honour”.
The awards are presented to people from the world of gymnastics who consistently go above and beyond to make an impact for others in the gymnastics community, and who demonstrate an ability to include and support all through the sport.
Grant has been a passionate advocate for the club to have its own dedicated gymnastics facility in the isles, and has continually coached its gymnasts at competitions on the mainland and beyond.
She was one of three coaches overseeing team Shetland at the Island Games in Orkney this summer, and lead them to a gymnastics-only Island Games in Åland in 2023.
As well as that, she and the club have fundraised extensively to be able to go compete and train away from Shetland.
Gymnasts train out of the Clickimin Leisure Complex in Lerwick, but the equipment they use is not full competition size – which can leave the club at a disadvantage when it comes to facing mainland clubs.
With more than 400 young children on its waiting list, the gymnastics club has been hampered by the lack of a purpose-built gymnastics facility since its inception in 2005.
As reported by Shetland News yesterday, the club has lodged a planning application to use a workshop/offices in Cunningsburgh as a dedicated gymnastics facility.
Gymnastics club looking to use Cunningsburgh workshop as dedicated facility
The Scottish Gymnastics Awards are being presented on Saturday 8 November at Trades Hall in Glasgow, where Grant will find out if she is a winner.
Orkney Gymnastics Club is also set to receive a special recognition award for its contribution to the 2025 Island Games.
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