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Roy Corlett: Celebrating 10 years not out
THAT'S WICKET: Finch Hill youth coach Roy Corlett, at the rear on the right, with club members accepting new kit from Colas
WITH 10 years’ coaching and being one of the driving forces behind Finch Hill Cricket Club’s successful youth set-up, Onchan man Roy Corlett has received a nod for his efforts with a nomination for volunteer of the year in the Flybe Pride in Mann awards.
The club’s youth section only began 10 years ago, meaning Roy has been around since the start, and was rewarded as his under 13s side put in a fine season in 2012, finishing joint top of their league.
Civil servant Roy, 57, said: ‘I’ve been playing for Finch Hill for the last 40 years, and when I first started for the club we had a very successful team and won many trophies in the 80s and 90s but fortune declined in the last 10 years.’
He added: ‘However, the club now has a thriving junior section with many promising youngsters starting to make an impact at senior level.’
Roy explained how he moved from being a player to a teacher.
‘I took up coaching to put back something into the sport which I’ve been playing for over 45 years and to try and pass on my knowledge and experience to those just taking up the game,’ he said.
‘I get tremendous satisfaction seeing the boys develop their cricket skills and I’ve also been fortunate to receive tremendous assistance from other players and parents at the club.’
Click here to see the other nominees.
It was Roy’s partner Caroline Manley – whom, incidentally, he will be marrying next week – that first wrote in to the Manx Independent.
She said: ‘It’s not just him, there are lots of people involved, but he has done it for 10 years, I think he deserves a mention!’
‘He does it because he’s dedicated. Not just coaching, but helping arrange sponsorship, meetings, even lifts to games. He loves to see the end result, the young players progressing on.’
Caroline added: ‘He’s brought two sons up, he’s very good with youngsters. He can get on their wavelength, and they all seem to enjoy it.’
Roy added that for the development of the junior players, the club is also indebted to the support of sponsors Colas, especially this year as some of the most talented members would be attending the Isle of Man Cricket Development Programme (for under 13s) and a summer competition in Denmark (for under 17s).
The decision to move into coaching was helped by the chance to coach his two sons, and 10 years on, he still enjoys it.
‘I’ve been through thick and thin! It’s not always been easy attracting young people to the club.
He added: ‘It’s great to see the young players progress, but it’s a two-way thing, you see the enjoyment they get out of cricket.’
The link to the Douglas and Onchan community is vital, and Roy hopes to forge coaching relationships with the new Bemahague school.
‘There’s a resurgence at the moment, and now the club has enjoyed a bit of success, we’re looking to expand the juniors,’ he said.
‘There’s a great family atmosphere at the club, and a promising future.’
Nominations for this year’s Pride in Mann awards have now closed.
Click here to see the other nominees.
• We’ll be explaining how you can vote in Pride in Mann soon.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Monday 20 May 2013
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Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
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