Top TEAM15 Windsurfing Instructor recieves RYA national training award
 
Glaswegian Team15 (T15) Instructor, Andy Kerr, has been awarded one of the RYA’s most prestigious coaching awards – RYA T15 Windsurfing Instructor of the Year 2008. The eagerly awaited awards ceremony took place at the world’s biggest dinghy show, the RYA Dinghy Sailing Show, Alexandra Palace this weekend Saturday (01 March).
 
The RYA introduced these awards to acknowledge the importance of instructors and coaches within the UK’s boating community. Categories cover all aspects of boating, from powerboating to dinghy sailing, windsurfing, squad racing and club racing from grass roots to Olympic level.
 
Andy is one of ten exceptional coaches and instructors to be given one of these prestigious awards for remaining at the top of their coaching/instructing disciplines throughout last year.
 
Andy, a Quantity Surveyor by profession, has been windsurfing for 12 years but is a relatively new instructor, having qualified just three years ago. He runs the T15 club Clyde Barracudas at Clyde Windsurfing Club on Castle Semple Loch. He has been instrumental in developing the T15 club with many of its members now racing in the national squad. In his spare time he competes at UKWA and NEWS series events. His future plans are to continue developing the T15 club with the aim of getting more sailors to work towards instructor training.
 
Andy was nominated for the award by Clyde Windsurfing Club’s Principle Kate Bird who comments “Without Andy’s dedication and persistence the club and its members would not be where they are today.”
 
Rod Carr, Chief Executive of the RYA (pictured left), presented Andy his trophy along with some boating equipment donated by awards supporters Gul.