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Nation’s top coaches celebrated at 2024 UK Coaching Awards

A select group of the UK’s most remarkable coaches – individuals whose dedication and expertise have transformed lives over the past year – were celebrated at the annual UK Coaching Awards, held at The Queens Hotel in Leeds.

A group of people at the UK Coaching Awards.

Widely regarded as the pinnacle of recognition within the coaching community, the UK Coaching Awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary contributions of coaches across all levels of sport and physical activity.

This year’s ceremony honoured an outstanding group of winners, showcasing their transformative impact on individuals, teams, and communities. The event also paid tribute to the lifetime achievement of Snowsport England’s John Shedden, the legendary coaching chain of Katarina Johnson-Thompson and a truly exceptional moment in coaching: Paul Moseley's instrumental role in guiding Hannah Cockroft to gold in the T34 100m and 800m in Paris to maintain her perfect Paralympic record.

Throughout the evening, heartfelt tributes from those whose lives have been changed by these coaches highlighted the profound and lasting influence of their work, bringing their legacy to life.

From the list of finalists in each category, worthy winners were chosen for each of the following awards:

Change a Life Award, supported by Sport England

Dr Nana Badu (Multi-sport)

Coach Developer of the Year, supported by British Gymnastics

Lisa Williams (Basketball)

Community Coach of the Year (Adults), supported by Sport England

Claire Lambton (Multi-sport)

Community Coach of the Year (Children and Young People), supported by the Children’s Coaching Collaborative / Play Their Way

Hannah Vines (Rowing)

High Performance Coach of the Year, supported by UK Sport

Trevor Painter (Athletics)

Inclusive Coaching

Sense Active Sensory Sport Programme (Multi-sport)

Online Coach of the Year

Louise Walden-Edwards (Figure Skating)

Talent Development Coach of the Year

Mark Stevenson (Wheelchair Basketball)

Young Coach of the Year

Zain Khan (Multi-sport)

Lifetime Achievement Award

John Shedden (Snowsports)

Great Coaching Moment

Paul Moseley for playing a pivotal role in Hannah Cockroft's ‘golden double’ at this year’s Paralympics in Paris.

Coaching Chain – Katarina Johnson-Thompson

  • Richard Coakley
  • Jo Hardiman
  • Gayle Gilbert
  • Val Rutter
  • Stephen Carroll
  • Stan Roberts
  • Mike Holmes
  • Jean-Yves Cochand
  • Betrand Valcin
  • Bruno Gajer
  • Aston Moore MBE

A special Posthumous Award was also presented to Dr Wendy Bowring in honour of her late husband, former Welsh international Rugby Union player and head coach Kevin Bowring. Kevin was a cherished member of the coaching community and a passionate advocate for coaching people first and foremost.

The evening concluded with a heartfelt tribute from former England head coach Stuart Lancaster, who was a close friend of Kevin's, which was broadcast to honour Kevin’s legacy.

Reflecting on the award ceremony, UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon said:

"This is our favourite night of the year because it offers the perfect opportunity to celebrate the remarkable coaches who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional experiences for those they coach.
"Coaches are often unsung heroes, setting the right environment for their participants, supporting their growth and success through sport and physical activity and contributing to a healthy and active nation. From the finalists to the very worthy winners, and on behalf of the whole coaching workforce, it’s an honour to recognise such inspirational individuals who truly deserve this spotlight.
"At UK Coaching, we are committed to supporting coaches just as they support their athletes and participants – offering support, recognition, and encouragement wherever it’s needed. The dedication, passion, and commitment shown by all our nominees, finalists, and winners is simply extraordinary, and we hope everyone takes pride in their phenomenal achievements."

After the public voted for the Great Coaching Moment of the Year, it was Paul Moseley who received the honour for the pivotal role he played in helping Hannah Cockroft extend her roll of honour to a remarkable 16 world titles and 9 Paralympic titles, cementing her status as a hall of fame ‘legend’. 

Find out more about this year’s winners and the awards by heading to www.ukcoaching.org/uk-coaching-awards.