Stockport sports coach wins at national awards

Youth sports coach, Sasha Moore, has won a national award for her work within the Stockport community.

Sasha, who works for Life Leisure, runs the centre’s ParkLives and R Time projects, delivering fun and engaging activity sessions for local children. The free-to-attend sessions attract around 100 young people from Stockport who can choose from a range of sports and activities and access coaching and equipment needed.

Because of her efforts, Sasha has now been named Children and Young People Coach of the Year at the UK Coaching Awards. She also won Coach of the Year at the StreetGames National Awards from the charity which supports the sessions.

Sasha has seen over 500 children attend her sessions, which use inventive ways for young people to engage with sport, such as orienteering games based on computer game Fortnite. The coach’s work has helped reduce anti-social behaviour and social isolation and increase activity levels among young people.

Sasha, who has run sessions in Adswood and Bridgehall for two years, is a keen gymnast and previously competed alongside Team GB in the European School Games. She said:

This year has been fantastic for me – I feel very honoured. I love doing my job and the response from the kids and their families makes it all worthwhile, but it’s definitely nice to be recognised on a national level too!”

Sasha, who is a former pupil of Bridgehall Primary School and who has lived in the area all her life, was presented with her award during a ceremony at the Tower Hotel in London. As well as receiving an accolade for her coaching work in Stockport, she also met sporting hero Judy Murray OBE, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the event.

Malcolm McPhail, CEO at Life Leisure, added:

This is a hugely prestigious award. We are absolutely thrilled Sasha’s efforts have been recognised.

To win three awards in short succession just shows how valued Sasha’s work is, by us and by all the communities and partners she works with. Sasha isn’t just providing things for kids to do – she’s supporting them emotionally; she’s giving them confidence and she’s showing them what they can achieve. In addition, her work with partners like the police and fire service builds invaluable bridges between young people and authorities, that wouldn’t be there otherwise.”

Pictured: Stockport coach Sasha Moore (L) being presented with her award by Kate Oman (R) from Sports Scotland.