Ayr United Football Academy has established a new Community Projects Team to proactively engage with all of our existing partners and to break new ground in relation to increasing our impact on communities across South Ayrshire.
The new team will be led by Roddy MacDonald, (pictured), a Masters Degree Graduate from the Strathclyde Business School, who is a former Director of the Academy Board and Head of Community Development in South Ayrshire. Roddy will be joined by three experienced and very able colleagues, Tony Bryson, Gregor Kyle and Stuart Watson.
Tony, who has played football at both a Junior and Semi Professional level has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Sports Coaching and Athlete Development from the University of Abertay in Dundee . As well as obtaining a Coaching Badge at SFA Youth Level 4, on a volunteer basis, he is the Academy’s Head of Sports Science dealing with the wellbeing of all of our talented young players to ensure that they each reach their maximum fitness and health potential.
Gregor is a former SFA Football Coach with experience of working for Inverclyde Leisure, as well as North and South Ayrshire Councils. In addition to this, he held the position of National Youth Development Officer with Netball Scotland. He is a Graduate of the University of the West of Scotland with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sports Development . Currently, he holds both the Children’s and Youth Level 3 SFA Coaching Badges and a Physical Preparation Badge in both Pathways.
The final member of the team to be profiled is Stuart who holds an Accountancy and Management Bachelor’s Degree from Glasgow Caledonian University, possesses a Level 2 Children’s SFA Coaching Badge and is keen to progress to Level 4 in the near future. Stuart has been a Community Coach with the Academy for around 18 months.
All of the team are ambitious to develop the Academy’s community activities and together we hope that we will make a positive difference by applying our complementary range of skills and experience to the benefit of the health and wellbeing of individuals and their communities in South Ayrshire.
The new team will work in partnership with Davie White and Shaun Ferrie who will focus on the Talented Young Footballers Programme, but will continue to be keenly involved in the Community Programme. Report by Roddy MacDonald, Community Projects Manager.
