Three men who have each ‘pulled out all the stops’ to support golfers have been honoured with awards at the England Golf Coaching Conference.
Terry Casey, who has just retired as the manager of the England men’s team, won the award for the Outstanding Contribution to Coaching.
Steve Parrish, the England Golf south region manager, was named as the Volunteer Manager of the Year. Both Parrish and Casey are members at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey.
Steven Orr, the director of coaching at the Cranfield Golf Academy in Sussex, received the 2015 Coach of the Year award.
Nigel Edwards, the England Golf Performance Director, commented: “These awards recognise people who really do pull out all the stops to support the players and squads they work with. They offer encouragement, guidance and support during both the good and bad times and they play a huge role in our successes.”
The awards were presented at a gala dinner at the England Golf coaching conference at St George’s Park, attended by county, regional and national coaches and managers.
Terry Casey started in a voluntary role as the junior manager of the Surrey boys, working with coach Hugh Marr to win the Boys’ County Finals in three consecutive years from 2007. He also became the South Regional Manager in 2007 and four years later became the England men’s team manager. Since then, the highlights have included winning the European men’s team championship, the Home Internationals (twice), the European Challenge Trophy and the European Nations Cup (three times). Terry is the father of former English Amateur Champion and top tournament professional, Paul Casey.
He said: “This is a great honour, but an award is not about the individual. It’s about the people you work with and in my case I’ve had the privilege of working with coaches like Graham Walker and David Ridley and all the other fantastic people at England Golf.
“It’s been fun. The friendship and the camaraderie among that group is something very special and, if I miss anything, it will be that and the contact with the players.”
He picked out 2013 as the highlight of his career when England players won the US, British, European and South American Amateur championships alongside the Home Internationals, the European team championship and the European Nations Cup. “That was fantastic,” he said.
Steve Parrish took up golf when he was 16 and has been as low as four handicap. He became involved with junior golf at Burhill in 2004 and took over as junior organiser, making the most of funds from the proprietor and members to boost the coaching programme. He joined the Surrey executive in 2008 and also works with the County Partnership, developing the elite coaching programme and the County Academy Programme. Three years ago he became south regional manager and also chairs England Golf’s Performance Committee.
He said: “This award is recognition for all volunteers who contribute significant amounts of time. But it’s also a personal recognition which is very, very rewarding.”
He went on: “What I really enjoy, and what I feel is my job, is to give the coaches the best opportunity; to create the environment in which they can perform so the players benefit.”
His 2015 highlight was to see Burhill’s Lizzie Prior win the England Golf girls’ order of merit, having started the season as a regional squad member. She is now in the national women’s squad. “I saw how her regional coach, Duncan Woolger, worked with her,” he said.
His hopes for 2016 are simple: “I would like to see us win the world championships. I would love the world cup to be ours!”
Steven Orr supports both players and coaches, helping them to be the best they can. He’s always striving to extend his own knowledge and this year he achieved both his Masters degree in sports coaching and reached UKCC level 4 status. That’s alongside coaching elite amateurs and Tour professionals – as well as training 20 coaches at the Cranfield Golf Academy, working as a PGA tutor and travelling overseas to support coach education for the R&A’s development panel.
Steven has been an England Golf regional coach for the past three years, helping to push players on to international status and, in some cases, into professional ranks. He is also the Sussex boys’ coach, achieving success with the players and taking a leading role in the creation of a new coach-led structure in the county.
He said: “This is a huge honour. The best thing for me has always been the people I work with, both in England Golf and in Sussex – the inspirational coaches and managers who have helped me develop as a coach.”
His highlight of 2015 was watching Sussex golfer Charlie Strickland reach a play-off for the England U16 boys’ title in the McGregor Trophy and win an U18 boys’ cap. He has coached Strickland since he was five.
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