A new coaching initiative devised By Edinburgh Leisure has been officially launched by Judy Murray – mother of British tennis ace Andy Murray – and Scotland national rugby coach, Frank Hadden.

Coach to Win, devised by the trust’s coaching development officer, Andy Baptie, is a partnership coach development programme which has selected seven young coaches for a year-long plan of workshops, overseas training camps and one to one mentoring.

To get the scheme underway, Edinburgh Leisure teamed up with Coaching Edinburgh, East of Scotland Institute of Sport (ESIS), The Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation and relevant National Governing Bodies (NGBs).

"It's great to see so many partners coming together to raise the standard and quality of coaching in Scotland and I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before this investment pays off in improved athlete performance," said Hadden.

Judy Murray will act as mentor to Mhairi Brown, a former player who is now on Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching team at Craiglockhart Tennis Centre.

"They say it takes 10 years and 10,000 hours to get a young athlete to world-class level," said Murray, "and it's the same, or longer, with a coach.



"I've seen a big investment in players and athletes in Scotland, but we haven't seen the same investment in coaches.

"A lot of coaches come from overseas, but what works in their culture might not always work here. We need to identify our best young coaches and then develop their skills."

The other coaches selected are Kenny Middlemiss (badminton), Greig Oliver and Colin Robertson (rugby), James McCallum and Gary Willis (cycling), and Edinburgh Leisure diving coach, Jenny Leeming.

Photograph: Frank Hadden, Scotland national rugby coach and Judy Murray