High point for coaching in Orkney as Linda Low takes up the development reins

Bringing a wealth of worldwide coach development knowledge and expertise to coaching in Orkney is Hall of Fame Sports Award winner and Island Games Ambassador, Linda Low. 

With ten Island Games medals to her name, as well as a host of other silverware and achievements - including still holding the Orkney records for Javelin and Hammer - Linda has had an outstanding career as an athlete, and now as a coach developer. 

Linda – who hails from Orkney but is based in America - was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Orkney earlier this year for her achievements in swimming and athletics and the work she has done in her career to develop sport on a worldwide scale. 

She was in Orkney to collect her award from the Council’s Leisure and Culture Service Manager, Garry Burton and share some exciting news regarding coach development in Orkney. 

Linda, who is regarded as a trailblazer in sports coaching and education, said of the Hall of Fame Award: “It's really great to be recognised after so long. Sport in Orkney was what motivated me as an athlete and coach and now as a coach developer. The coaches who helped me are the reason I chose a career in sport.” 

The local Sports Awards, which include the Hall of Fame Awards, are delivered by Active Schools and Community Sports. 

Now Linda, who leads the Olympic Solidarity Women in Sports Performance High Performance Coaching Pathway (WISH), will be giving back some of her gained knowledge to coaches across all sports in Orkney. To do this, she will be working closely with the Sport and Leisure Team at the Council. 

Linda continued: “We are still discussing what this could look like as I want to be able to help and add value but not duplicate things that are already happening. We hope to run an in-person session for coaches next time I'm home and then run some online courses as well. 

“Orkney has great, dedicated coaches who give up so much of their time, many have been to multiple games as athletes as well as coaches, so there is lots of knowledge already here. What I plan to do is work with the fantastic coaches Orkney already has and hopefully help a peedie bit.” 

Linda’s work will run parallel to courses being held in the county to increase the number of qualified sports coaches thanks to a funding package of just under £80k from the Council’s Crown Estate Community Led Development Fund, sportscotland and Orkney 2025. 

Coaching courses have been underway since January 2024 across a range of Island Games sports – athletics, swimming, badminton, football, squash and archery – and the funding will contribute to the Coach and Official Development project, which runs until 2027. 

Whilst, this cash is targeted to the Island Games sports, Linda’s coach development work will encompass all sports across Orkney. 

“I’m really excited to see how I can use my coach development skills to help others working across sports in Orkney. So many people give their time, energy and skills simply for the satisfaction of watching the next generation come on – not all will be medal winning athletes, but every single person who takes part will benefit in some way from fitness to mental health, to starting off on the right path and into good, healthy habits.” 

Linda praised the Council and sportscotland’s Performance Development Programme (PDP) - a scheme that provides support to athletes on the performance pathway which includes physical preparation, performance lifestyle support, nutrition support and physio guidance. 

She said: “The PDP is essential; I follow online and see the athletes and teams being successful and that inspires others to show they can do it. Sport teaches so many life skills and these transfer to careers as well." 

With a rich background in coach education, Linda earned the title of UK Coach Developer of the Year in 2014 for her pioneering work in field-based coach education training. 

Transitioning her expertise to the United States, Linda collaborates with organisations like the World Rowing Federation, World Rugby, British Athletics, United Soccer Coaches, and the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR). Recognised for her outstanding leadership, she received the PTR Education Merit Award in 2022 for her contributions to women's sports programmes. 

Despite this worldwide recognition, Linda has not forgotten her local roots and the excellent foundations built for her sporting career in the county. 

“Being involved in sport in Orkney has its advantages and disadvantages. The travel always takes so much time, but the positive is that it makes you plan well and be more resilient.  Also having the opportunity to do lots of sports definitely helps you become a better athlete with the research now showing that a multi-sport background is really what you need. 

“Orkney is great at doing this as most sporty kids play multiple sports and that should continue to be encouraged.” 

Whilst she’s really proud of her medal tally, Linda is keen to see Orkney’s new generation of athletes surpassing her achievements. 

“They are achieving amazing things and I'll be happy to see them break those records.”  

Linda’s career path has taken her from a PE teacher, into athletics development responsible for club and coach development. She moved over to coach education and worked with UK coaching and home country governing bodies to implement a National Trainer for UK athletics writing coach education courses and training the coach developers who delivered them. 

Her husband also works in sport and after getting a job as a performance director with a baseball team, they decided to make the move to America – and Linda switched to working in sports governing bodies on coach education to working for herself. 

As a result, she led the Olympic Solidarity Funded Coach Education programme to increase the number of female coaches at the Olympics. Her success can be measured in the 124 female coaches from 60 countries across 22 Olympic sports. She has also delivered coach development for female tennis coaches and worked to increase the number of female committee members in National Rowing Federations. 

Linda will also be an Ambassador for the Island Games, which she sees as a direct spin off from the Hall of Fame Award. 

“After the Sports Awards I guess folk realised what I did and that I could help not only in terms of the Island Games but also in the wider sense of all sports and clubs in Orkney. 

“I want Orkney 2025 to be the best games yet, for the sun to shine, the athletes to be proud of their sporting achievements and for Orkney to win the most medals of any games yet! 

“Orkney is known for its hospitality, we are not a huge island, but you won't find a friendlier one. I know that everyone involved is working hard on the really challenging logistics of running a Games in Orkney.” 

She feels the lasting legacy of the Island Games to be better level athletes, inspired younger athletes, upgraded facilities, more qualified officials and for Orkney to be showcased as the wonderful place it is, hosting many return visits. 

As to whether sport in Orkney is in good heart, Linda concluded: “Yes. I follow online and really enjoyed watching the Sports Awards. I must admit to trying to figure out whose kids they are and it's lovely to see those who I competed with and against having sporty kids that are doing well. 

“The success of team sports is also great to see. It’s hard to field teams and the fact that Orkney is now doing well in these as well is due to dedicated coaches, athletes and committee members.” 

Chair of the Council’s Education, Leisure and Housing Committee, Councillor Gwenda Shearer said: “On behalf of the Council, I want to congratulate Linda on the well-deserved Hall of Fame Award, becoming an Ambassador for the Island Games and coming on board with coach development in Orkney – her winning formula has been recognised across the sporting world. 

“The volunteer coaches who nurtured Linda in the early days of her sporting career laid a solid foundation for her to build upon, and she had demonstrated that there are no limits to what can be achieved. 

“Coaches can influence not only the development of sport-specific skills and performance, but also the development as a person. I am sure Linda’s breadth of knowledge across coach development will be of significant benefit to our own coaches – and the current and future generations of athletes and participants.”