A YORK-BASED PE teacher has been lauded by Gymnastics England.

Archbishop Holgate’s School teacher Ruth Walker has landed the title of National Coach of the Year in the Educational Gymnastics category of the governing body’s annual awards.

The award is designed to honour someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of gymnastics within primary schools, secondary schools, higher education and further education establishments that fall outside their daily teaching responsibilities.

Over the last three years, Walker has led the development of gymnastics in the city.

In that time, she has managed to establish clubs at six different venues, all with a number of classes on offer to varying ages with more than 250 young gymnasts participating. Judges thought it was equally impressive that Walker had recruited young leaders and some of the older participants to train up to be leaders, coaches and officials.

Around 40 of them now help to run the clubs and competitions. The set-up has also been recognised by Gymnastics England as a GymMark club, demonstrating that the clubs are operated to agreed standards and are considered safe, fun and well organised.

Walker’s youngsters have had many successes in the short period they have been competing, with a boys team reaching the national finals for the past four years. In addition, they recently had eight-year-old Isabelle Shutt competing in the Yorkshire floor and vault competition at under-13s level.

Walker played down her achievements, saying: “It’s great to see so many people taking part in gymnastics in York.”

She added that her ambition was to grow the club and the sport further, with a long-term goal of the club one day having their own purpose-built facility.

Tracy Power, the Yorkshire Gymnastics development officer who nominated Walker, was full of praise. She said: “Ruth’s work has been invaluable in developing gymnastics within the Jorvik Schools Partnership.

“She has developed opportunities for young people to participate in gymnastics, both within curriculum time and after school.

“Ruth’s commitment and dedication to gymnastics is above and beyond her role as a PE teacher and SSCo – and the impact her work has had on developing gymnastics opportunities for young people within York – has been fantastic.”

The club continues to grow and anyone interested in taking part in gymnastics, as a performer or a coach in York, can phone Walker on 07886 926420 or email ruthhelenwalker@yahoo.co.uk