Sheffield athletics coach recognised with prestigious national award

Alex Wilson, 24, has been announced as the winner of the UK Coaching Young Coach of the Year Award, which recognises rising stars making an early impact in their coaching careers.

After being presented with his award, Alex reflected: “I was not expecting to win as there’s some amazing coaches here. I was very grateful I was nominated and I can’t believe it’s gone this far.

“It’s so important for coaches to be recognised, but I don’t tend to recognise myself. You just do it because you love it. I do think I’m starting to realise that you need to appreciate things like this.

“I’m a big believer in helping others and getting as many coaches into sport as possible. By doing that, you can get kids and adults into sport as well.”

After starting his coaching in 2021, Alex’s passion has only grown. He now coaches children four days a week and has started mentoring aspiring coaches to help get as many young people as possible involved in athletics.

He creates inclusive, athlete-led environments where children feel safe, heard, and empowered. As an athletics coach, he supports development across all ability levels. His flexible coaching style adapts to individual needs, balancing fun and focus to build confidence and motivation – especially impactful for neurodivergent and disabled athletes.

Sessions are co-designed with children, embedding key skills into engaging games, whilst older athletes are given agency over their training, fostering autonomy and resilience.

Alex prioritises physical and mental well-being, tailoring intensity and communication to suit each child. Whether supporting high performance or social participation, Alex’s approach has nurtured a lifelong love of activity through patience, intuition, and respect.

The UK Coaching Awards is regarded as the most prestigious event within the coaching community, established to recognise the invaluable role coaches play in building a happier and healthier society.

Previous award winners include Judy Murray and Aston Moore (Lifetime Achievement award), Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman (Great Coaching Moment of the Year), and the coaches behind Lucy Bronze and Katarina Johnson-Thompson's path to success (Coaching Chain award).

UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon congratulated Alex on his award, and for the profound coaching efforts that saw him honoured as part of the annual celebration: “At UK Coaching, we are so proud to be able to honour coaches like Alex with UK Coaching Awards each year.

“Alex, and all of our winners, finalists and nominees should take extreme pride in what they have achieved and been recognised for by those in their communities.

“Great coaching and coaches make such an impact on individuals’ lives and within their communities, helping to keep a whole nation active.

“It is so important that we recognise and celebrate great coaching.

“It is also key we acknowledge the tireless commitment and amazing work coaches across the nation deliver to support participants in their own unique journeys.

“Alex is one of the nation’s top coaches who has helped to change so many lives through his dedication.”

Find out more about this year’s winners and the awards by heading to www.ukcoaching.org/uk-coaching-awards.