1 Oct 2018
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend Coach Core awards ceremony at Loughborough University
The University was delighted to welcome their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the campus on Monday 24th September for an awards ceremony to celebrate young people’s achievements in sports coaching.
The Coach Core apprenticeship scheme – which is a project of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex – gives young people aged 16 to 24 the chance to become the next generation of inspirational coaches.
The day began with more than 200 Coach Core apprentices and graduates taking part in masterclass sessions with sports stars including Loughborough alumnae marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe and swim coach Mel Marshall.
Afterwards, BT Sport’s Jake Humphrey hosted a panel session with a range of sports people including Loughborough-based athlete Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
The graduating apprentices and sports stars then took part in a netball shootout with Their Royal Highnesses, who were on opposing teams. The Duke’s team won the informal shootout 3-2.
During the awards ceremony at the close of the day, The Duke told the awards winners and other graduates of the project: “Once you graduate it’s your job to inspire the next generation after you, an ability you all now have, whether you know it or not.
“To sports clubs all over Britain, I’d like to say this: the people ready to coach the stars of the future are right here in this room.”
