MASTER CLASS!

YOUNG gymnasts in Bahrain have been boosted this week by the appearance of celebrated British Olympian Bill McLoughlin to provide specialist coaching ahead of a regional competition in Dubai.

His two-week visit, which concludes on Saturday, has also enabled local coaches to enhance their own qualifications in the sport.

The Children’s Health Academy of Specialised Sports (Chaoss) founder, Cara Mattias, believes she achieved ‘a real coup’ in securing the services of McLoughlin, whose resume is one to aspire to. 

Mattias, 40, a former gymnast and certified coach who trained with the 1983 British Olympic squad, said: “Those little touches of expertise can be the difference between gold and silver – Bill’s advice has been invaluable.”

Despite the Budiaya-based club’s humble beginnings in January 2005, it now boasts hundreds of registered students and a team of specialist coaches and assistants.

McLoughlin was an international gymnast himself and, despite having turned 70, was still able to demonstrate some of the moves he has mastered over the years.

As a Master Coach he has been able to help existing coaches acquire higher qualifications while also enabling a number of new coaches to enter the ranks. 

In addition, four teenagers that regularly participate at Chaoss are obtaining qualifications that will allow them to be classed as Assistant Coaches. All have been mentored throughout the process by club coaches, Mattias and Debbie Payne. And, under his expert tutelage, three Level 3, six Level 2 and five Level 1 coaches are hoping to enhance their qualifications.

Amongst those benefitting from McLoughlin’s experience were two gymnasts who have represented Bahrain at international level, Hasan Nazeeh Abdullah and Mahmoud Mubarak, a Bahrain University student who also coaches in his spare time and has been taking his Level 2 exams. All the male gymnasts at Chaoss are also trained regularly by one of Bahrain’s national team coaches, Nazeeh Hasan.

Although based near Heathrow in England, McLoughlin has already left a footprint throughout the Middle East with his former students working around the region.

But his most notable triumphs have been in the UK. He is the only person to have coached both a men’s and women’s British champion and has coached five British Team champions. He also coached the GB Women’s Team at the Montreal and Moscow Olympics and was then asked to judge the men’s competition at the US Atlanta Olympics, in the process becoming the first to have achieved this feat.

His list of accolades is not restricted to the gym. McLoughlin was a senior lecturer at St Mary’s College in London, having started there in 1966, and was also a match analyst and physical therapist at London Irish Rugby Club between 1994 and 2001.

He continues to lecture and tutor around the world. “I’m thoroughly enjoying my time in Bahrain,” he said. “The students have shown a lot of potential and displayed real talent. The gym is great to work in and all coaches and gymnasts have been wonderful to me. I will be sad to leave on Saturday and can’t wait to come back again.”

While all coaches have attended practical sessions with McLoughlin, the Level 2 and Level 3 coaches have been required to spend additional time with their designated mentors while also sitting theoretical examinations spanning aspects ranging from child protection through to biomechanics and specialist coaching techniques. 

McLoughlin’s experience shone through as he was able to provide practical tips, not found in the text-books, to help the students correct tiny flaws that would often see judges deducting marks in a competition.

The additional specialist coaching is timely as Chaoss prepares to send 19 (16 girls and three boys) of its top gymnasts, ranging in age from seven to 14, to compete in the 2013 Inter-Gulf Gymnastics Competition in Dubai on June 7.

Having enjoyed tremendous success in the three previous competitions, the team is optimistic about bringing home more medals.