The BBC Coach of the Year Award is imminent and for once in recent history a Ryder Cup captain isn’t up for top honors. McGinley and Montgomerie are the only two golf nominees to win the award for their part in Ryder Cup glory. Under the terms of the award detailed below you can see how broadly the term ‘coach’ is used. After a record year for Worldwide Golf’s columnist and legendary coach to the biggest stars in the business you’d expect Pete Cowen to be in the running for the notorious award but the BBC again have overlooked not what Pete has done for the players but for the deprived local community of Rotherham.
BBC COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award goes to the coach who has made the biggest impact on sport in the UK during 2016. For the purpose of this award, the term ‘coach’ includes roles such as managers, coaches, trainers and performance directors.
Danny Willett
This year’s main award will no doubt be a runaway victory for Andy Murray with his World No.1 status and his Wimbledon and Olympic double. The only golfer in the line-up is Danny Willett and at odds of 250-1, despite winning the Masters Tournament, golf doesn’t get much of a look-in elsewhere.
We are profiling every SPOTY contender.
Why should Danny Willett win Sports Personality of the Year?https://t.co/1oZ57cvVY3 #spoty pic.twitter.com/1foRpIpiT1
— BBCSPOTY (@BBCSPOTY) November 29, 2016
PGA pros need to be supported not neglected
Golf is still losing numbers all over the world and, like all sports, the coach is key to any game’s development. PGA teaching pros standing on practice ranges around the world are doing their bit, collectively, to draw new talent into the sport and they need to be recognised for all their expertise and hard work.
Why isn’t Pete Cowen even in the running?
One man in golf stands head and shoulders above the rest, a figure the golf world regard in the highest esteem, PGA Master Professional Pete Cowen. Pete, with his Northern humour and unassuming, dry outlook on life, just gets on with the job in hand and makes it work to the best of his ability. He’s not a self-publicist promoting himself as a golf pundit and putting the Cowen brand name all over the place.
Major success
He can be seen on golf ranges all over the world from the time the sun comes up and, in Padraig Harrington’s case, to when the sun has gone down, trying to make his ‘lads’ the best they can be. Pete’s ‘lads’ are the likes of Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Thomas Pieters, Chris Wood, Lee Westwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington to name but a few.
The success story of his ‘lads’ in 2016 has been outstanding: two Major wins, Race to Dubai top two finish, DP World Tour Championship and BMW PGA Championship victories and countless more European Tour titles.
Hard on the range
Without Pete’s input into the game those successes wouldn’t have happened. So when I caught up with Pete at his range in a run-down area of Rotherham, alongside a controversial landfill site, far from a glamourous London or Dubai location, I asked if he was looking forward to the awards ceremony, he laughed:
“Don’t know – I’m still waiting for the invite. The Christmas post isn’t great at the moment. Most likely, I’ll watch it on TV with my wife and a cup of tea. Leicester are bound to win the team award and it’s great to see Danny flying the flag for golf. Maybe next year I might be dusting off that dinner jacket.” – Pete Cowen
Pete’s main concern right now isn’t lining his mantle piece with medals and silverware but protecting his range in South Yorkshire from closure with the local council looking to reactivate the landfill site. Pete has pumped £1.8 million into the loss-making range but it’s an area he’s grown up in. As always, he’s just getting on with the job in hand and developing it to the best of his ability.’
Now if that isn’t Coach of the Year material I can’t wait to see who wins it!
