Stars of the future at Ettrick and Lauderdale Sports Awards

Sports Personality of the Year, Alan Oliver, and Junior Sports Personality, Sam Coltherd, are both preparing for an exciting future.

Club of the Year, Galashiels Boxing Club, is only coming to the end of its first round – and what a round it’s been - while Disability Sports Personality, Beth Johnston, has only just dived into a swimming career which will likely take her around the world.

Coach of the Year Pippa Bell admits her first five years of bringing through emerging hockey talent is just taking off, while the Junior Coach, Rory Banks, has only just reached the end of his first innings on the cricket field.

They all have bright futures – which makes the achievements each one of them has already chalked up all the more remarkable.

There is always an exception to the rule, and what an exception she is.

Mary Inglis was honoured for her services to sport. The mum, granny and great-granny from Selkirk has given close to 60 years of dedication, organisation and toil to her local rugby club.

And it started with a crush.

Teenager Mary first ventured down to Philiphaugh to watch her childhood sweetheart, Jim 'Basher’ Inglis, playing rugby for Selkirk.

It was a career that would take him to regional and national honours and it was a love-affair that would keep her coming back week after week for more than half a century.

Mary was just 18 when she married the man of her dreams. It’s been widely rumoured that the wedding vows contained a commitment to Selkirk Rugby Club as well as her new husband – if they did, she’s certainly never broken them.

Throughout the next five and a bit decades Mary, who worked as a telephone operator and later in the offices of the hospital and RP Adams, has served the teas, organised fundraising dinners and lunches, attracted sponsorship, and today still grafts tirelessly as the Fixtures Secretary.

It was fitting that Jim, who has also been involved at Philiphaugh in a playing and committee capacity for more than half a century, accompanied his wife to collect the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils award for Services to Sport.

Mary told the Border Telegraph: “I couldn’t think of doing anything else other than helping at the Rugby Club. It has been a way of life for as long as I can remember.

“It is always busy – some days when a pitch inspection is required my phone will start ringing at eight in the morning and it will keep going right through to after one. I enjoy it, though. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it.

“Jim and I have made some wonderful friends over the years through the rugby.” Anyone with even the briefest association to Philiphaugh will probably know Jim and Mary Inglis as Mr and Mrs Selkirk Rugby Club.

And it something Mary’s husband is proud of.

He said: “We often tell people when we are at rugby games that we have over 120 years’ service to Selkirk between us. Sometimes they look at us as if we’re daft.

“Rugby has been in our blood since we met.” Rugby is also in the blood of the players who scooped Team of the Year. During a frantic seven weeks in the summer the short-game squad from Melrose won a remarkable eight tournaments out of ten in the Kings of the Sevens.

Apart from their own competition at the Greenyards and the Berwick Sevens at Scremerston, Melrose lifted the cup.

Richard Mill, who played in every tie of every tournament, collected the DS Dalgleish Cup from Lynda Stoddart. He told us: “It is pretty special to win Team of the Year.

“To win eight of the ten tournaments was amazing. There is a great bunch of boys and great coaches at Melrose.

“It is tiring playing two tournaments in a weekend but I don’t mind limping off after each tournament as long as I’ve done my bit for the team – all of the boys think the same way.” Winning trophies has been the last thing on the minds of the Galashiels Boxing Club committee.

Less than two years ago a few mates rolled out some old punchbags and mats at the Community Centre in Tweedbank in an effort to get into shape. They gradually went up a weight division by moving to the Mission Hall in Galashiels to accommodate the growing numbers.

But they soon found themselves back on the ropes as more and more wanted to get jabbing. With some fancy footwork and a begging bowl, a proper committee was formed, funding applications were sent off and a new larger home was found in a former church.

In July former British and Commonwealth champion Alex Arthur officially opened Galashiels Boxing Club. Dozens use the facilities every night of the week with a handful of youngsters from the club already reaching the finals of the Scottish Novice Championships. The club is even being used as a model of good practice by Boxing Scotland.

Danny Kelly received the Fjordhus Trophy for Club of the Year from Mark Forsyth. Danny told us: “We’re delighted to receive this honour.

“There is real family feel at the club and a great team spirit. Our committee have been great – slaters, joiners, electricians and plasterers, we’ve all mucked in and turned a building that was falling to bits into our clubrooms. We’re not in any rush to produce champions – we take our time and we’ll get there in the end.

“I have great aspirations for this club – one day we hope to emulate the likes of the late Archie McKenzie or Malky Gowans.” The 2014 Sports Personality of the Year, Alan Oliver, also has his sights set firmly on the future.

With para-badminton now being included into the Paralympics programme the Tweedbank disability sports development officer has no intention of taking his foot of the pedal despite already winning countless titles.

Alan, who suffers from cerebral palsy, who won four silver medals at the UK Championships and a bronze medal at the Europeans this year, has been winning titles on the badminton court for close to a decade.

But it’s the future he’s concentrating on these days. Alan told us: “Para-badminton is now being recognised as a Paralympic sport which makes it all the more important to be at my best.

“I play the sport because I love it although winning awards like this is still nice. Training is difficult as I don’t finish work until 5pm then have to drive to Edinburgh to train till about 9pm and then drive home to Tweedbank. They are long days but I want to prepare properly for the 2020 Paralympics.” Long days are something swimmer Beth Johnston is getting used.

The 13-year-old winner of the inaugural Rowan Boland Trust Disability Sports Personality regularly rises at 4.45am for her pre-school two hour sessions at Galashiels Swimming Pool.

And it is paying off – over the past four years the youngster has quickly emerged as one of Scotland’s most exciting new para-swimmers.

Already Beth has won a string of titles and holds Scottish Junior records.

And next week she will compete in Manchester at the British Championships.

Beth, who was accompanied to the awards by mum, Louise, and dad, Alan, told the Border Telegraph: “I hope to be good enough to go to the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia – that’s my dream. I have always loved swimming so I don’t mind getting up early. I enjoy competing and getting faster, but I need to keep training hard.” Another early riser is the 2014 Junior Sports Personality Sam Coltherd.

The 16-year-old apprentice jockey from near Selkirk became one of Scotland’s leading Pony Club performers over the past two or three years. The multi-disciplined events tested the young riders in show-jumping, dressage, polo and other mounted disciplines, and the son of trainer, Stuart, excelled.

Sam and his mount competed first of all for Scotland before winning his place in the Great Britain team – helping them to gold at the Mounted Games against the world’s top nations.

With the arrival of his 16th birthday came retirement from the Duke of Buccleuch Pony Club. But his future is firmly set out as he has already embarked on a career as a jockey. Sam said: “I was brought up riding ponies and started competing at places like the Yarrow Show. I trialled for Scotland when I was 13 and although I was down to the final six, they didn’t pick me.

“I went straight into the team the following year and the year after that, and that’s when I was selected for Great Britain. It was a great experience but I’m too old now.

“I’ve been getting up at 6.30am to ride out for my dad since I was wee so I’m used to it. The only difference now is that I have to work all day rather than go to school.” The Coach of the Year award was appropriately introduced by Scotland hockey legend Janet Jack as the winner for 2014 was her protégé Pippa Bell.

The Fjordhus Borders player from Hawick moved into coaching five years ago – initially taking the 350-strong club’s Under 12s. Numbers in the section quickly rose from just eight to over 40 in the first season – and gave Pippa a taste for nurturing talent.

In the proceeding four years she has continued to progress along the qualifications path and now is responsible for the club’s Under 14s mixed squad, the Under 16s girls squad, the Borders Under 15 squad and the Scotland Under 16s. Pippa, who was due to play for Fjordhus Borders in Glasgow on Saturday, said: “It all started because the club was looking to grow and they needed helpers. I got hooked – seeing young players develop is brilliant.

“The more I coach, the more I want to coach, and I plan to keep progressing.

“Throughout all of this Janet has been my inspiration – she has so much experience and knowledge, and she’s always there if I need help.” Selkirk’s Rory Banks was named Junior Coach of the Year for helping promote cricket across the region. A volunteer with Active Schools and a keen cricketer at Philiphaugh, the Sports Science graduate landed his dream job as cricket development officer last spring. The 23-year-old’s seasonal contract finished a few weeks ago and he admits he’s missing it.

Rory said: “I loved coaching as it was something I’d spent years studying to do. There are few things more rewarding than seeing young players get better and making progress.

“I’ve now got another job but it is flexi-time so I’ll still be able to do a bit of coaching, and I’ll also be helping with the Active Schools as well.”