ENGLAND NATIONAL COACH BOWS OUT AFTER 11 YEARS
Keith Williams, the England National Coach, has today official
announced that he will be stepping down from his job at the
head of the England Coaching team after a successful eleven
years.
The relationship between the England Golf Union (EGU) and
Williams began in 1987 when he undertook regional coaching
in the West Midlands. During the late eighties and early nineties
Williams began coaching squads at national level before taking
over the reins as the England National Coach from John Stirling
in 1994.
Williams has been the principal driving force in the evolution
of golf coaching in England from being a responsibility focussed
solely on technique into a package that encompasses the wider
aspects of sports science and medicine. The introduction of
physiotherapy, psychology, aerobic training, musculo-skeletal
screening, diet and nutrition have been just some of the initiatives
that have been led by Williams.
His long history and relationship with the game of golf,
playing both at top clubs and also on tour, meant that Williams
was also able to introduce, in addition to his expertise,
many contacts from the sport’s top brand names who provided
technical support and advice to the England coaching programmes.
By bringing in teams of experts where needed, Williams has
been able to lead the development of English golf talent that
has certainly paid back in terms of success and recognition.
Some of the many achievements that Williams has overseen include
victories in the World Boy’s Championships, the European
Youths Team Championships and a string of wins in the Home
Internationals plus individual squad player successes at the
European Amateur, Spanish Amateur, Portuguese Amateur and
Chinese Amateur Championships. Some of the world’s top
professional players who have benefited from Williams’
coaching skills whilst at the EGU include Justin Rose, Scott
Drummond and Paul Casey.
On his decision to leave Williams said, “I have thoroughly
enjoyed my time as National Coach. A decision such as this
is always difficult to make especially when I have built a
successful but also a happy relationship with the EGU and
individual players. It’s been great to watch the coaching
programme develop through innovation and hard work and this
in turn be reflected in each players’ own achievements.”
Williams will certainly be keeping busy. He holds exempt
membership of the PGA European Seniors Tour and has indicated
that he may play a few events in the months following his
departure. After leading an eight-year period of EGU sponsored
coaching for the Czech Federations National Squads he also
has plans to return to follow up this previous work. In addition
he has indicated that he would like to continue to expand
into other areas of coaching by creating performance golf
academies for the professional game that will offer a complete
holistic approach to coaching.
Paul Baxter, EGU Chief Executive commented, “Keith
has always been a highly respected member of our team. He
will be missed for his professionalism and also as someone
who brought a lot of enjoyment to the coaching team and players
and to the EGU as a whole. It has been a pleasure to work
with him and we wish him the greatest success in his future
plans.” The position of National Coach is expected to
be filled once the EGU’s new Director of Coaching is
appointed by the end of March.
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