The Camanachd Association has confirmed changes to their Board of Directors.
After completing two full 3-year terms (2009 – 2015)) as the Director responsible for Competitions, Richard Gall retires from the Board of the Camanachd Association. Camanachd Association President Jim Barr presented Richard with a crystal decanter and glasses (plus an initial bottle of whisky!) on behalf of Members and fellow Directors. This was in recognition and with grateful thanks for his significant contribution to the running of the Association and wider development of the sport during his time on the Board.
As Director of Competitions, Richard Gall also served as Chair of the Competitions and Representative Committees. This role has been taken on by Keith Loades who was initially co-opted onto the Board in early 2014 and was subsequently elected as a Director at the AGM in November 2014. Keith Loades has also been appointed Camanachd Association Vice President, deputising for the President Jim Barr, when required.
Finally, the Association confirmed the co-option of George Hay as a Director with responsibility for Coaching. George Hay’s working life has revolved around engineering and management, with his current role being that of a Business Manager within the NHS. He is well known in shinty circles, particularly in the central belt, where he is currently Glasgow Mid Argyll first team manager and club Treasurer. He is a former pupil of Blantyre High School, where he was coached by John MacFarlane of GMA (originally from Taynuilt) and part of the 1973 GMA Camanachd Cup winning side.
George Hay joined GMA as a player in 1977 and played in many of their successful sides winning the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup, league titles and appearing in Macaulay Cup finals and Celtic Society Cup finals before injury ended his playing career in 1997. He then went on to achieve Grade 1 status as a Referee and officiated in Premier League matches and Cup finals before moving on to coaching and team management.
George Hay’s first stint at coaching was with the women’s team Tir Conaill Harps who he helped win the Valerie Fraser Women’s Camanachd Cup in their first appearance. He also helped the Women’s International team achieve a win over Irish opposition in Kilkenny in 2008. He re-joined GMA in 2008 as first team manager and has been working with their senior players ever since. He is a current UKCC Level 2 Shinty Coach and was a pervious Assistant Coach to the Scotland Senior Squad. He also manages the Scottish Universities Shinty Team and is shinty’s Chairperson with Scottish Student Sport.