TG Back Page

ID:4457805 size:2.124 by180.64 THE SEPTEMBER AGENCY ID:5003962 size:6.62 by563 BUCHANAN MEMORIALS ID:5004182 size:2.124 by180.64 absolute dogs Published by Clyde Weekly Press, 1st Floor, Carus House, 201 Dumbarton Road, Clydebank, G81 4XJ. Tel: editorial, 0141 435 8888; advertising, 0141 435 8888. Fax: 0141 889 9836. Head ofce: Dunfermline Press Group, Pitreavie Business Park, Dunfermline, Fife, KY11 8QS. Tel, 01383 728201. Printed by TMP Saltire Ltd., 110 Fifty Pitches Place, Glasgow, G51 4EA. London ofce: Mediaforce, 1 Gunpowder Square, Fleet Street, London EC4A 3EP, Tel 0207 583 2100. Manchester, Tel 0161 834 6218. A Clyde and Forth Press publication. JOHN ON A MISSION Burgh out of action 9 771356 863137 5 0 JOHNSTONE Burgh have now gone more weeks without a game than hav- ing played a league clash after bad weather KO’d last Saturday’s meeting at home to St Roch’s. Burgh now face the prospect of not playing again until 2012, meaning the Reds will have played just two league games since mid-September, if this Saturday’s tie to Lesmahagow falls foul of the weather . Assistant Eddie McKim, pictured , said: “It has been a frustrating few months for the club and not getting as much game time as we want is hold- ing our promotion bid back. “We are hoping we can play this game on Saturday but it all depends on the weather. “The boys have been working as hard as ever in training and for them not getting games come a Saturday is not fair on them. “If this Saturday’s tie doesn’t go ahead, we won’t be playing again till early January which is a frightening prospect, but one we will have to deal with. “We know this Saturday will be tough if the game goes ahead. But we will be ready for it and hopefully it will be a good game for us to end the year on.” Burgh’s tie against Lesmahagow Juniors takes place this Saturday at Keanie Park with kick-off scheduled for 1.45pm. FORMER Linwood High pupil John Hillcoat played between the sticks for over 20 years. Now the ex-St Mirren stopper is help- ing the next generation of budding keepers with his Festive Fitness workout sessions over Christmas. Goalkeeping is a specialised position and he is running a two-hour training session from 10am-noon on December 28 and 29 at the Kibble School in Paisley. He ran the John Hillcoat Goalkeeping Academy for three seasons and focuses solely on training keepers to realise their potential. A job he admits is a hard task but fully rewarding as he tries to unearth the future talent of Scottish goalkeeping. He told Gazette Sport: “I started at St Mirren in 1987 and my rst piece of formal coaching was with Campbell Money when I was there. “Through the years I have worked with some of the best coaches in Scotland and in Britain but when I stopped 24 years later there was still no formal coaching going on. “For me goalkeepers can only coach goalkeepers. It is easy to set up a drill, you can go on the internet and watch a drill, but how is the drill going to help a goalie. I think being a goalie is a specialised position. “I went to the local meeting which was the Johnstone and District/Paisley and District and all the coaches were there. I explained who I was and what I was doing and handed out yers and that was about three years ago. It ranges from seven-year- olds right through to 20-year-olds.” And he stresses the time and effort devoted to teaching young proteges the basics and advanced techniques of net minding has reaped impressive results. He said: “There are various young keepers that have moved onto Hamilton Accies pro youth, Kilmarnock, Dumbarton and Alloa. “You become a one stop shop for coaches because there are forever boys club teams saying have you got a 2001 or a 2002. Coaches do not have an eye for goalkeepers and that is no disrespect to them. Maybe they have been coaching outeld players all their days and do not really know what they are looking for in goalkeepers. “Whereas that is my specialism coaching goalkeepers. I am not too enthused or fussed about coaching outeld players. “MY aim in 10 years time is to get another Allan McGregor, to get a wee boy who has came to the academy and he has went right through the ranks and then he does play for his country. “People will ask ‘where did you start off from?’ and he will say ‘the John Hillcoat GoalkeepingAcademy’. “Guys like Campbell Money and Paul Gallacher come down for a question and answer session. Derek McInnes was down and I have had Jody Morris here and Alan Combe. We just sit down and do a question and answer session and sign some auto- graphs and the kids seem to like it. “If there was something like that when I was growing up I think I would be a better goalie. I think I was about 15 to 16 years old when I got some formal coaching from Campbell Money. “And that is actually how I learned to catch the ball. Yes, we all used to dive about and save the ball but you do not really know what you are doing. “It is all about angles, catching the ball, the shape of your hands and stuff like that. I am there for eight sessions per week or four two hour sessions throughout Renfrewshire.” For more information on John’s goalkeeping academy or to join in the Festive Fitness session visit www. hillcoatgoalkeeping.co.uk. By Stephen Coutts Ex-Saints star w ants to fnd next generation of stoppers Glentyan Thistle news I N S I D E Ren 96 Swimming Club round-up P30 P29 By Sahil Jaidka EXPERTISE: John and Campbell Money pass on their advice to goalkeeping hopeful s STAR STOPPER:Hill coat in his playing days

TG Back Page

Documents

Transcript of TG Back Page