Posted in News on Mar 24, 2022
The immense contribution that Tony Coyne has made to Bellahouston Harriers has been recognised by club members to mark his retirement from coaching.
Tony will hang up his whistle on Tuesday 29 March after serving the club with distinction - both as an athlete and a coach - over a period spanning 40 years. The committee will make a presentation to Tony after Tuesday’s session in the clubhouse at Cartha and encourage all members who can to attend to give Tony a fitting send off.
A top-class runner in his own right, Tony pulled on the famous club vest of Bellahouston Harriers in the 1980s and earned international recognition. Though the marathon was arguably his strongest event, Tony was a high achieving competitor with times across the distances to prove it.
In more recent times, Tony has been synonymous with coaching at Bellahouston Harriers and has been highly influential in the growth of the club’s membership over the past 15 years. For most of that period, Tony served as the club’s head coach. Tony’s training sessions were varied and interesting, whether on the track, in the streets of Glasgow’s southside, or in the parks next to where the club is based.
Tony knew when members needed encouragement or cajoling and when they needed a sympathetic ear over poor performances or injury woes. Always modest about his own running prowess, Tony would nonetheless generously share his time, knowledge, wisdom and experience when members sought it.
Most recently, Tony has focused his attention on developing the next generation of runners. He has led the development of the club’s junior section, braving all weathers for the benefit of our young athletes - week in, week out.
Loyalty, leadership, service, commitment, compassion and modesty – themes that run through the comments shared by members about our departing coach and friend.
John Cunningham, president of Bellahouston Harriers, said: “My abiding memory of my first session at the club was running with Tony from Cartha to Bellahouston Park. In that 10 minutes, Tony took the time to ask and listen patiently to why I had decided to join a running club, and what my running goals were. Tony's words of advice to a newcomer to running were extremely helpful and encouraging, and this proved typical of his generous nature, always available to share the benefit of his knowledge and experience with all members of the club.”
“In more recent years, Tony has taken that spirit and applied it to the club's junior section with the same wisdom and enthusiasm. On behalf of the club, I cannot praise Tony's contribution over many years highly enough and wish him all the best for a long retirement with his other great passion, his family,” he said.
Junior member Lexie Speirs said: “He makes it fun and there’s loads of good sessions. He hasn’t missed one race I’ve competed for the club. He’s a really good coach and we will miss him.”
Junior member Maisie Speirs said: “Tony is someone who genuinely cares about helping us and gives you attention when you speak. He is extremely humble. He doesn’t talk about his own running achievements unless you really pester him.”
Head coach Colin Thomas said: “Tony has been a true servant to the club, both as a runner and a coach. Upon joining Bellahouston Harriers, Tony was one of the first people to make me feel welcome and I’m sure the club would not have been half as popular over the years if it wasn’t for his attendance, his coaching and of course his training sessions. Enjoy retirement Tony!”
Women’s team captain Gillian Glass said: “Tony will be greatly missed by us all! Regardless of the weather, he would always be there for every training session, shouting encouragement, giving advice and motivating us all. He has time for everyone and when Tony talks, you listen! The sessions were tough and there were no hiding places, Tony sees everything! Tony's support at races would always spur me on too. He would pop up on the course, when you least expected him, to cheer us on. Thank you so much for all your help and support. We'll all miss you.”
Men’s team captain Darren McQuade said: “It’s crazy to consider the times Tony ran himself, but even still he treats us all as equals regardless of our abilities and shows a genuine interest and wants to see us improve within our own targets. Your constant support at training, and many races has been really appreciated, and a drive to keep pushing on. Thanks a lot Tony.”
Past president Tom Keenan said: “Tony is an unassuming person who commands a good degree of respect from all members of the club. When Tony organised sessions they were well thought out. When Tony was explaining the session, it was a brave Harrier who tried to chat during the introduction - his one-line comments generally silenced those who were daft enough to chat."
“Tony would often attend club races on his bike and it seemed that he was everywhere and generally half way up a hill. As you were getting tired you would hear Tony shout and somehow you responded by putting a spurt on. Perhaps when you try to look at the bigger picture, Tony was a great athlete and represented the club with distinction and when you take into account the many years of being head coach Tony was the most influential member of Bellahouston Harriers in the last 40 years,” he said.
Iain Morrison, an expert in the history of Bellahouston Harriers, said: “Tony’s notion of training is not just hard, as we like to think runners of his generation did, but also training smart - the long runs on grassy golf courses, thinking about form, keeping legs warm and wrapped up in the winter, the importance of warm-ups etc. He trained with the very best and with some remarkable innovative coaches, including Frank Dick. The context of his marathon time is that that was achieved without sponsorship or Scottish Athletics support. I doubt there has been many sub-2.20 Scottish marathon runners in recent times that can claim that.”
“Tony has an exceptional wealth of knowledge and an understanding of the individual and I always enjoy chatting with him and gaining valuable advice,” he said.
Kathleen MacLeod, who assisted Tony with the juniors for a period, said: “Tony was never flustered with the juniors, never raised his voice, never put them down. I guess being a grandfather helps with that! He always aims to keep the kids’ sessions interesting, with sessions through the woods and stop offs for exercises to keep them on their toes.”
Ian MacLeod said: “When Kathleen and I joined the club there weren’t as many members as we have now, maybe 30 or 40. We’d all do the same training sessions back then. Tony had his eye on everyone, fastest to slowest, and he’d often join in at the slower end of the group to offer ‘encouragement’. You would be running your heart out and Tony would appear next to you, running at your pace, or so you thought. What he was actually doing was increasing the pace gradually, then before you knew it you were running faster for longer. One of the best accolades I could aim at Tony was the number of times people, after getting another PB, thanked him for his help in getting them there.”
Angela Campbell said: “'A nice round dozen', 'use the downhills' and 'just plough straight through [the puddles]' are some of the phrases which spring to mind when I think of some of the many training sessions I've done with Tony over the years. Tough but always fair, he had an uncanny knack of knowing when something was wrong and we needed a shoulder to cry on or when we were just being lazy and needed a kick up the backside.”
“He dispelled words of wisdom on a range of subjects including iron levels, suitable footwear outside running ('I hope you lot aren't wearing the same cheap Primark pumps as my daughters'), attempting to run after giving blood (he had first-hand experience of this) and how hand luggage was more than enough for a week’s holiday. And despite the fact he was a 2.19 marathoner himself there was absolutely no need to ever ever run a marathon! Tony was a huge part of making Bellahouston Harriers the club it is today and he'll be greatly missed,” she said.
Gordon Gallacher said: “One of the things that really helped me settle into Bellahouston Harriers was the time Tony took to make sure I understood not only the session but the reason behind why we were doing that session. For me, Tony took me a side on a few occasions to help coach me through some anxiety about racing I was having. He picked this up without me mentioning it to him – that’s how much his finger was on the pulse of each of the athletes under his leadership. Thanks Tony, I’ll always be gratefully for your help and support.”
John Softley said: “My best year after I re-joined the club in 2006 was 2010 when I remained injury free and as a result was able to go to training every Tuesday and Thursday. Tony was very helpful and gave me many tips to improve my running. As a result, I ran my fastest times from 2 miles up to marathon in almost 20 years. So thanks to Tony for helping me achieve these results that year.”
Melanie Ronald said: “I can honestly say Tony has been one of the most influential and supportive people in my life. I gained so much confidence under his guidance, as well as him not taking any of my nonsense! He will be hugely missed, from a training perspective but also just shooting the breeze.”
Paul Clawson said: “It was back in the day when there was only three different training groups. We were doing 300-metre reps at the dog leg in Pollok park heading out onto Corkerhill Road. The groups were working hard but a group of wee local idiots who were drinking were getting in our way. Tony had enough of trying to be the nice guy, as he always is, telling my group just to go ahead with our rep to which me and big Mark Paterson charged right towards the idiots who all jumped out of the way apart from one who did the rep with us. They then went on their way and we finished our session.”
Mike Freshour said: “Tony is an example to all runners and at all levels. Tony inspired me through his encouragement and prompted excellence which exists in each runner at any level. The upwelling of that excellence takes deep introspection, desire and willingness to take advice from a proven champion. Mr. T exceeds that profile and I am thankful for his tutelage and friendship.”
Karen Speirs, parent of Lexie and Maisie, said: “Tony keeps all the juniors in line, as well as motivated and encouraged while providing fun at the same time. He’s the Bella ‘Piped Piper’ and uniquely skilled in that sense. Tony has given us the gift of sport and it is around people like him that amateur sports clubs are built and thrive. I am indebted to Tony for the support he’s given to me and the girls and his presence at the club will be greatly missed.”
Pictures: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert. Article: Stuart Miller
