Since his appointment as Community Sports Coach for Nottingham Kayak Club, Mick Nadal, 56, from West Brigford, has lost over three stone and is paddling and racing like he did 30 years ago.

Mick has been involved in kayaking and canoeing for 35 years, but took a break from the sport when teaching, at College House Primary School in Chilwell, became his highest priority.

Mick said, “My teaching was very important to me and unfortunately sport had to take a back seat.  As a result I became overweight and unfit.  Being out of shape had a significant impact on my overall health and I began suffering with chest pains and breathlessness.

“I had to do something to get my health back on track and decided to get back in to canoeing.  When I got the coaching job with Nottingham Kayak Club in 2004, through the Community Sports Coach Scheme, I was determined not to waste the opportunity and have used it to turn my life around.

“Getting back in to canoeing and being a coach again has changed all my priorities.  I now take care of what I eat, how much I exercise and my general well being much more.  My quality of life has improved dramatically because of the weight loss.  It has made a real difference to what I can do on a daily basis and in the future.

“Working with motivated young people has had a huge impact on my psychological well-being as well my physical.  Everything has become far more purposeful, it’s a really positive environment to work in.”

Mick is contracted to do eight hours each week at the club, and contributes over 30 hours voluntarily.  He is responsible for training around 30 people, mainly juniors as young as eight, but also adults up to age 60+.  Mick takes part in every aspect of training from casual paddling sessions to preparation for the national championships.

Paul Enoch, Nottingham Kayak Club Secretary at said, "The appointment of Mick at Nottingham Kayak Club has seen huge benefits to both the younger paddlers and the club as a whole.

“Mick's dedicated commitment to this role has seen an influx of new members and a more structured approach to training and racing. The increasing success of this younger generation of paddlers bodes well for the future of both the club and the sport in this region.  His appointment has been one of the most significant in recent years.”

A group of Mick’s young students commented, “Mick's improved health and happiness has a very positive effect on our training.  It's good for us to see him getting something back for all the work he puts in to coaching. His constant dedication and care make him a fantastic coach.” (Beth Walker, Shobhanaa Seth-Kapoor and Sarah Nash).

During his career, Mick has been involved with the sport on every level from placing beginners in boats up to Olympic selector.  He has competed at national and regional levels and his wife, Kath Nadal, was a senior international canoeist for 12 years.

The Community Sports Coach Scheme is funded nationally by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and has been successfully introduced by Sport England to establish 3,000 paid, qualified Community Sports Coaches. Coaches like Mick are appointed to deliver high-quality coaching with a particular focus on young people in the community.

Anne Rippon from Sport England East Midlands said, "Coaching is fundamental to sport. Community Sports Coaches such as Mick are not only providing high quality coaching in Nottinghamshireand the East Midlands but are also supporting our ambition to get two million people participating more in sport by 2012".

Being a Community Sports Coach has enabled Mick to regain his fitness to the same level that he had in his 20’s.

He said, “Coaching canoeing is such a physical job, you have to get stuck in there with the students.  It has taken my fitness and skills back to what they were 30 years ago.  Last week I beat my all time personal best for 1200 metres by three seconds.  I set my previous PB in 1984!

“The experience I now have as a canoeist makes my training more focused and effective and I enjoy setting a good example to my students.  Canoeing is the kind of sport you never really retire from so I hope to be involved for many more years.”

Nottingham Kayak Club was established in the 1960’s and now has over 80 members, a number of which have been around since the very beginning.  Now based on the South Bank of the River Trent, the club is involved in canoe and kayak paddlesport racing and has produced a number of Olympic and world-class athletes over the years.

Nottingham Kayak Club is affiliated to the British Canoe Union.  Chloe Nelson-Lawrie from BCU said:

“This is a great example of what a diverse sport canoeing is.  It is suitable for all age ranges, all fitness levels and can range from relaxing outings on the river to challenging competition, there really is something for everyone.

“Mick is also an example of the many dedicated and committed volunteers that encourage others to get involved in canoeing at all levels.  For the first time, the BCU are launching Volunteer Awards for 2007 to recognise the tremendous effort that volunteers contribute to our sport.”

Each year Nottingham Kayak Club has members selected for Great Britain squads in Flat Water, Marathon and Wild Water Racing disciplines up to World Championship level.  Over 80 members currently compete at local level, with about 60 taking part in competition at national level.