Announcement – Scotland Junior Squad Head Coach

GB Surfing and the Scottish Surfing Federation announce Craig Sutherland as Scotland’s Junior Squad Head Coach

GB Surfing and the Scottish Surfing Federation (SSF) have appointed Craig Sutherland as Junior Squad Head Coach.

The newly created role, which is primarily funded by GB Surfing, will play a key role in the development and enhancement of the coaching and opportunities for promising young surfers in Scotland with dreams of representing Team GB at the Olympics.

Working with the SSF and GB Surfing’s Progression Pathway team, Craig will be responsible for aligning Scotland’s junior development plan with GB Surfing and preparing up-and-coming surfers for the step up into the Olympic Progression Squad.

Commenting on the appointment, Joel Gray, GB Surfing: Performance Pathway Manager, said: “A key vision of the GB Surfing junior strategy is that we need to have excellent coaches with the right links and relationships in all of the Home Nations. Coaches who can talent I.D. and help radically develop our pathway system from a GB wide perspective. We have extremely healthy numbers of junior surfers getting introduced into surfing all across the UK and that next step provision for those with desire and talent is what we’re looking to improve.

“Craig is a popular character withing the Scottish surfing scene and has a great track record in coaching juniors. His love of surfing and passion for coaching shines through and I’m looking forward to seeing his work in developing Scottish Juniors.”

Craig Sutherland, said: “I am delighted to be appointed as the Scotland Junior Squad Head Coach and look forward to working with the Scottish Surfing Federation, GB Surfing and Lost Shore Surf Resort to help the progression of our young surfers.” 

William Watson, SSF Chair, added: “We are delighted from the SSF to proudly announce Craig Sutherland as our Junior Head Coach. Craig has led a number of our junior development camps and events over the years and by combining his background with the support from GB Surfing, and implementing a structured framework around coach and pathway development, I can’t wait to see what we can achieve – it’s an exciting time to be a junior.”  

The SSF already have a number of strong junior initiatives with an expanding junior contest series, coaching development as well as Junior Squad training. This new appointment will further build upon that and look to inject more impetus into the elite pathway framework.