A Cumbrian ski club chairman is set to be celebrated at a prestigious coaching awards.
Kendal Snowsports Club’s John Lowther, 89, is set to receive the prestigious lifetime achievement award at this year’s UK Coaching Awards.
The award recognises the lifelong dedication and passion John has shown to his sport and the substantial impact he had when founding Kendal Ski Club, now Kendal Snowsports Club, in 1984.
It also stands as a tribute to coaches who consistently exceed expectations in positively shaping the experiences of individuals involved in sport and physical activity.
These exceptional coaches offer integral support to their participants, addressing both physical and mental aspects, across various levels from grassroots to elite competitions.
John said: “I am extremely proud to be recognised with a UK Coaching Award, but I feel that it is a recognition of many people’s time and commitment, all the instructors, chairmen, committee members and helpers, over the last 41 years.”
Back in 1980, John caught the bug for skiing while he was on a school trip as a governor at Lancaster Grammar School.
For four years, he travelled to Carlisle to learn to ski seriously, before realising on one windy and wet drive back home that he wanted to build his own ski slope in Kendal.
He, therefore, set up Kendal Ski Club as Founding Chairman, working with 200 members who paid £10 each to initially fund the club alongside government grants and a £40,000 bank loan.
In the summer of 1984, he and 200 other members worked evenings and weekends to build the ski slope and clubhouse with the money they secured.
John and seven other members also secured their instructor licenses to let them teach members. When they first started, they had nearly 350 members, but that quickly rose to over 500 by the winter.
Over the past 40 years, it is believed more than 50,000 people have used the facilities John set up, with the club having an average of 1,200 members each year.
Every winter, John taught people of all ages on the slope and even organised yearly ski holidays for over 1,300 club members.
The slope has changed appearance since its opening. In 1997, following a successful National Lottery grant, the slope was rebuilt and improved, whilst in 2004, it was extended to help grow the club’s membership.
Throughout all of the changes, however, the club has always been run entirely by volunteers.
John stood down in his 40th year in 2024, and the club, open from September to May each year, continues to thrive thanks to his work and he leaves a legacy for snow sports to thrive in the area.
He said: “I only have to see all the smiling faces of the juniors and adults who tell me repeatedly that the coaching and sense of being in a family of skiers and boarders is great.
“For many families, it has changed their lives for the better. Parents are so aware that their children are being coached in a safe environment – doing something they love instead of wandering the streets.”
In 2024, John was also presented with the National Chair’s annual award for long service to the sport of skiing by Snowsport England.
UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon praised Lowther and each of thefinalists, with the winners in the rest of the categories to be revealed at the ceremony on 4th December, reflecting on the huge variety of coaching talent for this year’s awards:
He said: “It is a great honour to be able to recognise coaches in this way and I would like to extend a huge congratulations to John on his truly incredible work over many years as an outstanding coach, instructor and Chairman.
“His endless commitment and determination to Kendal Snowsports Club has seen over 50,000 people try their hand at skiing, helping to change lives in the community. He has had an incredible impact on grassroots skiing, with the club still thriving even after his retirement.
“A key priority for us is to ensure we are there for every coach and support them to provide amazing experiences in sport and physical activity. Coaches can always be proud of the valuable contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of the nation.
“We are looking forward to celebrating together at our UK Coaching Awards ceremony, bringing together the coaches who are going above and beyond to deliver outstanding experiences for their participants and who make a real difference in their community.”
The awards will be held on 4th December at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.
