“I want to be the best, I want my team to be the best and I want to challenge myself against the best competition out there". No, this is not another inspirational quote from Michael Jordan or Fabio Cannavaro.  These are the passionate words of a sports enthusiast from Edinburgh who does his talking both on the football field and in the classroom.

With a widespread stereotype of negativity overshadowing the topic of Physical Education in Scottish schools and a reputation of bone-idleness amongst our country’s children, the question is – what is the real picture? In a search for the answers, In The Winning Zone were lucky enough to skip first class and catch up with a man in the know – PE teacher at The Royal High School in Edinburgh, Iain Thomson.

School may be out for summer but for Iain Thomson a relaxing break is not on the agenda.  Three months of pre-season lie ahead for the Second Division rookie. Aside from his day job, Iain relishes a Saturday afternoon in a black and gold shirt when taking to the field representing a team currently gaining momentum in Scottish football - Berwick Rangers.

By the age of 25, the average person would hope to have their foot in the door of a career – be it in the line of work or sport. However, average does not seem to be an adjective in Iain Thomson’s dictionary.
 
His curriculum vitae tells its own story: “I’m quite a driven person. I think it started even as young as youth club football at Hutchie [Hutchison Vale Boys Club] where I won the Scottish cup 3 times. Also with Spartans, [Where he reached the 4th round of the Scottish cup on two occasions, captaining the side in 2006] to be part of such a successful club improved on my winning mentality. This was capped off when I managed to win the 3rd Division with Berwick Rangers last year, something that people who play full careers in the leagues don’t manage to achieve.”

With such an incandescent record as a footballer so far, why did he choose the classroom over the changing rooms? Sensibility most definitely worked in his favour here. “I think it stemmed back to the beginning of 5th year in high school.  I met with my guidance teacher and discussed my future. At that point, there wasn’t a realistic opportunity to go into pro-football for me. I came to the conclusion that for me, at that point in my life, the best idea was to keep my options open.”

“I decided to go down the alternative route and get a degree as something to fall back on, but it seems to have worked in the opposite fashion as I now have the degree and I’m starting to work my way up the leagues!”

As his player profile clearly demonstrates, Iain has had his player passport stamped at many of the destinations in Scottish football. His greatest step was obviously between Spartans and Berwick Rangers, but is there really a difference in player ability between non-league and league teams? “The ability is slightly higher at Berwick but it is more to do with the fact you are facing better, more organised teams week in week out.

“A lot is also to do with commitment and attitude –I know guys who were brilliant when they were young but didn’t have the right attitude to the game. On the other hand there are guys I played with at Scottish schools level who had the right attitude and commitment, namely Craig Gordon [Hearts] and Allan McGregor, [Rangers] and they are now reaping the rewards.”

As is his line of work, Thomson witnesses the sporting development of the country’s youngsters on a day-to-day basis. Iain works alongside his colleagues in the PE department at the school in conjunction with Active Schools Coordinator Pete Clark, in an attempt to bring about the best Physical Education Environment for the youngsters at the school.  Guiding the kids through the microcosm that is a PE class and out into the world of sport is a key role for Iain and the other PE staff.

Boasting a massive 15 extra curricular sports clubs from archery to sailing, the school aims to provide a wide berth of sporting opportunities to its youngsters. This is by no means a simple task, as the ‘Big Lottery Fund’ (BLF) that has supported extra curricular activities in Scotland’s schools ran dry recently.

This in turn means that any financial incentive previously offered to volunteers is now unavailable, a fact that Pete is well aware of: “I am in the position of having to ask people that I have previously been able to say ‘Here, have £70 this term for helping with basketball’ Now, since the BLF has run out I am expected to offer the same range of activities, but saying to the providers ‘remember last year I paid you £70 – well that’s all stopped. Would you be able to do the same this year but for no honorarium?’”

By no means is this a dark cloud over the massive number of volunteers who keep the after school sports clubs running at RHS and in numerous others across the country.  It is simply an eye opener for the executive – to aid Scotland’s youngsters at grassroots level now and then reap the rewards at international and senior level in years to come.
 
Iain is confident there are pupils he teaches who have the ability to become the next Craig Gordon or Allan McGregor. “There are kids I teach who definitely have the opportunity to go on to bigger and better things. The high level of ability and talent is out there but it is just a matter of commitment and attitude”.

One would assume that with exciting new prospects like this that the real picture is a bright and promising one, not a grey and murky image all too often portrayed across the media. Iain states confidently: “The real picture from my perspective is quite a good one. The kids in general are extremely positive towards PE. This year we are hoping to provide every single pupil in the school with one hour of PE per week and there are plans for the implementation of two hours for every pupil per week in Scotland”

Of course this task will require huge reform within schools across the country – affecting areas from timetables to staff.  It will be waxed lyrically within the chambers at Holyrood, and one thing is certain; these plans are a leap in the right direction for Scottish sport.

It is not surprising that Iain’s final words are of encouragement towards youngsters interested in sport: “If there is any advice I could give to youngsters it would be to keep your options open.” Evidently, the PE teacher is fluent in the language of sport and understands what this country needs to do to improve it. In Iain Thomson’s eyes – we will be up there with the best one day if the efforts and changes are put in place now.

Though Latin may not be the 25 year olds subject of choice, a quotation from poet, Horace, can be inserted into the growing vocabulary of sport in Scotland today. It somewhat underlines the PE teacher’s outlook on sport for young Scot’s today. Carpe diem: seize the day.

IC

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