Recently retired at the end of December 2003 after giving 35 years of service to schools' badminton is Ann Sutherland who taught Physical Education at
Williamwood
High School
(1968 - 1978) and
Mearns
Castle
High School
(1978 - 2003).
Ann involved herself over these years as member of staff in charge of badminton at Williamwood and then
Mearns
Castle
, and also as part of the organising group for Renfrew Area Schools' Badminton Association (RASBA), which takes in schools in Renfrewshire,
East Renfrewshire
and Inverclyde. Ann is the current President of Association and, typical of her dedication to her pupils at
Meams
Castle
, she will continue to organise her school teams and players entering RASBA tournaments until the end of the 2003 - 2004 season.
During her many years of involvement with schools badminton, Ann has had many fine players pass through her charge and a number have represented Scotland at schools' international revel and then also gone on to represent Scotland at full international level. Alison Fulton (Bryson) 49 caps and Linda Baker(Gardener) 10 caps, were two such pupils whom Ann taught and who played in her teams while at Williamwood High.
Ann's schools have always provided a strong entry to RASBA championships and over the last thirty five years her pupils have recorded many successes at Junior, lntermediate and Senior levels. Her
Mearns
Castle
teams have also regularly been successful at RASBA level in the annual Royal Bank of Scotland Quaich events and one occasion successfully lifted the senior title at national level.
I have been privileged to know Ann throughout almost all of the years that she has been connected with schools' badminton. My first encounter with her was when, as a pupil of
Greenock
High School
, I played in RASBA championships and teams in the early 70's. Ann was even then a member of staff helping with the organisation of the events. Over the last 25 years as I have been involved in organising RASBA events and teams, I have come to know Ann as a colleague and friend. Along with a small number of equally dedicated staff in schools across the area, Ann has given tremendous service to grass-roots badminton in the RASBA area. In particular, however, her enthusiasm and dedication has brought the badminton 'bug' to hundreds of youngsters who have attended her extra-curricular school badminton clubs at Williamwood High and Mearns Castle High.
On behalf of the RASBA committee and all those who have benefited from Ann's many, many hours of voluntary commitment, I wish her good health and much enjoyment in her well-earned retirement from teaching.
