Hyndland, Ayr and Highland among BT awards

The BT Volunteer of the Month Award for October is awarded to Alex Mack of Hyndland, for his outstanding leadership and tireless efforts in supporting his local club.  The 58-year-old recently went above and beyond his duties as a coach for Hyndland by organising a large fundraising night for the club, producing flyers from scratch to attract new players while also generating Rugby World Cup guess the score sheets.On receiving the award, which was presented by former Glasgow Warriors captain Al Kellock, he said: “I am quite shocked and very humbled to be awarded Volunteer of the Month.”I couldn’t do any of my work without the help of Alastair Hain, who is the treasurer and also a coach. We are known as Jack and Victor from Still Game by everyone at the club and we work as a partnership.”As well as organising teams for Saturday games, coordinating referees, planning varied training sessions, Alex finds the time to wash strips while also cooking post match meals every second Saturday.”I always take the strips home after a Saturday game and wash them for the team, it’s just something that I have always done.”I like to go to Bishop’s, our local butchers, who supply the meat for our post match pies and the ham hough for our soup. I’m quite proud of my soup, it was my mother’s recipe.”Adding to his role at the club, Alex has also organised the continuation of sponsors, the Hearts and Balls rugby charity, on the team strips.A former player, Alex played with the school team in the 70s before joining the senior squad and uses his knowledge of the club’s values to coach at every level and even steps in when the team requires a player.”My wife never asks me to do anything on a Saturday because I am always dedicated to the club, whether that is coaching or playing if a front-row or back-row is required.”Having played with the team for years and then going on to coach and contribute off the field, Alex is a true hard-worker of amateur rugby.Club of the Month is awarded to Ayr for their high performance standards and a growing Ladies section, which has developed since its inception in 2012. At present, their first XV are sitting at the top of the BT Premiership with their Ladies team leading BT Women’s National 1, and a youth section that are dominating the Club Youth President’s Conference.October’s BT Try of the Month is awarded to Steven Rutledge for his score for Highland in their 53-0 win over Dunfermline on the 3rd of October in the BT Caledonia League Division 1.On receiving the award, he said: “I am really excited to be chosen for a BT Try of the Month Award and it’s the first time Highland have been recognised.”I was glad to get the ball over the line; it was a great team try which came as a result of us reacting from the kick-off.”