By Alison McCallum
Source: STV Local 20 January 2012
Cumbernauld College set Scotland player on the path to success

Scotland rugby player and Glasgow Warrior Duncan Weir speaks about how Cumbernauld College shaped him as a player and coach

A Scotland rugby player has credited his time at Cumbernauld College as great preparation for taking to the international stage.

Glasgow Warriors fly-half Duncan Weir is set to pick up his first Scotland cap when the Six Nations tournament kicks off next month and says the time he spent at Cumbernauld College studying for an HND in sports coaching prepared him well for playing the game professionally.

He said: “I had such a big interest in sport and to find out all about the biomechanics of the body was quite interesting.

“I got into the course after having a chat with the lecturer Jamie Dempsey, who I knew from Glasgow Hawks, who told me about it and that it would let me focus on my rugby.

“My first year I had a serious knee injury and I went for the whole year just getting back to fitness, even though I was desperate to play every week.

"But I couldn’t, and the college really helped me during that time.

“I also learned all about sports coaching and how to communicate with a team. This has helped me to appreciate how important it is to listen and understand what my coaches are telling me.”

Duncan, who grew up in Cambuslang and started out his playing career with Cambuslang RFC before moving to the Glasgow Hawks, said that his time at the college shaped him and has helped him move in to coaching, as well as playing rugby.

The 20-year-old said: “I loved my time at Cumbernauld College and working with my lecturer Jamie Dempsey. He was brilliant for my rugby practice – if I wanted to work on something at lunchtime Jamie was always helpful and took time out for me.

“I still do a bit of coaching and I use the stuff I learned at Cumbernauld in those sessions. It’s great working with the kids and being able to use the coaching skills I learned at the college.”

Studying the sports coaching course at Cumbernauld College gave Duncan great foundations, and now the Glasgow Warriors player is looking forward to being involved in the Scotland line-up over the coming weeks.

He said: “I was chuffed to bits to be picked.

“I have had the opportunity to play in a lot of big games this year and managed to keep doing well.

“I am looking forward to getting into the Scotland camp, introducing myself to the members of the team who I have yet to meet, and hopefully I can make a good impression on the pitch.”

Jamie Dempsey, sports coaching lecturer at Cumbernauld College, said: “Duncan is a great young sportsman who I am sure has a long career ahead of him.

“The college has been keeping track of his progress and it was only a matter of time before he was called up to the national team - a fantastic achievement.

“Duncan thoroughly deserves this opportunity and we will be watching the Six Nations to see how he gets on.”

This article was originally posted on 20-Jan-2012, 11:17 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 20-Jan-2012, 11:21.