Influence from the past provides inspiration for new Buckie Ladies coach Whyte
THE inspirational influence of a late Buckie Ladies manager was one of the main factors behind the team’s latest coaching staff member signing up.
Jack Whyte (24), who is an active campus co-ordinator at Moray UHI, joined the defending league and cup double champions at the start of the season. However, it was an influential figure from his past that was a major factor is him hooking up with the Gordon Park side.
He explained: “One of the things that attracted me to Buckie Ladies was the influence the late David ‘Parro’ Findlay had on me.
“I knew him when I was at school, when I played for Buckie Thistle Football Development. At the time ‘Parro’ was a coach there and he was a big influence, he gave me so much. He went on to manage Buckie Ladies and I wanted to give something back.
“I also have a couple of friends who play for the team and my partner knows Duncs [Buckie Ladies manager Laura Duncan], so she was persuading me to go, too.”
Whyte was full of praise for the squad, who have been hammering in the goals after a ring rusty opening defeat to Sutherland.
He continued: “At the moment my main job is to help keep things ticking on as they are and basically take it as comes.
“The players are great, they take information on board very well.
“They set themselves very high standards - maybe too high, sometimes - and everything is there for them to win another double this season. If it doesn’t happen, it won’t be because they haven’t worked hard enough.
“They’re a great bunch of girls to work with. We’ve got a good balance of experienced players and younger girls, there’s lot of girls coming through to the senior team from the development side of things. There’s a good pathway in place to take players from girls football right the way through to senior level.
“Having that pathway in place is very important for the future.”
Coaching is something Whyte nurtured an early interest in.
He said: “I first started coaching when I was in S4 at high school back in 2014-15 where I helped to support the school teams.
“It wasn’t until 2018-19, though, that I looked to start seriously improving as a coach.
“When I was a student I was with Glasgow City for a season and a half, working with the goalkeepers mainly.
“I also worked with girls at Rangers, although these sessions tended to be mixed with boys playing, too. A lot of the players I worked with are still playing at a good level, which is great to see.”
Whyte also cited current Queen’s Park Women’s manager Craig Joyce as a major influence during his time in Glasgow. Joyce coached at both Glasgow City and Rangers, going on to lead Glasgow Women to promotion to SWPL1.
As an active campus co-ordinator at Moray UHI, Whyte’s day job keeps his mind on coaching, his main task being to help both staff and students keep as fit and active as possible as well as supporting placements.
Originally from Mosstodloch, Whyte - a former Milne’s High School student - now lives in Buckie after a spell in the central belt.
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