Billy Samson receives National Recognition

One of the Island’s most successful cricket coaches – Billy Sampson of St Helens - has been pipped to a top national award.
Last year Sampson was the regional winner of the ECB’s Outstanding Coaching Achievement award and qualified for the national finals which were held over two days at Warwick University.
The 12 people shortlisted in his category were reduced to two finalists– and Sampson just lost out to a coach from the East Midlands.
Sampson, who guided the Island disabled team to the national title in 2006, attended the event with his wife Josie.
He said: “It was good of the ECB to think of wives and partners. Without their help and co-operation there is no way we could devote so much time to coaching.
“More than 500 people attended the event, and I was able to meet up with former Island people like Mark Garaway, who is analyst for the England team, and his father Sam who used to play for Ventnor.
“We had lunch with people like former England star Ashley Giles and former England bowling coach, Kevin Shine and the speaker at the gala dinner was another former England star, Graeme Fowler.
“It was a great two days – and when I received the superb cut-glass trophy it rounded everything off perfectly.”