Volunteer coach Lynn gets the Royal seal of approval in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Lynn Simpson of Flyers Trampoline Club in Glenrothes is to be awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM).

The 35-year-old from Thornton has been at the club for 11 years, during which time she has transformed it from one which was almost going out of business to having members on the verge of international honours.

Lynn, who works full-time as a commercial solicitor at a busy legal firm in Edinburgh, says she first tried trampolining as a child but didn’t take it up again until she was at Dundee University where she studied law.

“There’s nothing else like it,” she says.

“There’s no other sport that you can do to get that adrenaline rush, you’re up in the air and throwing yourself around.

“I loved it, but to be honest I wasn’t very good!”

Whilst competing for the university’s club, Lynn completed a coaching course and her involvement in that side of the sport took off from there.

After working as a performance coach at another Fife club, Lynn got involved with the Flyers Trampoline Club in 2008, a point at which it looked like it was may fold, and in 2011 decided to devote all her time to it.

“I stripped it right back to nothing and have spent the last 11 years building it back up to what it is now, with a lot of help from other people,” she said.

“All my coaching has been done voluntarily and it takes up a huge amount of my time, but I love it.

“I’m very lucky I have an amazing team of coaches, gymnasts and parents and it really is a family atmosphere.

“I really enjoy going to training and spending time with everyone. It doesn’t feel like a chore and, in terms of mental health, it’s a really good break for me out of the office and away from a stressful job.”

And the hard work has paid off. As well as royal recognition Lynn has seen the club go from strength to strength.

“For the last 10 years we’ve been on an upwards trajectory and getting better and better,” she says.

“We’re achieving new things and this is the first year that we’ve had multiple gymnasts on national performance pathways.

“We’ve got kids who are in the process of trialling to represent Scotland this year. That will be our first national representation since I took over. That’s a massive step forward.”

She added: “The award came as a complete shock and there’s no way I could have achieved any of this without the team I have.”