Jim Young, who has died aged 81, was probably the most prolific organiser of races in the history of Scottish Athletics.
Jim had a lifelong passion for all aspects of cross-country, road and track running, but it was his expertise and attention to detail in organising races which made him one of the most respected and well-liked people in Scottish athletics.
The pinnacle of Jim's achievement was leading the teams which set out the courses for the World Mountain Running Championships in 1995, the European Cross-country Championships in 2003 and the World Cross-country Championships in 2008, all held in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. In 2003 a grateful Scottish Athletics awarded him the George Dallas Trophy which is presented annually to an individual who has achieved distinction or made a material contribution to Scottish Athletics. In 2009 Scottish Athletics again honoured him, this time with the Tom Stillie Trophy which is presented for services to athletics.
Jim was born in Annbank in Ayrshire and attended Tarbolton Junior Secondary before leaving school aged 15 to work as a shepherd in New Galloway. In 1953 he decided to emigrate to New Zealand and undertook the, then customary, six week long voyage to the other side of the world. In New Zealand he initially worked in a remote sheep station in North Island but then moved to Huntly to work in mining.
While in Huntly he helped to coach young people in athletics at the local college and that inspired him to take a teacher training course. After qualifying Jim taught for a few years in New Zealand before returning to Scotland on what he intended to be a six months break before going back to New Zealand.
However while teaching on a temporary contract at Annbank Junior Secondary a major change in circumstances occurred - he met his future wife Betty who was teaching in the primary department at Annbank. Jim decided to remain in Scotland and in 1968/69 upgraded his teaching qualification to Scottish GTC requirements at Craigie College in Ayr.
His first permanent teaching post in Scotland was at Redburn Primary in Irvine, promotions followed to depute HT at Dreghorn Primary, HT at Dykesmains Primary in Saltcoats and finally HT at Dalry Primary which was the biggest primary school in Ayrshire. In 1973, while at Dregnorn Primary, Jim and Betty moved into the schoolhouse and Jim lived there for the rest of his life.
Back in Scotland Jim's involvement with athletics also took off, initially as a member of Ayr Seaforth and then moving to Irvine Athletic Club when he settled in Dreghorn.
He was a natural organiser and became an ever-present at athletics committee meetings at all levels of the sport - he was a long time secretary of the Ayrshire Harriers with Betty supporting him as treasurer, he had a massive involvement with the West District and in 1982 his contribution at national level resulted in him being made President of the Scottish Cross-country Union which is one of the bodies which later amalgamated to become Scottish Athletics.
During the next 30 years Jim became a leading figure in organising cross-country and road races. Events large and small benefited from his touch - it didn't matter if it was the local Boys Brigade or school championship, the Ayrshire Cross-country Championsips, the West District Cross-country or the National Cross-country Championships, Jim along with his friend Bob Reid and a small group of Ayrshire stalwarts laid courses for them all. He breathed life into numerous local races. During this period he was convenor of the National Cross-country Championships for about 20 years and he annually set out the course for the Scottish Schools Cross-country Championships which have been almost permanently based at Irvine Beachpark.
A major feature of Jim's cross-country course building was his innovative use of simple recyclable materials to mark the route. He obtained miles of cloth tape which was being discarded as offcut by a lace mill in the Irvine Valley and used this as a continuous course marker, pinning it to the ground with small pieces of bent fencing wire - and then rolled it all back up again at the end of the event.
Throughout all of this time Jim was an active runner until recent ill health forced him to stop. Two of his treasured running experiences were being a baton bearer when the Commonwealth Games first came to Scotland in 1970 and then repeating the experience when the games came to Glasgow in 2014.
Jim is survived by his wife Betty, his son Blair, his daughter Mareth, his two grandsons and his three brothers.
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