It has been a fairly hectic few months for Stuart McGee, but he would not have it any other way as he looks ahead to a big event at Murrayfield tonight.
The former Stirling County and Boroughmuir scrum-half is now working as a rugby coach at St Aloysius' College, helps with the School of Rugby at Alva Academy, and is the Hillfoots coach.
Shortly, he will also head off to his winter job in Switzerland, where he is a ski and snowboard instructor, but tonight his mind will be focused on just one thing: the 26-year-old will be part of the St Aloysius' College coaching team in the dug-out as the under-16s aim to win the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup final against George Watson's College.
"Ever since the semi-final win, the school has been buzzing. The boys have done really well this year and have progressed as a squad and individuals, " McGee said.
When Mark McKenzie, the former Scotland A cap, became director of rugby at the school last year, he brought McGee and Jimmy Sinclair, the experienced Glasgow Hawks coach, on board. They have worked with this under-16 group tirelessly, their hard work bearing fruit with a trip along the M8 to the national stadium.
"I have been lucky to be given the opportunity to work with such experienced coaches as Mark and Jimmy. I have tried to learn as much from them as I can and I am enjoying coaching more and more now," McGee said.
He is certainly fast becoming a highly thought of coach in his own right, having led Hillfoots to 10 wins from 10 matches this season to top the RBS Caledonia Two (Midlands) table.
"Like the youngsters at St Aloysius, the Hillfoots players are eager to learn, and to have won our first 10 matches has been great. We face a tough game on Saturday against second-placed Harris, so after tonight's school match I will be thinking about that."
As mentioned, it is not all about rugby for the all-action McGee and he will soon swop the touchline for the slopes - and he would love to leave St Aloysius with a trophy under their belts and Hillfoots well on the way to promotion.
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