WHEN YOU talk about the grassroots of a sport and the people who really make a difference, through their dedication and thankless efforts, it’s easy to become be caught up in a moment inspiration.

That’s how you will feel when you read this interview with Matt Shaw, the young gymnast from the UK who at the age of 18 is already inspiring the next generation of athletes in the sport. Matt’s selfless manner, his obvious love for the physical agility and coordination his passion offers and his desire to aid the development of others in the sport is obvious from each word he utters.

Read on to find out more about this young man’s view of sport in general and his remarkable aspirations for the future.

When did you first start out in gymnastics and what inspired you to give the sport a go?

firstly I was always interested in parkour and from the age of 5 I tried to peruse it but my parents could never afford to fund a gym membership. When I turned 16 my auntie got me involved with a club called pennine gymnastics club in West Yorkshire which I then trained at for a few months. That then lead on to the manager of the club asking me if I was interested in ever trying out coaching.

When did you realise you had a real passion and talent for the sport?

I have always had a burning passion for the sport. Alongside skateboarding I always wanted to be able to do a backflip so I pushed myself to try it off my garden wall which then motivated me to keep practising it.

Matt had some bad luck while training to be a coach but is now fully qualified to teach the sport.

What made you get into coaching and how hard was it to gain the qualifications you needed?

In regards to my qualifications I was working towards them and training for around four months and a week before my final exam I dislocated my shoulder which caused ligament damage, this occurred while coaching. Therefore, I wasn’t allowed to finish my exam because of this and I had to wait another seven months before I was able to find another course. I completed that last and am now a qualified coach.

Who are some of the gymnasts you work with and what do you love most about being a coach?

My gym works alongside British gymnastics so I have been given the opportunity to meet some extremely inspirational gymnasts and Olympians. Although I find my manager and colleague coach is one of my greatest inspiration/role models as he has a big influence on my everyday work.

Do you have any inspiring stories about gymnasts you’ve worked with and what they’ve gone on to achieve?

I’d say personally my favourite part of coaching is the small things. If you have a participant who clearly works so hard to eventually achieve a skill then that’s makes the job worthwhile seeing success and young gymnasts grow their confidence and talent.

Despite recurring injuries Matt is determined to keep pushing himself to the limits in terms of what he can achieve as well as the ability he can help others reach.

What challenges have you set yourself in gymnastics and other sports for the year ahead? What are your overall goals in gymnastics for the future and how do you aim to achieve them?

Everyday I watch truckers like Jason Paul, Pasha the Boss, Kyle Skelly and Bailey Payne etc and they truly inspire me to push my training despite having repetitive injuries to my shoulder, back and hip. I try my best to push through that and ensure it doesn’t effect my gymnastics/tricking and the way I teach it to others.