FOR more than 20 years Harry Pointon has been head coach of North Staffordshire Special Olympics Athletics Team, helping members develop their skills before watching them go on to win medals locally and nationally.

Each Monday sees 72-year-old Harry, pictured above, lead the team through their training at Northwood Stadium.

Every session is attended by up to 60 members, all with a variety of learning disabilities, each of whom Harry has built a special bond with over the years.

Harry, from Werrington, said: "The team is like a family to me, I've seen some of them come to me at 16 and I've seen them grow.

"Doing this keeps me young and it keeps me going.

"Sport is a great release of pent up energy and frustrations and these people have frustrations because of their learning difficulties.

"I feel like I'm doing something good for someone and I'm going to keep on doing it for as long as possible."

Now in recognition of his commitment, those who work with Harry have nominated him in the Volunteer of the Year category of The Sentinel's Our Heroes awards.

Volunteer Diane Eaton, aged 62, who helps to run the sessions, said: "Without Harry's dedication and skill the athletics programme in this area wouldn't exist. It takes a special type of person with infinite patience to coach athletes with special needs.

"Harry has a natural ability to encourage these youngsters to achieve their full potential. He has done this for so long I feel he really deserves to be recognised for his work."

Harry has been preparing for the Special Olympics National Games which take place next week.

Due to Harry's commitment and ability to gain support for the team, he is able to field 28 athletes for the competition, double the size of most teams.

With a ratio of four carers to one athlete, organising transport has also been a mammoth operation and Harry has spent days sorting it out.

Harry said: "I've been calling round checking this, that and the other with care homes, I also need to fill in all the programmes and look through the records.

"Everyone is put into groups of the same ability which means they can all compete at their own level and they can all be winners.

"With people with learning difficulties their ability can vary on the day so I need to look through my records about each competitor to decide where they should be entered."

Harry has always been into sports but got involved with the Special Olympics in the mid seventies through his autistic son Neil, aged 44.

Harry said: "Neil has autism so he can't make conversation but he can understand what's being said and he's physically fit.

"A lot of parents get involved with things through their children and I was invited to bring Neil along to the club. Way back then I didn't know that Special Olympics existed, it was alien to me as it still is to a lot of people."