A KARATE expert from St Clears who coaches hundreds of children and adults in classes every week has made it to the final of the prestigious Sport Wales Coach of the Year Awards 2011.

For Mair Phillips, karate has been a way of life for around 20 years. Hardly a day goes by where she isn't coaching, refereeing or organising sessions for people of all ages in her Carmarthenshire clubs.

All this is on top of her work on the 300-acre farm she runs with her husband Richard.

"I started coaching and taking sessions about 15 years ago," said Mair. "It was after my good friend Keith Mumberson died of leukaemia. He was an inspiration to me and the others he taught. I felt determined that I would take on the sessions and all the work he had put in and make sure local people had the chance to practice karate.

"I run three classes on Sunday, three on Monday, two on Tuesday, three on Wednesday and help out at other sessions later in the week.

"I'm a 4th Dan and also a referee on the European circuit. I've been to places like Poland, Zurich and Turkey which are great experiences that I bring back to the club.

"I started off with about 20 students but it's just snowballed. It's all-consuming really but it's such a buzz seeing children come to the club shy and quiet and leave confident and disciplined."

Medal

Her results speak for themselves — training five senior members to coveted Dan grades in the last four years and leading the Carmarthenshire squad to the top of the medal table in six of the Welsh Higashi Karate Kai Championships (South Wales) to date.

She has also coached several individuals and teams to national success at the Welsh Championships, Welsh Juniors and Welsh Open, not forgetting the hundreds of individual grading examinees that she guides through their next level every year.

"It can be hard juggling karate with the farm and there's no spare time. But it's a huge reward to be recognised in this way," added Mair, from Llanddowror.

"I hope we can keep bringing members with good quality and knowledge through the clubs."

Chairman of Sport Wales professor Laura McAllister said: "We have an outstanding group of finalists and I'm looking forward to meeting them and hearing more about their inspirational work in Welsh sport."

Mair will be up against two other candidates in her category.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff, on Wednesday, November 16, 2011.