Exceptional People: Meet Simon Murgatroyd, Riverside’s Head of Football

article Exceptional People Riverside Sport SHR Article

• 
  +

NEWS

Shrewsbury Bangkok> riverside> News> STORIES> NEWS

Exceptional People: Meet Simon Murgatroyd, Riverside’s Head of Football

For the last eight years, Simon Murgatroyd has been an integral part of Shrewsbury Riverside’s flourishing athletics programme. While currently Head of Football, he is also a teacher of PE in both the Prep and Senior schools, involved with the education of all students from Years 3 to 13. 

Born into a family of educators, Simon drew inspiration and wisdom from his parents and grandparents, who provided immeasurable guidance in his life’s journey. He grew up in Bangkok, where he enjoyed a sports programme similar to the one we have at Shrewsbury. 

“Though I have always enjoyed a variety of sports, Football, as you can probably guess, has always been the most precious to me. In my career and personal life, it is a sport which has given me a lot,” Simon said.

Looking back on his sporting career, some of Simon’s fondest memories were at school, where he played with close friends as part of remarkable teams. He had a great deal of success himself in competitions that many of our students still compete in today, such as FOBISIA and SEASAC. 

Whilst at school, he won MVP awards for several of the sports he played, including Football, Basketball and Softball. His most prized award was when he won the whole schools’ Sports Person of the Year award, which he achieved on two occasions. Throughout his adolescence, Simon also represented Thailand as a participant in the Schools South East Asian Games for football at the U13, U15 and U18 levels, serving as captain for both the U15 and U18 teams. His crowning achievement came in Malaysia, whilst captain of the U18s, where he won recognition as the tournament MVP and was awarded the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer.

“These tournaments gave me the opportunity to travel to some amazing places, create lifelong memories with friends and meet some incredible people, many of whom I am still in contact with today,” Simon added.

After graduation, Simon moved to the UK, where he studied at the University of Bath, a highly regarded sports institution. There, he represented TeamBath as part of the Performance Football Programme, and he played Semi-professionally in the English Non-League. He fondly recalls his time spent at Bath, where he played in the BUCS National Cup, as well as his first semi-professional games in the English Non-League. 

 “At university, I’m extremely proud to have represented TeamBath on a National level, whilst also realising a small dream of being paid to play football,” Simon shared. “Though it was a relatively small amount, and in the grand scheme of things a small achievement within the wider game, for me personally, it represented and meant so much.”

At Bath, Simon studied Sports Science for his undergraduate degree, and he has recently acquired a Master’s degree in Education, with a distinction in Sports Leadership and Management, from the University of Buckingham. It was at Bath where Simon also began his coaching career, and he continued to work in the TeamBath programme as Head Coach for the Men’s 2nd XI. During his time as coach, the team achieved a promotion, even winning the regional BUCS Cup.

After university, Simon returned to Thailand to focus on the development of his teaching and coaching career.

“I have always been a student of sport, and have consumed it from early childhood in every imaginable way, in a somewhat obsessive nature,” Simon said. “From a football perspective, my ability to understand and read the game, coupled with a fascination around its intricacies, has always exceeded my technical abilities. So naturally, as my playing career started to transition away from high performance, coaching provided me with the perfect outlet to remain engaged.”

In his time at Shrewsbury, Simon has worked with many talented students and colleagues. Some of his proudest coaching accomplishments include successes at the well renowned BISP Soccer 7s, FOBISIA and SEASAC events for both football and softball. Simon also implemented the very first schools representative programme in Bangkok, which has been one of his proudest accomplishments to date. The programme brings together an extensive network of schools to create additional opportunities for high performing students in the community.

As Head of Football, Simon oversees all age groups at Shrewsbury, and as such, he makes a concerted effort to work with every group. That said, much of his time has been devoted to the development and growth of Girls Football, which has seen a meteoric rise in recent years. 

“Though I can never truly appreciate the trials and tribulations that girls face, I will always champion equal opportunity and provision in my programmes,” Simon said.

In his eight years at Shrewsbury, Simon has dedicated himself to the development of girls sport, specifically football, and until recently, softball as well. When Simon began his journey, there were 10–12 girls playing 7-a-side football in each age group. These numbers have now doubled or tripled in every age group, with this year’s Senior girls squad consisting of 35 members. Over the years, he has witnessed the rapid growth of the Shrewsbury Riverside athletics programme, and our teams now compete regularly with some of the largest and most established schools in Thailand and all of Southeast Asia. 

“When I first got involved in 2016, it quickly became apparent to me that in certain areas, girls’ sports were being failed on a systematic level. The infrastructures in place stifled progression, staffing needed to change, facility allocations needed remapping and clear and concise development pathways needed implementing.” Simon noted. “This is an ongoing journey, and I am proud to say that girls sport at Shrewsbury is thriving, as evidenced by rates of participation, uptake of development and recreational opportunities and the performance of our sports excellence teams.”

Though coaching may be physically and emotionally demanding at times, he continuously draws on his mental and physical fortitude to uphold high standards as a teacher, coach and Head of Football, resulting in nothing short of rewarding outcomes in all facets.

“I love that I am able to contribute to the physical development of our students, whilst also playing such a pivotal role in fostering a lifelong love of sport and physical activity,” Simon expressed. “Through the experiences our students gain from learning, travelling and competing, Shrewsbury is producing an assembly line of well-rounded, active and ambitious individuals.”

Simon Murgatroyd’s journey at Shrewsbury Riverside exemplifies the profound impact a dedicated individual can have on both the academic and athletic lives of students. His legacy is one of growth, inclusivity and unwavering commitment to excellence in sports. From his early days in Bangkok, through his achievements at the University of Bath, to his influential role at Shrewsbury, Simon has continuously bridged the gap between passion and profession, inspiring countless students to reach their full potential. His relentless pursuit of improvement in girls’ sports and his establishment of a robust support system for all athletes underscore his belief in equality and opportunity. As Simon looks towards the future, his vision for Shrewsbury’s athletics programme promises even greater heights, ensuring that every student not only excels in sports but also carries forward the invaluable lessons of teamwork, perseverance and integrity. Through his leadership, Shrewsbury continues to nurture a generation of well-rounded, ambitious athletes, ready to make their mark on the world.