Joan receiving the CGF order of Merit from Louise Martin CBE, President of CGF
On 24th August 2017, during the Scotland leg of the Queens Baton Relay, the baton made a momentary pause to stop at Stirling Castle. During this brief pause, Joan Watt, a good friend of Scottish Target Shooting, Joan Watt, was awarded the CGF Merit Award by Louise Martin CBE, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation. The award was presented to Joan in recognition of her outstanding service to Sport and the Commonwealth Games, in particular over 45 years of service to the Commonwealth Games
A chartered physiotherapist, Joan Watt was first elected to the Commonwealth Games Scotland Board in 2003 as Honorary Medical Adviser. In addition, Joan contributed at her first Commonwealth Games as a Village Physiotherapist in 1970 and to Scottish Commonwealth Games teams in her role as physiotherapist at each Games since 1982.
Her involvement in games over the years includes some of the following:
- Physiotherapist Commonwealth Games Village 1970
- Honorary Physiotherapist to Scottish Commonwealth Games 1982, 1986, 1990
- Member Technical Team Assessment Visit 1993 to Victoria for Games
- Senior Physiotherapist to Scottish Commonwealth Games Team 1994
- Chair, Scottish Commonwealth Games Medical Committee for 1994
- Joint Head Physiotherapist 1998 Games
- Physiotherapist for shooting at the 2002 Games in Manchester (but based in Bisley)
- Shooting Team Leader at the 2006 Games in Melbourne and 2010 Games in Delhi
- Vice Chair Medical Group 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid
- Scottish Representative to Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Group for 2012 Olympics and Commonwealth Games 2014
Joan with Louise Martin CBE and Paul Bush OBE, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland
Joan has also served as lead physiotherapist at Olympic Games, World and European Championships for athletics and shooting amongst other sports. Instrumental in establishing the British Sports Massage Association, Joan is a former Chairperson of Scottish Athletics and was its first female President. She helped set up the Chartered Physiotherapists in Massage Therapy professional network and have been active in Anti Doping education and testing for many years.
Well done Joan from everyone at Scottish Target Shooting and all those shooters over the years who have benefited from your support.