SHE'S a teenage amateur battling injury while also studying full time at college.

So you can imagine Natasha Lawton's shock - and delight - at being named alongside one of the world's rugby greats.

The 19-year-old is shortlisted for Glasgow Coach of the Year at Sportsperson of the Year awards - and she's up against Gregor Townsend MBE.

So how does it feel?

Natasha said: "It makes it unreal. I'm so overwhelmed - I'm a volunteer and to know I'm up against someone who's coaching at international level... I can't believe it.

"I just can't. I wasn't sure it was real when I heard."

Natasha is a dedicated volunteer coach and manager at Glasgow Kayak Club, giving 25 hours a week to helping the members of the junior team realise their dreams.

Her success is shown in how much her group of 20 children adore her - and in their impressive medal haul earned under her watch.

Natasha's team won more than 120 medals in 2016 at both Regional and National level while a number of her athletes are the best in the UK in their respective classes.

In September at the last National Regatta of the season, in Nottingham, the group took home 24 medals: mini-sprint under-12 series, seven gold medals; paddle-ability K1, eight gold, two silver and four bronze; paddle-ability K2, two gold, two silver and two bronze; and the cup for the most points accumulated over all the regattas as well as a shield for most points generated across all the regattas.

Her team also won an impressive tally of medals at Strathclyde Park for the Scottish Sprint Championships last year.

The Geoff Sanders Trophy is a series of marathon races in single and double junior racing kayaks for paddlers aged eight to 12 years.

The club went to the September final in Worcester and finished in second place out of 56 clubs from all over the UK.

Natasha said: "With the kids, they train Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday for two hours and then I train seven days a week and my training sessions are up to two hours long.

"It's like a family.

"What I love, I think, is seeing the kids achieve their dreams and helping them get there.

"For most of the kids their goal is trying to win a medal. A medal win means so much to them and helps motivate them to progress.

"Each kid has their own goals and they are all at different levels so you need to tailor your approach to each one. For some, it's winning a medal.

"For others, just finishing a race is a huge achievement. Not everyone needs a medal to calls themselves a success.

"We have quite a few kids with autism and to see them developing has been really rewarding, more than anything else.

"It is amazing to know you are a part of helping the kids achieve their goals, especially as we are a small club. People underestimated us at the start."

Natasha, from Robroyston, began paddling nine years ago and joined Glasgow Kayak Club three-and-a-half years ago.

But an injury meant she had to put her dreams of competing on hold. Club founder Adam Rzepinski suggested she turn to coaching.

Natasha, who has won Youth Coach of the Year from the Scottish Canoe Association, said: "I picked up a shoulder injury that made scar tissue grow around my joints in my shoulder - I can't think of a time when I injured it, it's just always been like that, and it has got worse as I have got older.

"Adam suggested I try training and here I am.

"I like both coaching and paddling - there's different elements I like from each one. Like, for coaching, I enjoy passing on my my knowledge but for training, I enjoy seeing what it's like to go through so I can better understand how the kids are feeling."

For Natasha, long days are the norm. She's in the gym or on the water for 7am each day. Then it's off to City of Glasgow College where she is studying for an HND in Coaching and Developing Sport.

Even more impressively, Natasha has dyslexia, which held her back at school and dented her confidence. But with coaching, she finds her learning difficulty doesn't matter.

She said: "Paddling has given me confidence in myself and I can just be me. Now, if people judge me it doesn't matter.

"With coaching, I don't need to tell people about my dyslexia so it doesn't affect the way I coach. I feel confident standing up and coaching the kids, more than when I have to stand up and give a presentation at college.

"I get plenty of support that helps me and I have adapted.

"I'm hoping to move on to university next year and develop my coaching side and get more experience of different age groups.

"I also really hope to compete next year. I like to give myself new challenges."

But back to the awards and hearing her name called in the same list as Gregor Townsend.

Natasha added: "I was shocked when I heard. The whole club was going crazy and everyone keeps mentioning it so it's not just about me, it's been great for the club too.

"I'm there and it's nice to know people appreciate it."

There are 10 categories in the Sportsperson of the Year Award including the Evening Times Glasgow Volunteer of the Year and Young Sportsperson of the Year Award.

The awards will be presented at a glittering ceremony in the City Chambers on Friday.