Scottish Target Shooting is sad to report on the passing of Joan Watt. Joan has always been a great friend of shooting (and many others sports) and was recognised for a life dedicated to supporting Scottish sport and its athletes.

We’ve been asked to share these details for remembrance:

Joan passed peacefully at The Orchard Care Home on Wednesday 28 June 2023, aged 82 years. Beloved wife of Neill, loving mum of Stewart, sadly missed mother-in-law of Gillian and a great friend to many.
A Service of Celebration for Joan’s life will take place at The Devonvale Hall on Friday 7 July 2023 at 10am thereafter to Tillicoultry Cemetery to which all family and friends are respectfully invited.
Retiral offering in lieu of flowers to People’s Dispensary For Sick Animals & The Guide Dogs For The Blind Association.

Joan worked tirelessly for Scottish Target Shooting acting as the Child Protection Officer and the Anti-Doping Officer, as well as acting as Team Leader for the Shooting Team at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2016 and in Delhi in 2010.

She served as lead physiotherapist for British Shooting for many years, travelling extensively with both Shotgun and Rifle/Pistol, and was very much a leader within the World Class Performance Programme, working closely in particular with the then Performance Director John Leighton-Dyson. Joan was Team Leader for the Shooting Team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She excelled in everything she did as a practitioner, leader, administrator and educator and was simply a wonderful human being. Her wise council and calm manner could always be counted upon to support athletes and colleagues in the most stressful of environments.

A chartered physiotherapist, Joan contributed to her first Commonwealth Games as a Village Physiotherapist in 1970. Subsequently Joan served Scottish Commonwealth Games, and Team Scotland in physiotherapist roles at each Games since 1982 until 2002 , becoming Senior Physiotherapist in 1994 and Joint Head Physiotherapist in 1998 and was Head of Medical Services at Bisley in 2002. In the 2006 Melbourne and the Delhi 2010 Games, Joan was a well-respected and successful Shooting Team Leader.

Joan has also served as lead physiotherapist at Olympic Games, World and European Championships for athletics and shooting amongst other sports.

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

In 2017 she 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. In 2020 Joan was also recognised by Commonwealth Games Scotland, receiving life membership.

In 2018 Scottish Target Shooting nominated Joan to the Scottish Women in Sport Hall of Fame, when she became one of the inaugural inductees in that same year.

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.

Her friendship, advice and always welcoming smile will be sadly missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Neill, her wider family and many friends in the sporting world and beyond.