LEAP Sport are launching an exciting project to share the experiences of young people in football.  The project is being run as part of LEAP Sport’s Youth Activist Academy in partnership with Football Vs Homophobia Youth Panel.

The project is the Football Vs Homophobia Coaches Toolkit. This will be a digital booklet which can be accessed by football coaches to allow them to gain extra knowledge of LGBTQI+ identities in youth sport. The booklet will consist of brief explanations of key terminology, case studies of the experiences of LGBTQI+ youth footballers and links to further resources so coaches can further explore and gain a deeper understanding of the topic.

In order to make the resource as valuable as possible, we would like to speak to as many people aged under 25 who identify as LGBTQI+ who: are interested in football; are currently involved in youth football; or have previously been involved in youth football.

We are looking for all sorts of experiences. Whether they be positive examples, negative examples or examples of how football could be a safer space, we want to share the voices of young people to make sure football can make necessary steps to become inclusive for all.

For those aged 16+, they can contact us directly at the email below. For anybody under the age of 16, we will require a trusted adult to be part of the email conversation.

Contact: coachestoolkit@leapsports.org

Garry Brown is a CP7 according to Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA), and a right-side hemiplegic. But it is not something that has ever even remotely slowed him down. With two stellar sporting careers under his belt, Garry is just warming up.

He was only 9-years old when he entered his first swimming competition representing Scotland at the British Junior Championship.

What began as a form of exercise on advice from his doctor as a child, led Garry to win more than 1000 medals across the course of his international swimming career.

But in the year 2000, Garry swapped the pool for the lawn and is yet again taking the international stage by storm.

In 2018, Garry represented Scotland in lawn bowls at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“It’s the highest honour a bowler – able-bodied or disabled – can get and highest level at which we can compete,” he says.

What was his journey to playing lawn bowls at an international level?

Garry says his journey to competing on the international lawn bowls stage has been hard and full of long and countless hours of practice for many competitions.

While he was social bowling right alongside his competitive swimming career, it wasn’t until he retired his bathing cap that he took bowls more seriously.

“I was spotted at a talent identification day by Scottish Disability Sport and was asked to attend a squad session with coaches,” says Garry.

Once there, he was invited to be part of the Scottish team who would go on to compete at the British Championships.

“It all just spiralled from there,” he says.

“I’ve been a member of outdoor and indoor clubs since 2000, competing in many competitions alongside able-bodied bowlers.”

He’s achieved great things, but were there challenges?

“The main challenge to overcome being an athlete with CP is in building up stamina and muscle memory,” says Garry.

“I needed to train my body to do the same thing again and again.

“But I haven’t really had any challenges,” he says modestly.

“My club mates have been first class and are always there to help.”

How important are competitive sports for the CP community?

“It’s extremely important,” Garry says.

“Every athlete has got to have a goal and something to work towards and competitive to work towards.

“Competitive sport gives everyone that. It’s a great way to get notice, accepted and show that we are no different,” he says.

What about young people living with CP who are thinking about competitive sport?

Garry’s advice: Do it!

“There are so many sports and there’s one for everyone,” he says.

“It’s a great way to meet people and also to get exercise.”

His parting words,” Smash barriers and reach new highs while maybe winning awards and medals.”

Scotland under 14 and under 18 sides travelled south of the border at the weekend (3^rd / 4^th August) to compete in the British Wheelchair Basketball National Junior Championships, sponsored by the Lord’s Taverners.  The games were hosted at the University of Worcester and invited players from across the United Kingdom to showcase their skills and test themselves against their peers.

The Scotland under 14 side finished day one 2^nd in their group, winning four matches and losing one to set up a semi-final against their Wales counterparts on day 2.  The youngsters continued their good form, claiming a comprehensive 22-12 victory before falling just short in the gold medal match against the Midlands (22-13) to claim second spot and the silver medal.

In addition to the team achievement, Lothian Phoenix player Ben Flanigan was awarded the U14 most improved player to cap off a wonderful weekend for the young Scots.

Scotland under 14 head coach Conor Smart said post championships, ‘I couldn’t be prouder of the squad.  They gave everything they had in the face of tough opposition.  I’m really pleased to come home with a silver medal and looking forward to returning next year’.

The U18 squad went unbeaten on day 1, claiming 4 victories from a possible 4 including a 2 point match with East Midlands (28-26) to finish top of their pool.  On day 2, they were matched with the South East at the quarter final stage and went down 22-14, ending their journey in the competition.  However the under 18 side galvanised to defeat Northern Ireland 24-18 to set up a 5^th/6^th place play-off match against the East Midlands which they won 27-23 to finish in 5^th place overall.  This result meant that Scotland only lost one match from seven throughout the tournament.

Head coach Jen Scally reflected on the team’s performance, ‘We had a difficult start in the quarter-final.  Whilst tough at the time, it was fantastic to see how the team handles this.  They bounced ack well for the final games.  I’m proud of the character we displayed in adversity’.

Squad lists for both the under 14 and under 18 teams can be found below –

Scotland U14 Squad:

First Name	Surname	Club
David	McLaughlin	Lothian Phoenix
Sophie	Dewar	Lothian Phoenix
Ben	Flanigan	Lothian Phoenix
Charlie	Redmond	Lothian Phoenix
Daniel	McLaughlin	Glasgow Rollin Rocks
Shayne	Humphries	Dundee Dragons
Callum	Smith	Grampian Flyers
Finlay	Erskine	Lothian Phoenix
Nathaneal	Scott	Dundee Dragons
Owen	Leitch	Dundee Dragons

 

Scotland U18 Squad:

First Name	Surname	Club
Rhys	Colliar	Dundee Dragons
Jason	Gillies	Lothian Phoenix
Blair	Marshall	Dundee Dragons
Jack	Caird	Grampian Flyers
Adam	Donnachie	Lothian Phoenix
Logan	Kidd	Lothian Phoenix
Ben	Leitch	Glasgow Rollin Rocks
Cameron	Watson	Lothian Phoenix
James	Beattie	Glasgow Rollin Rocks