Month: April 2020

Community Sport And COVID-19 Webinar

How is COVID-19 changing Scotland’s sport sector? How are we responding and preparing for life afterwards? And what will society and community sport look like a year from now?

The OSS is staging a free webinar for people involved in all aspects of community sport where we will put key questions to leaders at sport’s coal-face.

Chaired by David Ferguson, Executive Director of the OSS, the panel for our first webinar will be Billy Garrett, Director of Sport and Events at Glasgow Life, the leading sport and leisure trust in Scotland; Craig Graham, chairman of Edinburgh community club Spartans FC, whose Ainslie Park facility has become a food distribution point to help communities through coronavirus; and Keith Russell, CEO of Badminton Scotland and former SRU Director of Rugby.

The webinar will take place on: Thursday 16 April, 2020 (1pm-2pm) – see link below for details.

https://www.oss.scot/community-sport-and-covid-19-challenges-and-opportunities-free-webinar/

Seoul Paralympic Games – 1988

One of my favourite photos from the Paralympic Games in Seoul in 1988
Carol Johnstone from Lothian and Kerry Taylor from Dunfermline in Fife were two of the leading athletes in their respective sports at the height of their careers.
Carol excelled in boccia and Kerry was a multi Paralympic medallist in athletics. Each of these athletes competed in a power wheelchair in the class specifically for the most physically challenged Para athletes. Carol competed in the BC 1 class in boccia and Kerry in class F31 in athletics. They were both remarkable in their respective sports despite the very high level of dysfunction that resulted from their cerebral palsy.
Apart from their great skills they were the life and soul of every team they were part of. In popularity terms they were off the scale. You could always guarantee to see them surrounded by athletes in the Games village. Sociable and fun loving were their trade marks. Exceptional talent however is what got them there in the first place.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

Forth Valley Para Bowler More Determined Than Ever

I have known and respected Fraser Mathieson from Forth Valley Disability Sport for many years. Probably our paths first crossed when Fraser was entered by his local branch for the SDS national bowls championships at the Westburn Park in Aberdeen? However, it may have been earlier because I am convinced, we have known one another for many more years?
Like so many other youngsters with cerebral palsy, Fraser’s devoted parents concentrated on Fraser’s communication challenges and mobility during his early years. There was never any doubt in their minds that Fraser would attend mainstream Primary and Secondary schools and he would be encouraged to be active as active as possible. Sitting around was never an option and as expected Fraser lived up to expectations, successfully completed his schooling and heading off to Stirling University.
Fraser started horse riding at age 6 and successfully competed at local, Scottish and British events with the RDA. Fraser was introduced to bowls at mainstream summer camps and very soon the sport became his passion at club level.
Engagement in local and national Para bowls events followed and after seven years Fraser was invited to be part of the SDS junior development programme and this is where he first met Bob Dick, who was the lead coach in Scottish para bowls at the time. Fraser is indebted to Bob for the role he played in encouraging him during those early years and motivating him to strive for the highest honours in Para bowls.
Fraser’s proudest moments were being selected for Scotland for the 2004 IPC World championships in Malaysia and thereafter the 2005 CP-ISRA World Games in Connecticut. Fortunately, Fraser was able to juggle training and competing while studying at Stirling University. Fraser hopes that his job as an application developer does not prevent him representing Scotland in future years.
Like all of Scotland’s leading Para bowlers, Fraser appreciates that International Para bowls is highly competitive. Scotland has many world class Para bowlers across all IBD Para bowls classes and within his class of B6 there are several very experienced and talented Scottish bowlers. Selection for Team Scotland has always been tough and over the past decade Fraser is proud that he has been able to dip in and out of Scottish teams. Gaining these experiences has made him more determined to keep training and practicing and, in the hope, that further representative honours will come his way.
Fraser identifies his major regret as being unable to medal at the 2015 CP-ISRA World Games in Nottingham, considering he was only a few millimetres away from a guaranteed medal. Being selected for the Bowls Scotland High Performance Squad in 2017 has encouraged Fraser to continue to believe that one day he may represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games and/or the IBD World Championships.
Fraser appreciates that as more Para bowlers are identified then competition will be more intense, but he is up for the challenge. Fraser believes he is older and wiser and being part of the national squad, competing overseas and at home has made him a stronger person and a much better bowler.
Fraser acknowledges the many friends he has made through Para bowlers and the many coaches and significant others who have supported him over the years. Not surprisingly he acknowledges the critical role his parents have played throughout his life and how much they have instilled confidence, belief and determination.
Fraser particularly enjoyed the CPISRA Games and will do all he can to challenge for selection for future Games and all that those Games offer to participants with cerebral palsy from all over the world. Fraser is a proud Scot who recognises that the network of friends he has built up through sports have enhanced his life enormously.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

Fife swim team circa late 90s – Inter Region Gala

Many thanks to Lara Ferguson for these two great photos taken at Drumchapel pool in the late 90s when Team Fife completed the swimming double by winning the Glasgow University Athletic Union Team Trophy and the BNOC Relay Cup.
The Inter Region Gala was set up in 1981, the International Year of Disabled People, as a head to head between the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. It was the brainchild of the late Bob Mitchell OBE, President of Scottish Disability Sport and supported by Glasgow University Athletic Union.
Participating teams included physically and visually impaired swimmers only and each swimmer was restricted to two swims. Each team had 40 competitor swims and the gala was time banded using the SDS classification system. The Inter Region Gala became one of the most popular events in the Scottish calendar of events and offered swimmers of all levels of ability to compete for their home branch of SDS.
Disability Sport Fife joined the event in 1982 and thereafter a combined team of Tayside and Grampian swimmers. The gala moved around the country and it was a sad day when the final gala was held. One of the highlights of the Inter Region Gala was that Paralympic swimmers competed in the same team as novice swimmers for team points.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

First Fife CP Athletics Squad

I came across this old 80s photo of the first Fife squad of athletes with cerebral palsy to compete in the Scottish Track and Field Championships organised by the Scottish CP sports group. At the time the sports group was part of the Scottish Council for Spastics, now appropriately renamed Capability Scotland.
The driving forces behind these championships and others were Commander Archie Cameron, Mary Aitken and Jim Thomson from SCS. They paved the way for a significant involvement of Scottish athletes with cerebral palsy to be involved in international track and field for the next three to four decades. There was early engagement with Scottish Disability Sport (SSAD at the time) and the two organisations planned and helped shape the futures of outstanding Scottish athletes/swimmers/boccia players with cerebral palsy including Colin Keay, Caroline Baird MBE, William McQueen, Maxwell McKay Gordon Robertson MBE, Jimmy Sands, Stephen Payton, Richie Collins, Keith Gardner, Pauline Latto, Anne Woffinden, Carol Johnston, Jimmy Maxwell plus many others.
From this early group of nine Fife athletes Colin Keay from Kirkcaldy and Ann Swann from Methil were selected for the Paralympic Games in New York in 1984. Each was a multi medallist in Nassau County at Hoffstra University in the very first SCS/SSAD partnership involvement in a Paralympic games. Commander Cameron was the President of the International Paralympic movement at the time, a huge honour for Scotland and the SCS. Ronald Raegan was the President of the United States and together they welcomed all of us proud Scots as members of a wonderful 1984 Team GB. Nobody appreciated at the time how important these Games would be in the development of local, national and international Para sport.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

First Fife Carpet Bowls Championships

In searching my photo archives for the next article for the Facebook page, I came across one of the oldest pictures in the 40 years plus history of Disability Sport Fife.
The photo was taken at Lynebank hospital in Dunfermline and the occasion was the first Fife Carpet Bowls Championships. Alex McLean and some of his bowler friends turned out as markers and we had entries from adult bowlers with a physical, sensory or learning disability. The photo is of the section winners and the year was 1977, almost two years after I moved to Fife to take up my post at the Fife Sports Institute.
Sadly almost all of the section winners have passed away but Pamela Mitchell and Robert McMahon who appear on this historic picture are still competing in the Fife Championships. The full list of winners was as follows:
Eilleen Fairgrieve; Robert McMahon; John McConnachie; Pamela Mitchell; David Laing; Mair Scott; Sadie Dunnigan; David Thomson. Sadie is proudly holding the Val Harley Memorial Trophy which is one of the most sought after and classic trophies in our movement. Carpet bowls is played extensively throughout Fife and in 2020 we had a full line up of juniors taking part from Fife secondary schools.
In 1981, the International Year of Disabled People, Disability Sport Fife collaborated with Fife Council and Scottish Disability Sport to introduce carpet bowls to the national calendar of events. The first Championships were held at the Lochgelly Centre in Fife and next year will be the 40th anniversary year of the championships. The recognised home is now the Dundee International Sports Centre (DISC) and Dundee City Disability Sport is the key partner along with Scottish Disability Sport.
Over the years the Scottish Carpet Bowls Championships have been hosted by the Lothian, Forth Valley, Glasgow, Highland, Fife and Dundee branches of SDS. Carpet bowls offers the opportunity for bowlers to progress to indoor and outdoor bowls where further competitions exist plus of course the opportunity for mainstream club membership and all that this offers.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

Dundee City Disability Sport Positions

Formed in 1981, the purpose of Dundee City Disability Sport is to coordinate and support the provision of recreational activities for people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities. Dundee City Disability Sport is a branch of Scottish Disability Sport and runs a well-attended and nationally recognised Discovery Games every September. The organisation’s aim over the next two years is to increase its support to the affiliated clubs, groups and individuals while maintaining the quality service it provides.

The Board of Trustees is now seeking to recruit a new Chairperson and new Trustees to lead and assist with the ongoing development of the organisation. Following the recent appointment of a Branch Coordinator, Dundee City Disability Sport is increasing its support to affiliated clubs and organisations and developing its partnerships with local and national bodies. This is an exciting time for the branch and provides a new Chairperson and Trustees the opportunity to direct the activities of the branch and its paid officer during a period of growth and revitalisation. All positions are on a voluntary basis with workload expected to be no more than one day per month.

Applications in the form of CV can be submitted to dundeecitydisabilitysport@gmail.com

Closing date: Sunday 19th April

DCDS Chairperson Trustees
DCDS Board Member Trustee

Branch Communication Update 2

Hi everyone,

Further to the first SDS Branch Communication sent out on 27 March here is the next edition for the Easter period.

SDS hopes everyone and their families are keeping well in these very uncertain and challenging times. We have tried to pull together some information that you may find useful over this time and we would be delighted to support further on any of the topics listed below, or indeed, any that aren’t but are of significance to anyone within your branches.

  1. Dates for your diary:
    • Branch Networking Day: SDS are holding a Branch Networking Day on 13 May. Thanks to those of you have responded already telling us who will be in attendance. Please let us know of any further attendees by 14 April.
    • 21 September: SDS AGM, Awards and Branch Conference. Nominations for SDS Awards will be sent out in June. Please consider who you wish to nominate
    • SDS will keep all branches up to date with any amended dates for your diary as and when the picture becomes clearer.
    • New Paralympic Dates 24 August – 5 September 2021
  1. Information and Support during the Covid-19
    • Sportscotland: Support for Club and Community Sport Organisation Information on accessing funding and furlough can be found here amongst other useful content.
    • The Sportscotland Institute of Sport has released more information for people during this period relating to health, fitness and nutrition.
    • SAMH has a number of useful resources during this period promoting good mental health. SAMH is the Scottish Association for Mental Health.
    • A useful online resource for coaches can be found on the UK Coaching website. E-learning courses (paid content), Online Classrooms, Live Webinars and an online community are all available.
  1. Some branches have been asking us for signposts to activity content and ideas. For those on twitter use the #stayhomestayactive to access various exercises and ideas to keep athletes working hard at home. We have also attached a range of different activity cards which feature different types of activity and ways of adapting to promote inclusion. Joe Wicks (amongst many others) continues to provide opportunities to be active through his The Body Coach Youtube Channel.
  2. Boccia Lockdown League: Although we are currently in lockdown there are still ways of playing and competing against others in the wonderful sport of Boccia. This is a 6 week fun online competition. Sign-up through the link at the start.
  3. Why not try an online quiz with your participants? SDS ran a quiz for the Young Person’s Sport Panel, Young Start programme and Boccia Squad using the Kahoot app and presented using a video-conferencing app. The feedback from the participants was positive, citing the opportunity to interact socially with their peers and see familiar faces and have some fun was of the most value.
  4. Insurance Document: Some branches have requested evidence of the public liability cover contained within the general SDS policy. It is attached for your reference.

Please do get in touch if SDS can be of any assistance in any way.

Please keep safe and well and we looking forward to seeing you soon.

Fife Junior Para Swimmer Rising through the Ranks

Continuing on the theme of “Fife Futures” and the ones to watch, the focus of this article is on teenager Cameron Hemphill from Ladybank and Bell Baxter HS. Cameron is a member of Carnegie Swimming Club, having started out in DSF sessions at Cupar and Glenrothes, before moving to Cupar and District and then on to InCas. Cameron is Fife’s leading physically disabled Para swimmer living in Fife.
Throughout his career, Cameron has been tremendously well supported by all members of his family and more recently his strength and conditioning programme has been supervised by Stuart Bizzarri from the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust. Cameron was introduced to competitive swimming at the Disability Sport Fife swimming championships.
Cameron’s 6 year journey to date:
  • November 2013 First SDS Junior Swimming Championships Grangemouth
  • November 2014 Second SDS Junior Champs November Grangemouth
  • Cameron’s first classification in June 2016 = S10 SB9 SM10
  • Following classification Cameron is invited to join Scottish Squad
  • National Para-swimming Championships 2016 in Manchester
  • Move to InCAS to train under Garrie Roberts, and an increase in training intensity
  • Awarded most improved swimmer trophy at the 2017 Disability Sport Fife Annual Awards
  • Cameron with Garrie at the Scottish Open Swimming Championships in 2018 at Tollcross – Glasgow
  • Cameron competing at his first British Para Swimming International Meet 2019 at Tollcross.
In six years Cameron Hemphill has progressed brilliantly in para swimming and is currently a young ambassador with Scottish Swimming. Commitment, determination and strong family support are key to success and Cameron has it all in abundance. Disability Sport Fife is proud to have played a part in Cameron’s journey to date and recognises that this young man still has so much to offer.
These are challenging times for para swimmers without access to water but Cameron is fully committed to his home based land training and this hopefully will keep him on track until normality returns.
Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO ) Board of Charity Trustees