What age are you?
18

What is your local Branch?
Ayrshire Sportsability

Where do you live?
Stewarton, East Ayrshire

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
SDS have always supported me throughout my sporting career and I felt it was time I gave something back. Also, I want to help make young disabled people aware of the opportunities that are out there for them.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Disability sailing

Event(s)/discipline?
As well as competing in the UK, I have also raced on the international circuit, taking part in competitions such as the Eurosaf European Para Sailing Championships, the European Hansa (the class of boat I sail) Championships and the Para World Sailing Championships.

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Coming 9th at the Para Worlds Sailing Championships in Spain, 2019

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?
One of my favourite sporting highlights was sailing at the Eurosaf European Para Sailing Championships in Austria 2019. I didn’t do very well in terms of position but the view was to die for!

What age are you?
18

What is your local Branch?
Angus Disability Sport

Where do you live?
Kirriemuir

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
I want to be able to give people like me the opportunity to see where I have been able to grow as an athlete and so that I can gain more knowledge with young people in sports.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Wheelchair racing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball

Event(s)/discipline?
100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 10K

What is your classification?
T54

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Being able to gain a 10 minute personal best in the Jedburgh 10k road race

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?
Being able to go to Switzerland in 2019 for a training camp and gain more knowledge within my sports and gain some personal bests whilst I was out there.

What are your sporting (or other) goals and aspirations?
To be able to get to the Paralympics one day to compete in the sport I love doing.

Sporting (or other) hero?
Samantha Kinghorn

What age are you?
18

What is your local Branch?
Glasgow Disability Sport

Where do you live?
Glasgow

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
To give the younger and aspiring athletes a voice and an opportunity to succeed.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Cerebral palsy football, golf

What is your classification?
2

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?

• Being accepted into the Scotland National CP Football Team
• Becoming a big brother

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?
Becoming champions in Barcelona 2019 (invitational trophy)

Sporting (or other) hero?
Cristiano Ronaldo, my dad

What age are you?
23

What is your local Branch?
Lothian Disability Sport

Where do you live?
West Lothian

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?

• To increase participation in sport and to make sure opportunities are available and known to do so
• To promote and raise the profile of para-sport
• To educate clubs on building an inclusive approach
• To share my passion for sport and how much it can have a positive impact on your life

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Main sport – swimming. Been trying wheelchair racing the last couple of months.

Event(s)/discipline?
5m free and 100m free

What is your classification?
S6 SB5 SM6

What is your best achievement, sporting or other?
11 Scottish Para Swimming records in S6, SB6 and SB5 classification

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?

• RGU Full Blues award
• Silver medal in 100m freestyle at BUCS in 2018
• Paralympic trials qualifier in 2016 and 2020
• Four bronze medals at Scottish Open in 2017 in 50m and 100m free, 100m back and 200m IM

What are your sporting (or other) goals and aspirations?

• Qualify for the Commonwealth Games in 2022
• Final at the British Para International Meet
• Graduate with an Honours degree in Sports Science

Sporting (or other) hero?
Ellie Simmonds, Duncan Scott and Toni Shaw

What age are you?
16

What is your local Branch?
Perth & Kinross Disability Sport

Where do you live?
Perth

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
I got involved in the YPSP because I want to bring disability sport to the more rural areas of Scotland. It also gives me opportunities to expand my career in sport.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby league, table tennis and boccia.

What is your classification?
2.5

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
My best achievement is winning the first Wheelchair Junior NBA with the Utah Jazz (Dundee Dragons).

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?

• Being given Player of the Year award at Perth Table Tennis
• I was a member of the Perth CAFE week of action

What are your sporting (or other) goals and aspirations?
I would like to become the best athlete I can while also inspiring people to reach their potential. I hope I can help people enjoy sport as much as I do. I would also like to show you can overcome a disability and use it to your advantage.

Sporting (or other) hero?
Muggsy Bogues

What age are you?
18

Where do you live?
East Kilbride

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
Sport is something I’m very passionate about and I hope to be a sports coach some day. I just want to learn more about disability sports and support and help young athletes any way I can just now and in the future.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Taekwondo and swimming. I just love all sports in general. I have not come across sports I cannot do or pick up very quickly yet.

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Taekwondo grading for my red belt. It was my first adult grading. I was the highest belt there so had to do 45 minutes on my own.

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?

• Silver medal for breaststroke
• Silver medal for cross country
• Head girl award, 2 x pupil of the year, lots of other school awards

What are your sporting (or other) goals and aspirations?
I hope to be a sports coach some day. I have a Level 4 in sports leadership. I’ve jsut started college doing a Level 4 Access to Sport and Fitness course. I hope to become a black belt at taekwondo. I’m a poolside helper at a swimming club and just love helping out, learning how to teach the young kids how to swim and dive. I hope to be a swimming instructor one day.

Sporting (or other) hero?
Andy Murray.

What age are you?
17

What is your local Branch?
Disability Sport Fife

Where do you live?
Dunfermline

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
To influence and positively impact disability sport for young people in Scotland.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Wheelchair racing.

Event(s)/discipline?
100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 10K

What is your classification?
T53

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
London Mini Marathon

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?
Finishing my first 10K

Sporting (or other) hero?
Lewis Hamilton, David Weir

What age are you?
24

What is your local Branch?
Forth Valley Disability Sport

Where do you live?
Forth Valley area

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
I got involved in the Young Persons Sport Panel because I wanted to learn more about Scottish Disability Sport and to be given the chance to give back to SDS. Also to promote learning disabilities throughout Scotland and fight for inclusion and equality.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
I am involved in so many different sports, however my main sports are athletics and swimming.

Event(s)/discipline?

For athletics my events are shot putt, discus, javelin, hammer and 11m sprint.

For swimming my events are 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle.

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Special Olympics 2013 in Bath where I won two silver medals for shot putt and 4x100m relay. Also the Special Olympics 2017 in Sheffield where I won two gold medals for shot putt and javelin and a bronze medal for the 4x100m relay. Also holding a Games record at the MENCAP Games for discus and javelin. I’m also the Special Olympics Athlete Ambassador for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Scotland.

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?

Representing Scotland Youth Darts Team at the Internationals in April 2013. Also winning Volunteer of the Year 2020 at Forth Valley Disability Sport Awards Night and winning the Events Champion of the Year 2020 at the Scottish Sports Futures Awards Night.

Sporting (or other) hero?
Jessica Ennis-Hill

What age are you?
22

What is your local Branch?
Disability Sport Fife / Glasgow Disability Sport

Where do you live?
Glasgow

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
I think young people have valuable insights and ideas and it is vital that we share our experiences of sport. On the YPSP I hope to contribute to creating positive environments where everyone can enjoy sport, develop themselves and gain a sense of belonging. I also want to learn about the obstacles that different people face when it comes to participating in sport, so that I can help them to realize their potential.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Swimming and coaching swimming

Event(s)/discipline?
50m, 100m, 400m freestyle

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Holding a British record as part of a relay team for a year.

What are you sporting (or other) highlights?
Applying for Young Start funding, coaching at Glenrothes Swimming Club, competing at British Swimming Championships.

What are your sporting (or other) goals and aspirations?
To learn and develop as a swimming coach and be part of an effective YPSP.

Sporting (or other) hero?
David Bowie.

What age are you?
20

What is your local Branch?
Lothian Disability Sport

Where do you live?
Dunbar, East Lothian

Why did you get involved in the YPSP?
I want to improve the pathway between starting out to elite sport and make it more accessible for young disabled athletes.

What sport(s) are you involved in?
Athletics

Event(s)/discipline?
100m and 200m

What is your classification?
T35

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Becoming double World Champion at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.

What are you sporting (or other) highlights?
Identifying that I was struggling with my mental health in 2018 and seeking help for that. I now have the same joy for life as I once had before.

What are your sporting (or other) goals and aspirations?
My next sporting goal is to compete at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Other aspirations for me are to gain different experiences, skills and complete my university degree to set myself up for after my athletics career.

Sporting (or other) hero?
I don’t necessarily have one person that inspires me. When I see someone doing well for themselves (in any setting or walk of life) it motivates me to push myself to the best of my ability.