Month: February 2022

Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association British Open 2022

28th February to 2nd March

The SWCA are holding their British Open from Monday 28th February to Tuesday 2nd March at the Peak, Stirling. The competition will be the second national wheelchair curling competition to be held in Scotland this season, with the SWCA Scottish Wheelchair Curling Championships to follow at the Ice Bowl, Dumfries from 20th to 22nd March.

We are very much looking forward to seeing many of our members take to the ice and compete again in what promises to be a great competition and a prelude to the Winter Paralympics in Beijing which start on Saturday 5th March. Everyone wishes the 5 Scots who make up Team GB good curling at the Paralympics; we will be cheering you all the way.

8 teams will play a round robin format starting Monday morning with 3 games scheduled for Monday and 2 games on both Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s sure to be a great few days of wheelchair curling with players from all over the country entered including defending champions Ian Donaldson and former Paralympic medalist Jim Gault.

All are welcome, why not come along and watch some great curling?

Anyone interested in finding out more about club wheelchair curling in Scotland, please have a look at our website where you will find information on wheelchair curling clubs and competitions in your area:

https://www.scottishwheelchaircurling.com/

14 Scots heading to the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games

SDS are delighted that 14 Scots have been named in the Paralympics GB squad for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

With 24 athletes selected to represent Paralympics GB, Scots make up 58% of the squad. The games begin on Friday 4th March running until Sunday 13th March and are expected to feature an estimated 600 athletes from more than 50 countries.

The following Scots have been selected:

Alpine Skiing

Shona Brownlee – Livingston

(Guide) Katie Guest – Perth

(Guide) Brett Wild – Glasgow

Neil Simpson – Banchory

(Guide) Andrew Simpson – Banchory

Nordic Skiing

Callum Deboys – Kirkmichael

Hope Gordon – Golspie

Scott Meenagh – Cumbernauld

Snowboard

Andy Macleod – Stirling

Curling

Meggan Dawson-Farrell – Tullibody

Gary Smith (alternate) – Edinburgh

Gregor Ewan – Elgin

Hugh Nibloe – Stranraer

David Melrose – Duns

Many congratulations to all athletes who have been selected and we wish everyone the best of luck in Beijing.

 

Independent Living Fund Scotland – Apply for funding and get involved in physical activity & sport this spring

As spring approaches are you looking to get out, meet new friends and get active?

Here are some reasons why you may want to get involved in physical activity and sport:

If you are aged between 16 and 25, have a disability and live in Scotland you could be eligible to up to £4000 in funding to try something new. Independent Living Fund Scotland is currently offering a Transition Fund to support you to try new activities and gain new experiences.

For more information and how to apply, follow the link below:

  Independent Living Fund Scotland

If you would like to get involved in physical activity and sport, our Regional Managers can find an appropriate activity for you in a welcoming and inclusive environment. You can contact your nearest Regional Manager here: Regional Contacts

  If you require further support to access information please give us a call on 0131 317 1130

CPISRA Summer Camp Opportunity

An exciting summer camp opportunity has arisen for young people between the age of 4 and 12 years with Cerebral Palsy or a related condition. This camp is taking place on 6-12 August 2022.

If you and your child would like to experience rock climbing, abseiling, high rope and canoeing in the great outdoors then this is the right camp for you.

It is being organised in conjunction with Calvert Trust. CPISRA have received funding to support 4 families to attend the camp. More information is available by emailing lauren.mcallister@cpisra.org.

Paratriathlon Talent Identification

British Triathlon has launched a search for athletes to join its Talent Identification pathway, aiming to find talented individuals with the potential to become medallists at future Paralympic Games. The campaign is looking for athletes with the following impairments:

  • Amputee
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Visual impairment
  • Neurological impairment (for example, cerebral palsy)

Paratriathlon is a relatively new additional to the Paralympic programme, included for the first time in 2016 and then again at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Paratriathlon is three sports in one and athletes compete over the ‘spring distance’ version, consisting of 750m open water swim, 20km bike, 5km run / push.

The current campaign is now live, with sign up open and any interested individuals can register their interest by clicking here. The process will invite interested athletes to attend a virtual event on 27th February and provide the opportunity to hear all about the sport, the classification system and the performance pathway.

When starting the journey in the sport, athletes do not necessarily need to have a background in triathlon and previous performance athletes have come from a range of sporting backgrounds, including swimming, athletics, cycling, football, rugby and rowing.

More information around Paratriathlon can be found by accessing the links below:

https://www.britishtriathlon.org/paratriathlontalentid

https://www.britishtriathlon.org/get-involved/paratriathlon

Photo credit @imagecomms

Details for inaugural Orkney and Shetland Parasport Festivals 2022

We are delighted to announce details for the inaugural  Scottish Disability Sport Orkney & Shetland Parasport Festivals 2022.


Orkney:

Date: Friday 25th March 2022

Time: 09:30 – 14:45

Venue: The Pickaquoy Centre, Muddisdale Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1LR


Shetland:

Date: Saturday 26th March 2022

Time: 10:00 – 15:00

Venue: Clickimin Leisure Complex, N Lochside, Lerwick, ZE1 0PJ


After the recent and difficult pandemic years, and with restrictions now easing to allow more sustainable activity, Orkney and Shetland have many opportunities for children and young people with a visual, hearing or physical disability to get involved in sport or physical activity at a local, regional and national level.

The Parasport Festival is designed to introduce pupils from mainstream schools with a physical, visual or hearing impairment to try new and exciting sports. It has been identified that these individuals are significantly under-represented when it comes to participating in weekly sport or physical activity. The activities selected reflect the strong club structure in the region and the key impact of the event is to provide a multisport opportunity to these pupils, identify talented individuals within specific sports, alongside channelling pupils onto local, regional club programmes and sessions.

We would like to welcome all pupils aged 10 – 18 to attend, whether they’re involved in sport currently or not. Please watch the 2018 and 2019 Central Parasport videos which highlight the aims and impacts of the event over the years, featuring testimonies from young people, parents, club coaches and professional officers.

The festival is a partnership event between Scottish Disability Sport, Active Schools Orkney, Active Schools Shetland, Inclusive Orkney and Ability Shetland. Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport along with Councils and local community club coaches to offer sessions in badminton, boccia, athletics, swimming, rugby and kayaking to young people across the Islands.

Booking information: How to apply

If you would like your son/ daughter/ pupil to attend the festival please complete the online registration form in the link below before the closing date of Monday 21st March 2022:

Shetland Parasport Festival

Orkney Parasport Festival

Gary Smith

Head and shoulders picture of Gary SmithAge: 52

Home town: Edinburgh

Sport: Wheelchair curling

Club: Lothian Wheelchair Curling Club

Coach: Sheila Swan

When and how did you get involved in sport?

I got involved in curling in 2015. I previously played wheelchair basketball but had to retire due to injury. My first ever basketball coach was Tom Killin, who went on to be a ParalympicsGB wheelchair curler. He asked me along to give it a try and from then on I was hooked! Ever since, he has always been there for me whenever I need advice and help. A massive influence on me.

How many Paralympic Games have you competed in?

None.

What are your ambitions for Beijing?

Like any athlete, your ambition must be going for gold, or at least medal. Time will tell if it happens. It requires us to all keep working hard and going in the same direction and have a bit of luck on the way, then who knows what will happen!

Do you have one piece of advice for an aspiring athlete?

Persevere! Keep working hard on every aspect of training as every small gain adds up. No matter how hard things get, never give up on your dreams!

Twitter: @garys35

Facebook: Gary Smith Wheelchair Curler

Instagram: Garysmith35

Central Parasport Festival 2022

We are delighted to announce details for the upcoming Scottish Disability Sport Central Parasport Festival 2022.

Date: Wednesday 30th March 2022 

Time: 10.00am – 3pm (9.30am arrival and registration) 

Venue: The Peak, Stirling Sports Village, Forthbank, Stirling FK8 1QZ 

After the recent and difficult pandemic years, and with restrictions now easing to allow more sustainable activity, we within Central Scotland have many opportunities for children and young people with a visual, hearing or physical disability to get involved in sport or physical activity at a local, regional and national level.  

The Parasport Festival is designed to introduce pupils from mainstream schools with a physical, visual or hearing impairment, aged P1-S6 to try new and exciting sports. It has been identified that these individuals are significantly under-represented when it comes to participating in weekly sport or physical activity. The activities selected reflect the strong club structure in the region and the key impact of the event is to provide a multisport opportunity to these pupils, identify talented individuals within specific sports, alongside channelling pupils onto local, regional club programmes and sessions. 

We would like to welcome back all pupils who have attended in the past, alongside engaging new pupils to attend for their first experience. Please watch our 2018 and 2019 Central Parasport videos which highlights the aims and impacts of the event over the years, featuring testimonies from young people, parents, club coaches and professional officers.

The festival is a partnership event between Scottish Disability Sport, Active Schools from Active Stirling, Clackmannanshire Council, Falkirk Community Trust and Forth Valley Disability Sport Branch/ Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport along with local community club coaches to offer sessions in badminton, boccia, football, wheelchair basketball, athletics, swimming, Wheelchair Curling, Para climbing and archery to young people across Central Scotland. We are also hopeful to have Paralympian guest speakers on the day to inspire our pupils to take part in disability sport.

Booking information: How to apply

If you would like your son/ daughter/ pupil to attend the festival please complete the online registration form in the link below before the closing date of Wednesday 16th March 2022:

Central Parasport Festival 2022

As a parent / guardian / carer/ teacher/ Active Schools Coordinator we would also welcome you to attend the event. Please note all pupils must be accompanied by an adult through the duration of the event.

Hard copy registration details can be found here:

Central Parasport Festival 2022 – Application form

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the event or disability sport in Central, please contact:

Cheryl Lappin– SDS Regional Development Manager for Central Scotland

Email: Cheryl.lappin@scottishdisabilitysport.com / Tel: 07577 830 360

Tokyo Paralympic Games logo

2020 Summer Paralympic Games – Tokyo, Japan

Name Hometown Sport G S B
Gary McCowan Dundonald Boccia (Ramp Assistant)
Jamie McCowan Dundonald Boccia
Linda McCowan Dundonald Boccia (Ramp Assistant)
Scott McCowan Dundonald Boccia
Stephen McGuire Hamilton Boccia
Nathan MacQueen Dumfries Para Archery
Ben Rowlings Bo’ness Para Athletics
Derek Rae Kirkcaldy Para Athletics
Jo Butterfield MBE Yorkshire Para Athletics
Libby Clegg MBE Newcastleton Para Athletics 1
Maria Lyle Dunbar Para Athletics 2
Melanie Woods Glasgow Para Athletics
Owen Miller Dunfermline Para Athletics 1
Sammi Kinghorn Gordon Para Athletics 1 1
Stefanie Reid MBE Texas Para Athletics
Aileen McGlynn OBE Paisley Para Cycling 1
Finlay Graham Strathpeffer Para Cycling 2
Jenny Holl Stirling Para Cycling (Pilot) 1 1
Neil Fachie MBE Aberdeen Para Cyling 1
Lewis Stewart Killearn Para Cycling (Pilot) 1
Lesley Stewart Blairgowrie Para Shooting
Andrew Mullen Glasgow Para Swimming
Conner Morrison Turriff Para Swimming
Louis Lawlor Glasgow Para Swimming
Scott Quin Loanhead Para Swimming 1
Stephen Clegg Newcastleton Para Swimming 1 2
Toni Shaw Aberdeen Para Swimming 1
Alison Peasgood Dunfermline Para Triathlon
Hazel MacLeod Edinburgh Para Triathlon (Guide)
Micky Yule Edinburgh Powerlifting 1
Jude Hamer Exeter Wheelchair Basketball
Robyn Love Ayr Wheelchair Basketball
Gordon Reid MBE Alexandria Wheelchair Tennis 1 1