Month: December 2022

Sport Toolkits: Supporting Vision Impaired Communities to Move More – 10th January

Tuesday 10 January

 

Sport Toolkits: Supporting VI communities to Move More, 1pm to 2pm

British Blind Sport and RNIB have released two toolkits for sight loss organisations and local sports club providers to support blind and partially sighted people to be more active. In this session, you will hear about the toolkit from British Blind Sport and how to work in partnership with local sports providers.

See Sport Differently aims to challenge perceptions and demonstrate that blind and partially sighted people can get involved with sport and physical activity. The new toolkits aim to provide sight loss organisations and sports clubs with the resources they need to encourage and support blind and partially sighted people to increase their levels of physical activity, ensuring that they can take part in activities, achieve their goals and experience the benefits of physical activity.

For more information about toolkits  please visit the Visionary Website (opens new window).

Christmas Greetings from All at SDS

Everyone involved with Scottish Disability Sport would like to take this opportunity to wish all athletes, coaches, volunteers, partners and key stakeholders a very merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year. We thank you all most sincerely for your hard work, commitment, achievements and support during the last 12 months. We all look forward to working with you further during 2023.

Nation’s top coaches honoured at 25th annual UK Coaching Awards

The most impactful coaches across the UK were recognised and celebrated at the 25th UK Coaching Awards ceremony held in Leeds on Tuesday, 6 December.

The awards – seen as the most prestigious within the coaching community – were created to recognise the remarkable contributions coaches make in providing high-quality coaching experiences, supporting people holistically on their journey through sport and physical activity, and promoting the physical and mental health of the nation.

From transforming lives and communities in the world of sport and physical activity, to blazing a trail for inclusion in all coaching environments, to celebrating the great coaching moments of the year in high performance sport, the coaching family was given a fitting celebration for their outstanding work.

The event recognised top coaches across the UK including the Lionesses’ Sarina Wiegman, British Cycling’s Simon Watt, and legendary UK Athletics coach Aston Moore for their invaluable contributions to the people and teams they coach, following a special year for major events and competitions, which included a home Commonwealth Games and Women’s European Championships.

From the initial list of finalists in each category, worthy winners have been chosen for each of the following awards:

Change a Life Award, supported by Sport England
Tony Kerr (paddlesports)

Community Coach of the Year – Adults, supported by Sport England
Jordan Bedford (multi-sport)

Community Coach of the Year – Children and Young People, supported by the Children’s Coaching Collaborative
Bob Mowlem (football)

High Performance Coach of the Year, supported by UK Sport
Simon Watts (cycling)

Online Coach of the Year
Beth Davidson (fencing)

Talent Development Coach of the Year
Peter Maliphant (orienteering)

Young Coach of the Year, supported by Reading Room
Lexie Williams (touch rugby / rugby union)

Coach Developer of the Year
Brogan Jones (multi-sport)

Coaching Podcast of the Year
Walking on Air (nordic walking)

Inclusive Coaching Award, supported by sportscotland
Worcester RFC Mixed Ability (rugby union)

Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Aston Moore (athletics)
  • Jim Hunter (athletics)

Great Coaching Moment
Sarina Wiegman – England end 56 years of hurt with victory at Euro 2022

Coaching Chain 

  • Peter Westbrook
  • Jane Sixsmith MBE
  • Tim Barlow
  • Jerome Goudie
  • Danny Kerry MBE
  • Karen Brown MBE
  • Craig Parnham
  • David Ralph

Mussabini Medallists

  • David Murdoch MBE – Curling
  • Scott MacBain – Para Alpine Skiing

UK Coaching CEO Mark Gannon said:

“What an honour it was to see so many inspirational coaches be recognised for their outstanding contributions to coaching.

“These coaches, and all our UK Coaching Awards finalists, don’t just support more people into physical activity and sport, they also change lives, tackle inequalities and help build communities. They also have an insatiable appetite to be the best versions of themselves in order to help their participants.

“I would like to extend a huge congratulations to all our winners. For our 25th UK Coaching Awards, the bar was raised once again, and it is so important that we acknowledge and thank all coaches, at all levels and in all settings, as they work tirelessly to support more people mentally and physically through physical activity and sport.”

After the public voted for the Great Coaching Moment of the Year, it was the Lionesses’ Sarina Weigman who was crowned champion for ending England’s 56 years of hurt with victory at Euro 2022. Sarina said:

“I feel very honoured to have been nominated for this award amongst other fantastic coaches, and I am very grateful for everyone who voted for me. I can’t say it enough, but all the credit goes to our group of players and staff.”

The coaches of Great Britain hockey player Laura Unsworth MBE won the 2022 Coaching Chain award. Laura paid tribute to the coaches who have played such an instrumental role on her journey to becoming the most decorated British hockey player of all time. In a special video tribute she praised each of the seven coaches individually, plus her mentor Jane Sixsmith MBE, before adding:

“My coaches helped me become the player I am today. So a massive thank you to each and every one of you. Thank you for everything you have done for me.”

Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award Jim Hunter, was honoured for his outstanding service to participants with disabilities, saying:

“I never imagined I would be part of the UK Coaching Awards process, and to be a winner of such a prestigious award is an incredible honour for me. Athletics and coaching has allowed me to travel across the UK, in Europe and beyond over the years. It is such a wonderful sport that allows anybody that wishes to take part, because it’s not just one sport, there are lots of ways for people to participate and we can ensure inclusivity with just a little thought and planning.”

Find out more about this year’s winners and the awards by heading to www.ukcoaching.org/uk-coaching-awards.

Be Active Be Well

We are delighted to mark International Day of People with Disabilities 2022 by launching the new Be Active Be Well campaign.

Be Active Be Well aims to encourage people with disabilities to improve their wellbeing by being more physically active, in a way that suits them. It will help provide people with the advice and support they need to find new opportunities for getting active.

The campaign is being run in partnership by Scottish Disability Sport, The Daily Mile, scottishathletics, SAMH, Paths for All, GOGA Tayside and sportscotland.

All these organisations will work together to promote the benefits that being physically active offers for the physical, mental and social wellbeing of people with disabilities. The campaign builds on the success of the previous, award-winning Be Active Be Well programme run by SDS and SAMH, which ran between 2020 and 2021, providing online activity and wellbeing sessions. This time around, we are delighted to be supporting and encouraging people into a wider range of activities, including in-person sessions.

At the heart of the campaign is personalised support for people with disabilities and/or those that support them, provided by Scottish Disability Sport. They will get to know the person’s interests, aspirations and abilities and can liaise with providers of sport and physical activity around Scotland, to help find the right opportunity to get active.

We can help people access a whole range of activities, not only those represented by the partners in the campaign.

We want to hear from you!

We can also offer support and advice to activity providers who want to make their sessions or facilities more accessible.

Chief Medical Officer, Gregor Smith, has given the campaign his backing. He said: “I passionately believe that physical activity is for everyone and I’m committed to creating opportunities to enable this. We should all feel included, and able to take part and access the benefits of being active.

“The Be Active Be Well campaign highlights opportunities for people with a disability to participate in sport and physical activity, providing positive experiences and opportunities for more people to be more active, more often.”

Athlete Kayleigh Haggo, who holds multiple world records at Frame Running, said: “Physical activity and sport are fun and have been positively life changing for me. There are activities to suit everyone, so give it a go, there will be an activity near you which you can try. Be Active Be Well.”

 

Two young boys using wheelchairs smile as they play a game of boccia together.

Success for Rescheduled Grampian Parasport Festival

 

After being rescheduled from September following the sad demise of Queen Elizabeth II, the 2022 Grampian Parasport Festival was an overwhelming success thanks to the efforts of a number of partner clubs and organisations working together.

This year’s attendees were treated to taster sessions in 7 different sports including judo which was introduced for the first time in Grampian this year. Kayaking, a firm favourite in 2021, also returned along with football/powerchair football, boccia, wheelchair basketball, table tennis, swimming and athletics.

After a busy day of sport, the participants had a surprise visit from Paralympic skiing gold medalists, Neil Simpson MBE and Andrew Simpson MBE who took some time out of their busy training schedule to meet the youngsters and collect the Angus Trophy which was awarded to them at this years SDS Awards event in September.

The event, held annually in the first class accessible facilities at Aberdeen Sports Village, provides an opportunity for children and young people in mainstream education across Moray, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire with physical disabilities, vision impairments or hearing loss to try out a range of adapted sport in a safe and welcoming environment. It also gives them the chance to meet other children with disabilities and for families to meet others with disabled children. The hope is that many of the attendees will try something new, develop an interest in sport and go on to participate in regular opportunities in their local area.

The Parasport Festival also serves as an invaluable education and CPD opportunity for coaches and students. It’s provides a unique experience of hands-on coaching and communication with multiple people with a variety of disability types and support needs in one location. We’re incredibly grateful to work in partnership with North East Scotland College, whose 75 Sports Coaching students and 40 Uniformed Services students underwent training and assisted with a variety of tasks including providing 1:1 support to participants, supporting coaches, directing traffic, liaising with operations staff, setting up equipment and leading groups of children.

The Parasport Festival wouldn’t be possible without the support of some of Grampian’s best clubs and organisations including Active Schools Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray, Scottish Swimming, Sport Aberdeen, Aberdeen Sports Village, Live Life Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen Kayak Club, Scottish Canoe Association, University of Aberdeen Canoe Club, Ultimate Judo, Banchory Community Football Club, Aberdeen & District Table Tennis Association, Aberdeen Amateur Athletics Club, Scottish Athletics, Grampian Flyers Wheelchair Basketball Club and Basketball Scotland.

Thanks also go to the Scottish Disability Sport staff who supported the event, and Grampian athletes (and Parasport Festival graduates) Jack Caird & Tegan Davidson who undertook registration and group leadership duties on the day.

If you, or anyone you know, lives with a physical, sensory or learning disability in Grampian or Shetland & is interested in getting involved in sport, please get in touch with Alison on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 07828 744 848.