Month: September 2023

Abigail Bainbridge

Age
21

Hometown
Ardrossan

Branch
Ayrshire Sportsability

How did you get involved in sport or what would you like to get involved with?
I got involved in sport when I was really young to help keep me out of my wheelchair for longer and now I volunteer with SDS to help out whenever I can.

What motivated you to join the Young Person’s Sport panel?
To help improve inclusion for everyone within sports

If you could change anything, what would you change to improve disability
sport?
A new inclusion course for anyone within education to help improve experiences
with Physical education in schools

What are your sporting (or other) highlights?
Being a part of the womens GB para ice hockey squad.

What is your best achievement, sporting or otherwise?
Getting a channel 4 apprenticeship

Sport for Skills – Brynn Hauxwell, Young Start

The Young Start programme empowers young people (aged between 16 – 24) with a physical, learning and sensory disability throughout Scotland to develop their confidence and coaching skills over a one-year period.

Brynn is one of many of the young people who have taken the opportunities that Young Start has provided them and gained qualifications in coaching/leadership.

Brynn spoke to us about his experience of Young Start and how it opened up the pathway for him not only as a participant but to be able to give back and teach others.

Brynn has always been interested in sports and has recently discovered wheelchair basketball, wheelchair racing, fencing and motorsports. Not only has sport increased Brynn’s physical health but has more importantly improved his mental health. Having that shared interest with someone within the sport gives him someone to talk to and has built his confidence.

Young Start has allowed Brynn to complete both his Boccia and Goalball leaders qualification and he is currently working towards a coaching qualification in fencing. Brynn now shares his knowledge with other individuals with a disability, volunteering with a Boccia and Fencing club in Shetland and also by helping to set up and volunteer at Shetlands first ever Wheelchair Racing club.

Brynn said lots of skills he has learnt through playing sports such as general teamworking, confidence and problem solving allows Brynn to adapt the sport for each individual. Brynn feels through playing sport he is now not afraid to ask for help as it is how he learns, and Brynn has applied this throughout the programme as he continues to improve his coaching skills.

Brynn says the Young Start programme: “Has made a massive difference, boosted confidence in myself to teach others, give advice and coach. This has also transferred to my interactions in my day to day life.”

Young Start applications for the next cohort are now open and close on the 29th September.

Young Start Application form 

Brynn is at the side of the track in a blue racing wheelchair              Brynn is next to a motorsports car which is black and orange with his name on the front

Grampian to kick start this year’s Parasport Festival

Nine Parasport festivals will be held throughout Scotland over 2023/2024 season

Fife is the newest region in Scotland to be hosting a Parasport Festival, taking the number of festivals for this upcoming season to nine.  

Grampian kicks-off the festival season (2023/2024) this coming Friday, 15th September where young people will be able to participate in at least eight sports, including: athletics, table tennis, snow sports, kayaking, swimming, target sports, lawn bowls and judo.  

The Parasport Festivals provide an opportunity for school aged children with physical disabilities, hearing loss and vision impairments to try out disability sport. The festivals not only aim to provide young people with access to sport but also to act as a springboard for continued involvement in sport. This is achieved by highlighting throughout the day, clubs, events and sport organisations that are available locally.  

From the nine Parasport Festivals that took place last year, an impressive 50% of participants attended for the first time.  

“It is a great opportunity for people with disabilities to try new sports, meet friends and most of all show them that they can participate in sport”, said Loraine, a parent of a child that attended a Parasport festival last year.  

The festivals provide a great opportunity to showcase disability sport and pathways to competitive sport, on a local and national scale. 

“I have attended the West Parasport festival for a few years now and because of it I am now competing in wheelchair basketball and swimming. I enjoy it every year and looking forward to the next one,” said participant, Yannick Embley.  

 “Following on from the Parasport festival, I now play wheelchair basketball with Dundee Dragons which has enabled me to connect with other people, but the biggest thing is the fun from training and playing, keeping me fit”, commented Nathanael Scott, Parasport festival participant.  

As Fife prepares to host their first festival, Gayle Sloan (SDS’ Regional Manager for Fife), said: “Parasport Festivals are such a special event for all involved. Bringing together participants, clubs, coaches and volunteers from across Fife to celebrate inclusivity, health and wellbeing and friendship. We’re so excited to be hosting our first ever Fife Parasport Festival and being part of this unique experience.” 

The majority of Parasport festivals will take place in the first quarter of 2024. Fife’s festival will be held in February (date TBC) whilst the West (4th), Tayside (6th and 9th), Central (13th) and East (19th) will all take place throughout March. Dumfries and Galloway and Highland dates will be released at a later date.  

For more information about the Parasport festivals and how to get involved, please email: admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or call: 0131 317 1130 

Paratriathlon Athlete Search – Everyone Starts Somewhere!

This year British Triathlon will be holding events across the UK in October and November, come and take your first steps on the journey to becoming a potential Paralympic medallist.  During the event you will have the opportunity to take part a number of activities lead by GB coaches in the following:

  • Pool swim
  • Transition Games
  • Static Bike test
  • Run/Push

Full information can be found on the British Triathlon website here: https://www.britishtriathlon.org/paratriathlontalentid

Everyone starts somewhere 2023 with dates

Para Surf Scotland

History was made on the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of September 2023 with Scotland’s first ever Para Surfing National Championships and training weekend taking place at Dunnet Beach.

Three surfers from Aberdeenshire and one from East Lothian made the journey to the Scottish Surfing Federation event with water support and safety from SurfABLE Scotland and the Wave Project Scotland. An international SSF judging panel comprising of a South African, an Indonesian and Scot as well as an Australian contest director helped make this event a tremendous success as well as all other SSF volunteers on hand.

Full information and pictures can be seen on the Scottish Surfing Federation website here.

Gordon Reid & Alfie Hewett into First All-British Grand Slam Singles Final in Open Era

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid made history at the US Open in New York on Friday night when Hewett’s 6-0, 6-1 victory over Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez and Reid’s 6-0, 6-3 victory over Stephane Houdet of France resulted in the first all-British singles final at any of the four Grand Slam tournaments in the Open Era.

Both supported by the LTA’s Elite Wheelchair Programme, Hewett and then Reid each produced sensational performances in their respective semi-finals on Louis Armstrong Stadium as Hewett booked his place in his seventh successive men’s singles final in his seven US Open appearances since 2017. After completing victory over Fernandez with an ace after exactly an hour of play, world No.2 Hewett, said:

“It’s a good feeling. To reach another final is something I’m very happy with, but I set my standards high. It looks good out there, but I believe that can become my norm. It’s what we train for, to be able to produce performances like that.”

Looking ahead to the potential of an all-British final on Sunday, Hewett added:

“It’s good for British tennis, obviously, and it’s good for wheelchair tennis. In the UK we want to promote it as much as possible and having two Brits in a final, you can’t ask for much more. It really puts the sport on the map and exposes the sport to a wider audience.”

The first set of world No.7 Reid’s fourth US Open semi-final since 2013 was almost a carbon copy of Hewett’s performance as he took the opener after winning 24 points and restricted the Frenchman to just seven. After completing his victory in an hour and six minutes, Reid, the 2016 Australian Open and Wimbledon championl, said:    

“There have been a few tough losses here over the years and a few very close matches as well, so I’m ecstatic to finally get over the line and reach my first singles final here. I’m really happy with the performance today and I executed the game plan really well. I’m going to be up against someone I know really well and it’s going to be a big challenge, but I’m looking forward to the match already. I’ve got nothing to lose on Sunday.”

Elsewhere, Andy Lapthorne’s hopes of lifting a third US Open quad singles title came to an end after a 6-2, 6-1 loss to world No.1 Niels Vink of the Netherlands. Lapthorne will have chance to try and avenge that loss on Saturday when he partners South Africa’s Donald Ramphadi in the quad doubles final. The reigning French Open champions face No.1 seeds Sam Schroder and Vink.

Saturday’s penultimate day of play in New York will also see Derbyshire duo Dahnon Ward and Joshua Johns bid to complete a British title double as the second edition of the US Open Junior Wheelchair Tennis Championships comes to a close.

Ward, runner-up in the boys’ singles last year, returned to the final this year after beating Austrian second seed Maximilian Taucher 6-1, 6-3. He will now play Italian No.1 seed Francesco Felici.      

Meanwhile, Johns and Ward beat the No.2 seeds, Ivar van Rijt of the Netherlands and Australian Benjamin Wenzel,  7-6(5), 6-1 to reach the boys’ doubles final. They will now play American duo Charlie Cooper and Tomas Majetic for the title.

East Disability Badminton Come & Try Event

Badminton Scotland are delighted to be delivering a Disability Badminton Come and Try Session. This event is specifically designed to introduce young people and adults with a physical or learning disability to badminton.  Since Badminton is a Paralympic sport, we are on the lookout for those who have a physical disability to join our pathway programmes.

Date: 23rd September

Venue: Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS

Time: 14:00-16:00

Cost: no cost to attend

Register online here

Vacancy: Disability Sport Glasgow (SCIO) Vice Chairperson (Voluntary)

Disability Sport Glasgow (SCIO) are looking for a person to take up the position of Vice Chairperson within their Charitable Organisation.

Skills/Qualities Required:

  • Able to support Chair Person
  • Able to stand in for Chair in their absence
  • Enthusiastic, friendly, approachable
  • Good organisational skills
  • Prepared to make a regular time commitment
  • Prepared to make decisions when necessary
  • Able to undertake some public speaking and chair meetings
  • Able to delegate to committee members
  • Run efficient meetings

Main duties:

  1. Support and if required, manage the executive committee and the affairs of the Branch.
  2. In the Chair’s absence oversee and guide all decisions taken by the executive committee and sub committees.
  3. Help to prepare and submit any statutory documents that are required (OSCR, grant aid reports).
  4. Support the secretary on the agenda and reports. Be familiar with the Constitution, club rules, committee procedures and all SDS rules and regulations.
  5. Liaise and support the Treasurer to ensure that financial aspects are appropriately managed. Keep abreast of all developments from SDS that involve the Glasgow Branch.

This role would:

  • Allow the person to extend their professional network
  • Give development opportunities such as event management, Disability Awareness, Safeguarding
  • Allow the person to work with similarly minded colleagues to help shape and support a wide range and young people and adults with a disability often excluded from mainstream clubs.

For more information, please contact: John Owens (Chair Person) john.owens17@ntlworld.com, Mobile No: 07854 821053