SDS has taken advice and guidance from Scottish Government, Active Scotland, sportscotland and partner Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport in relation to a potential return to sport in Scotland. SDS also took into consideration the unique position of many disabled participants and athletes. At the forefront of our thoughts at all times was the safety and best interests of these athletes and players moving forwards.

Our aim was to provide SDS Branches and sports clubs with clarity and direction in relation to their planning whilst also ensuring the overall safety of participants and athletes. The following statements have been prepared for both National Events and the planned return to sport:

National Events

SDS has taken the decision that all national events including engagement days, para-sport festivals and national championships are to be cancelled for the remainder of 2020. All education and training sessions will take place online where possible with a further review for confirmed November dates in September. Any proposed conferences for the remainder of the year, including the AGM and Branch Conference may take place virtually with a decision made at the SDS Board Meeting in June. In September, a full review of the feasibility of events scheduled in early 2021 will take place. As this is an extremely fluid situation with an ever-changing landscape a return to activity will be continually reviewed on a case by case basis in light of the different demands on the various activities. As a multi-sport organisation advice from sportscotland, the sport-specific governing bodies, Active Scotland and the Scottish Government will continue to be considered. This decision is to provide clarity for branches and clubs to allow them to communicate effectively with their members.

Return to sport

The return of regional and national squad training will be considered on a case by case basis depending on the nature of the sport, the environment and the underlying health conditions of the athletes. Guidance and advice from sportscotland the sport-specific governing bodies, Active Scotland and the Scottish Government will also be considered. SDS will provide ongoing support and guidance on the return to sport in Scotland. It is a rapidly changing environment and SDS will endeavour to keep you up to date throughout.

If you have any queries please feel free to get in touch on 0131 317 1130 or admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Glasgow University Women’s Hockey Club (GUWHC) have recently completed the mammoth undertaking of climbing five of the world’s tallest buildings to raise funds for Scottish Disability Sport (SDS). The sponsorship event involved a team of 36 students take on the challenge over five days using the step machines in the university gym.

The students climbed the equivalent of 592 floors (that’s 10,064 steps) as follows:

• Day 1: The Shard (96 floors)
• Day 2: Empire State Building (102 floors)
• Day 3: One World Trade Centre (104 floors)
• Day 4: Shanghai Tower (127 floors)
• Day 5: Burj Khalifa (163 floors – the tallest building in the world!)

At the end of the challenge, GUWHC had raised a whopping £2,837.21 to support the work of SDS.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of GUWHC for this fantastic fundraising effort and for raising much needed funds to support disability sport in Scotland.

A promising young tennis player from Baillieston, Glasgow, has been selected for the LTA’s top support programme for junior wheelchair players.

Robertson, 15, is one of 12 high potential players chosen for the LTA Wheelchair National Age Group Programme (NAGP), which provides a variety of coaching, competition and educational support.

The programme is designed to educate and develop players as they transition through the LTA’s World Class Wheelchair Tennis Performance Pathway, allowing them to be best prepared to become elite international athletes.

As part of the NAGP, Robertson will have access to training and tournament guidance from LTA coaches, training camps, home training visits from LTA coaches and support to maintain a sport/life balance.

Robertson began playing wheelchair tennis at Scotstoun Leisure Centre in Glasgow when she was 11 and in normal circumstances she would still attend weekly wheelchair tennis sessions at Scoutstoun. However, webinars organised by the LTA have been an important part of her routine during lockdown

She is a three-time Scottish junior champion and in 2018 won the junior doubles title at the LTA’s British Open Wheelchair Tennis Championships with fellow Scot Ruari Logan.

Players who continue to show high potential at the end of their NAGP support will advance to the next stage of the pathway, the World Class Wheelchair Tennis Performance Programme, which currently supports multiple Grand Slam champions Gordon Reid, Alfie Hewett, Jordanne Whiley and Andy Lapthorne.

Rob Cross, LTA Wheelchair Performance Head Coach, said: “I would like to congratulate Ellie on her selection for the NAGP this year. She has shown great potential and now has access to a fantastic package of support which will hopefully allow her to develop even further, both as a player and a person. While we have a track record of producing high performing wheelchair tennis players in this country, the standards of the sport across the world continue to advance and this programme is designed to help us stay ahead of the pack and maximise the potential of our best players. The LTA World Class Wheelchair Tennis Performance Pathway provides a seamless route for our highest potential players to progress from junior competition to playing major tournaments. I wish Ellie and the other players selected for the NAGP every success as they continue their journey this year.”

Robertson said: “I am delighted about being picked for the NAGP, I am aware of the work and commitment that being part of this group will ​involve and will give 100 per cent dedication to it. I am really excited to be part of the group and look forward to the opportunities it will bring.”

For more information about the LTA Player Pathway and ten-year Performance Strategy, visit www.lta.org.uk.

2019 Sports Performer Awards:

For a limited time, South Lanarkshire Disability Sport are once again welcoming nominations for the 2019 Sports Performer of the Year Awards.

This is a great opportunity to recognise the sporting achievements of 2019 and if you missed out first time round you can submit a nomination by clicking the link below.

All applications already received will be considered and there is no need to reapply.

Good luck to all nominees.

South Lanarkshire Disability Sports – Sports Performer and Team of the Year 2019 nomination form

*Closing date for online entry will be Monday the 18^th May 2020 and winners will be announced on Monday the 25^th May 2020.

During lockdown, SDS is providing the opportunity for coaches to explore different concepts in short segments online.

The session themes have been selected to meet requests from coaches over the past year. There is no cost for these sessions – apart from your time.

If you are unable to attend on the specified dates and times, the content will be available to stream after each session.

You can register on the form below, or for more information please contact us on 0131 317 1130 or admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Do you need new ideas to continue being active, or would you like to know where to start? We have produced these activity cards which will are now available to download from our website here.

The cards were originally aimed at people leading sessions but also work brilliantly for us all in our homes. There are a number of activities which could be used:

• in a warm-up;
• to introduce fundamental skills;
• for striking and fielding type activities and games;
• for net, court and wall-based games; and
• for invasion games.

Each card identifies the different ways in which the STEP – Space, Task, Equipment, People – principle can be applied to modifying, adapting and progressing a session, and provides specific top tips relating to the effective inclusion of participants with impairments.

The STEP Principle video provides more information:

The Activity Inclusion Model video highlights inclusion in physical activity and sport:

You can download the PDF here: STEP and AIM

Over the next few weeks we will show how we have adapted the activities to do at home. For example:

• Use socks instead of ball
• Use a ribbon or old shirt for a target.

The most important thing is to have fun, fun and more fun!

SDS is delighted to welcome Phillippa MacDonald to the SDS team in her new post as Tayside Get Out Get Active (GOGA) Manager. Phillippa lives in Dundee, and joins SDS from her previous role as Health & Wellbeing Worker within NHS Tayside. She has also previously worked for Barnardo’s and Dundee City Council.

Phillippa will drive forward the GOGA Tayside health based programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together. The Spirit of 2012 and London Marathon Charitable Trust funded programme is being run in close partnership with NHS Tayside and will work through encouraging and supporting the very least active disabled and non-disabled people to be active together. Support will also be available enhance physical recreation opportunities and to provide training for key volunteers and staff.

We all wish Phillippa every success in her new position and look forward to the roll out of the GOGA programme across Tayside.

Lothian Disability Sport (LDS), Edinburgh Active Schools and dedicated parents from Blackhall Primary School have been working together to establish a Goalball session in the West of Edinburgh. This session began earlier this year, targeting primary pupils from the Blackhall area however is welcome to any primary school aged young people from across Edinburgh and across East of Scotland.

This session has been supported by Goalball UK and Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), however driven by a couple of enthusiastic volunteers who secured funding to develop the activity. The parent volunteers also recently completed a coaching qualification in the sport allowing them to deliver structured sessions to all attendees. The sessions at Blackhall PS have also been supported by upcoming star in the sport, Samantha Gough.

Currently, there are no other Goalball opportunities across the East of Scotland and LDS, in partnership with partners including Goalball UK and SDS, are aiming to establish a regular session for individuals of all ages looking to participate in the sport. Ideally, the session at Blackhall would lay the foundations for a regular opportunity in Edinburgh with the overall aim of developing a sustainable club.

Goalball, is an exciting Paralympic, indoor 3-a-side sport of attack and defend which is played by people who are blind or partially sighted. All players are required to wear eye shades so that nobody can see anything and ensures an even playing field for all. The idea of the game is quite simply to score goals by bowling the ball along the floor, past the opposing team. The ball has a bell in it, meaning players must rely on their other senses. To find out more about the sport, please visit www.goalballuk.com.

If you are interested in becoming involved with Goalball, please contact SDS Regional Manager (East) Neal Herbert on 0131 317 1130 or neal.herbert@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

UK Coaching is sharing some of their resources during this unprecedented time.

As we’re all working from home, our learning and development platform ukcoaching.org remains fully operational and is being updated regularly with great content and guidance to service the many coaches who have been directly affected by this virus.

To this end, we have temporarily unlocked 10 of our most valuable subscriber resources, making them available to all registered on UKCoaching.org.

These will remain freely available until 3 May.

The selection of tips, guidance, videos, webinars and expert opinions will give coaches the opportunity to take stock and reflect on their coaching practice.

1. The Power of Holistic Coaching: Why Coaches Should Develop the Whole Person
2. Understanding Self: Creating a Coaching Philosophy
3. Understanding the Individual: The Key to Helping Your Participants Thrive
4. Understanding Environment: Provide Your Participants With a Sense of Empowerment
5. Understanding Coaching Practice: Reflective Practice Essentials
6. Sports Psychology: Developing Mental Toughness
7. Athletic Development & Physical Preparation: The Importance of Fundamental Movement Skills
8. Health, Lifestyle & Wellbeing: Being a Mindful Coach
9. Building Relationships: Why Mastering the Coach-Athlete Relationship is Important
10. Skill Acquisition: How to Develop and Use Attention to Improve Performance

Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshops

Our traditional face-to-face safeguarding and protecting children workshop is now being delivered online – this move has been supported by the Child Protection in Sport Unit and bookings can now be made through our website. The course is also still worth three CPD points as accredited by CIMSPA  There’s a full statement should you require any more information.

Curious Coaches’ Club

Every Monday, we’re hosting a Curious Coaches’ Club for coaches to take part in engaging and insightful online coaching discussions. Attached are some infographics should you wish to share the opportunity across your social media channels.

How does it work?

The Club has three parts to it:

1. Coaches can watch and listen to ‘A Conversation About…’ between expert coaches live on a Monday or catch up with the previous episode on-demand via UKCoaching.org.
2. Coaches who have listened to the Monday webinar or watched it ‘on-demand’ can then engage and take part in a more in-depth conversation about the topic on Wednesday or Thursday (the same week) via a smaller, informal community of practice hosted by one of our team.
3. Coaches can also continue the conversation via ConnectedCoaches – our free online community for coaches of all sports and activities.

More information on the Curious Coaches’ Club, including bookings and upcoming sessions, can be found on our website.

Keeping people active at home

We have produced three infographics to give insightful guidance to coaches, parents and households on how to create great coaching experiences to those around them, whilst at home. They are:

• Coaching People Online: Tips for coaches on how to deliver sport and physical activity sessions remotely
• Encouraging Our Children to be Active: Tips for parents on encouraging their children to be active
• Coaching Yourself: Tips on how to create and sustain active habits – whether as individuals or as households

You can read the full story on our website.