The achievements of Craig Donaldson (Central Fife CSS and Kinghorn BC) and Wendy Thomson (East Fife CSS and St Andrews Bowling Club) cannot be underestimated. Craig has won the Turnbull Shield at the Scottish Lawn Bowls Championships organised by Scottish Disability Sport on seven occasions and four times in the last seven years. Wendy has just completed a treble of wins in successive years and won the Jessie Buchan Cup for the fourth time in five years. Both bowlers entered the championships as defending champions and successfully defended their titles. Rarely do the two national titles for bowlers with a learning disability return to the one Branch at the SDS.

Craig was inspired by his late father Bob to become involved in bowls and they played together often at the Kinghorn club. Both have been very committed club members for many years. Bob became a very enthusiastic supporter of DSF and regularly signed up for indoor, outdoor and carpet bowls events in Fife as a volunteer. Craig is a very successful all round sportsman and over the years has excelled in swimming, football, table tennis, badminton, track and field etc.

Wendy is a past winner of the Kilrymont St Andrews Athlete of the Year award and with that award comes a sports bursary. Wendy used her bursary to assist with her fees when she joined St Andrews Bowling Club and the rest is history. Playing at the St Andrews club and with support from staff at East Fife CSS her bowls has improved enormously over the last five years. Before this she travelled from St Andrews to Kirkcaldy weekly to access coaching support from Math Thomson at the Beveridge Park Club. Wendy is also an excellent indoor, carpet and ten pin bowler.

Bowls in Fife for players with physical, sensory or learning disabilities has been stronger. There are many inclusive bowling clubs across Fife and Disability Sport Fife members take full advantage of all that is on offer. Standards and number of participating players have improved accordingly.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

The hospitality extended to Disability Sport Fife (DSF) bowlers and support staff at the 2017 DSF Indoor Bowls Championships was as always exceptional. For almost thirty years East Fife Indoor Members have handed over their facilities to DSF to host their annual indoor championships. The 2017 event was arguably the most successful to date. Over five hours of continuous play, almost 50 ties and five singles titles contested for the leading Fife bowlers with a learning disability. A significant number of Fife bowlers are now members of mainstream clubs and this was reflected in the quality of the play.

The men’s open singles involved two of Scotland’s leading bowlers Craig Donaldson from Central Fife CSS and Kinghorn BC and Darryl Stewart from Cowdenbeath BC. As always they produced a closely contested tie with Darryl coming out on top on this occasion by only three shots. The third/fourth place play off involved Robert Anderson from Dovecot BC playing in the open section for the first time and the experienced Gary Handyside from Lumphinnans BC and West Fife CSS. Gary was a convincing winner but there is no doubt Robert’s day will come.

Pamela Mitchell from Headwell BC was in outstanding form in the Ladies open and went on to win every game on her way to the final where she met Wendy Thomson from East Fife CSS and St Andrews BC. In the final she improved still further and ran out a very worthy winner. Wendy was happy with her runner up trophy and Tanis Murphy from East Fife CSS and Windygates BC finished in third place. DSF is keen to attract women bowlers to the programme because the majority of players at the moment are male.

Willie Christie from East Fife CSS and Windygates BC was a worthy winner of the “B” competition with an unbeaten run straight through to the final. Robert McMahon from Central Fife CSS was runner up. Kevin Mustard from Central Fife CSS had a convincing win over Craig Houston from East Fife CSS in the final of the “C” section. Ryan Peterson from East Fife CSS and St Andrews BC defeated David Scott from East Fife CSS to win the “D” category event. This was Ryan’s first indoor title, rounding off an excellent day for the East Fife CSS bowlers.

The team of volunteer markers from bowling clubs in Central Fife worked exceptionally hard all day to deliver a top quality competition. Attention will focus on the month of November when the Fife Carpet Bowls Championships will be held at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre in Glenrothes.

Photos: Finalists in all five categories plus the markers for the finals.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Name: Sarah Ellis

Branch: Angus Disability Sport

Sport: Boccia

Club: Dundee Boccia Club & Tayside Boccia Squad

How did you get involved in your sport? I went to the para-sport festival in Aberdeen in 2016 and really loved the sport so I joined my clubs.

How long have you been playing your sport for? Around 10 months

Biggest Strength (as an athlete): I’m willing to recognise when I’ve made mistakes and learn from them

What’s the best thing about your sport? There is always something new to learn no matter if you’re at training or at competitions. I also love the atmosphere at competitions, the buzz that I feel is amazing!

What equipment do you need to take part in your sport? A set of boccia balls

Greatest sporting achievement: Silver in the junior section at the Lothian Open Boccia Championships

Favourite Para-athlete: Stephen Maguire, boccia player

Favourite athlete to compete against: Dan Bentley. He’s got Paralympic medals in boccia and I’ve learned so much from him.

Any advice for someone interested in your sport? Don’t be scared to come and give it a go! Boccia is a great way to improve your hand/ eye coordination and improve your confidence.

Sammi Kinghorn from the Scottish Borders is a double gold medallist from the recent World Para Athletics Championships in London. Sammi and coach Ian Mirfin MBE came across to Fife on Wednesday 6th September to lead a technical and training workshop for the Disability Sport Fife (DSF) wheelchair racing squad.

Sammi is a natural teacher and the Fife squad members are enthusiastic learners. Topics covered included wheelchair set up, positioning, pushing action, starts and bends etc. DSF coaches Pamela Robson, Gayle Sloan and David Brown had many questions and received many valuable responses. The Fife squad is currently preparing for the Scottish Track and Field Championships at Grangemouth in mid September.

Sammi brought along her three World Championships medals and passed them around the athletes and support personnel. The youngest member of the group, Niamh Currie, brought along her photo album that included a photo of Sammi. Not surprisingly the addition of Sammi’s signature added so much to the importance of that album.

Fife wheelchair racing squad members are Susanne McGrath, Callum Sloan, Jonny Brown, Niamh Currie and Graham McIntyre.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Scottish Disability Sport (Central) would like to launch the Regional Disability Events Calendar for the upcoming academic year (August 2017 – 2018).

Cheryl Willet, SDS Central RDM, would like to thank partners from Forth Valley Disability Sport, Clackmannanshire Council, Active Stirling, Falkirk Community Trust, Scottish Swimming, Scottish Athletics, Scottish Boccia and the Scottish Football Association for their ongoing support in collating this robust Calendar for the year ahead.

Please click on links below for information;

• Central Disability Sport Events & Coach Education Calendar (local, regional and national events)
• Sporting Events Descriptor
• Coach Education Descriptor
• FVDS Adult Programme
• GOGA Timetable

For any questions or to find out more information about disability sport in Central Scotland, please contact: Cheryl Willet – cheryl.willet@scottishdisabilitysport.com / Phone: 07577 830360

Thursday 31^st August – Sunday 3^rd September saw the School Games take place at Loughborough University. The 2017 School Games, delivered by the Youth Sport Trust (YST), are a major multi-sport event for the most talented young athletes across the UK.

School Games saw Tayside athletes Jack Milne & Ben Leitch represent Scotland at the elite event alongside Tayside referee Carolyn Wilson.

Dundee City Aquatics swimmer, Jack won a gold medal in the 100m fly, silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 100m backstroke. The Dundee native truly enjoyed his experience in Loughborough.

Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club wheelchair basketballer, Ben Leitch came home with a bronze medal in the Wheelchair Basketball competition. The Perth local made history as Scotland became the first Celtic nation to win a Wheelchair Basketball medal at School Games.

A huge Tayside congratulations must also go to Carolyn Wilson. Carolyn is a dedicated Wheelchair Basketball referee from Perth & Kinross who was selected to officiate the final of the elite level competition.

If you would like to find out more about sporting opportunities in Tayside, please contact Jennifer Scally at jennifer.scally@scottishdisabilitysport.com

Pictured: Jack Milne, with his silver medal from the 2017 School Games; Ben Leitch highlighting great shooting form whilst representing his country; Carolyn Wilson, pictured left before officiating the Wheelchair Basketball Final at the 2017 School Games.