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.

 

Monday 4th September saw the success of the Central Inclusive Athletics Workshop delivered by Shona Malcolm OBE from scottishathletics and hosted by Falkirk Community Trust at Grangemouth Stadium. 15 enthusiastic coaches, teachers and volunteers from across the Forth Valley area attended the workshop that included topics such as:

• Technical knowledge in working with Race Runners, Wheelchair athletes, Seated Throwers and an introduction to Guided Running
• National and International Classification
• The competition pathways within disability sport

Many thanks to Falkirk Community Trust for hosting the workshop and Scottish Athletics for tutoring the course.

To find out more information about disability sport in Central Scotland, please contact: Cheryl Willet SDS RDM – cheryl.willet@scottishdisabilitysport.com / Phone: 07577 830360

 

Disability Sport Fife coaches Pamela Robson and Gayle Sloan plus support staff were up in Perth this weekend with some of the Fife junior track and field squad for the Perth Open Track and Field Championships.

All athletes medalled but most importantly the coaches paid tribute to the quality of support they displayed towards one another and the respect they demonstrated towards the other competitors.

The Championships were a great success and many thanks to the organisers. There were lots of smiling faces throughout the day and many excellent performances from the Fife youngsters.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Congratulations to S14 swimmer Cerys Venters Scott who recorded a time of 00:17:57 for the half mile course at the Great Scottish Swim in Loch Lomond. This was the first appearance by Cerys in an open water event and surely will not be her last. Despite a rather frantic but typical open water start, out of 350 starters Cerys finished 49th and in the 0-19 age group she was placed 27th.

Cerys and experienced open water swimmer Kirsty Brunton have been training together at Kinghorn Loch. The two Disability Sport Fife swimmers hit it off and the performance by the young Fife teenager is a clear indication of the special relationship. Up until recently Cerys has been coached by Garrie Roberts at Incas but she has now moved to Carnegie SC.

One of the highlights of her first open water swim was meeting Jack Burnell, European Silver medalist and Olympic finalist in the 10K marathon swim.

Loch Lomond was a wonderful experience for this young rising Fife star in S14 junior swimming.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Two years ago Mike and Joan Mowat signed up for a How to Coach Disabled People in Sport Workshop organised by Disability Sport Fife.  Since then so much has happened at Dovecot Bowling Club in Glenrothes. Club members have embraced the ethos of inclusive bowls totally and a small but hugely enthusiastic group of bowlers has taken to the sport and are now fully committed to the club programme of coaching, training and competition.

Thanks to a start up bursary form the Association of Rotary Clubs Fife, Disability Sport Fife (DSF) was able to invest in equipment and clothing. The Dovecot Club offered reduced fees and DSF was able to offer financial support to assist with club memberships. The programme was launched very quickly and has now gone from strength to strength.

Initially the development centered on specific coach led sessions but has now moved to full club engagement. DSF members have played in the club open pairs competition and I learned recently that one DSF member Sandy Allan is featuring in a friendly with Kingskettle Bowling Club. DSF member Allan Robertson is scheduled to play in a friendly later in the month.

DSF member Robert Anderson played in the semi final of Dovecot Park Bowling Club’s Novice Trophy. Robert lost the first 12 shots in a first to 21 game before he overcame his nervousness. The score went to 18 all before Robert won 21 to 18. The gallery of club members was very impressed with how the players have progressed. Driving force Mike Mowat is paired with Robert and DSF members Sandy Allan and Stephen Anderson are paired together for the club Open Pairs Competition.

Well done to Dovecot Bowling Club members who have embraced this bowls development project so enthusiastically. Robert Anderson, Stephen Anderson, Adam Faulds, Briony Clark, Sandy Allan, Allan Robertson, and Mandy Robertson have been welcomed, encouraged and supported throughout their time as members of the Dovecot Club. The success has been the enthusiasm of the club members to make this project a success and DSF plans to introduce more new members in the weeks and months ahead.

The DSF members of Dovecot Bowling Club head to Aberhill Bowling Club in Methil for the 2017 Fife Indoor Championships for placers with a learning disability early in September. The Aberhill club is similarly inclusive in ethos and action and has hosted the Disability Sport Fife Indoor Championships for almost 30 years.

Photo: Robert Anderson, Mike Mowat, Sandy Allan and Stephen Anderson

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

The outcomes from commitment to para sport extend far beyond the winning of medals and training day after day with target times and specific championships in mind. Nothing epitomises this more than the relationship that has developed between two INCAS swimmers Kirsty Brunton and Cerys Venters Scott.

Kirsty is a very keen and experienced open water swimmer and recently came out on top at the Scottish Swimming Open Water Championships. Kirsty is also a very keen sailor and over many years has coached novice learners at her club in Dalgety Bay.

More recently Kirsty has taken the ever improving young S14 swimmer Cerys Venters Scott under her wing at the Kinghorn Loch and introduced her to the open water version of aquatic training. Cerys and Kirsty are training together for the Great Scottish Swim, a first Open Water experience for the younger extremely talented Disability Sport Fife (DSF) member.

Cerys has a great future ahead in para swimming and DSF has recently learned that she has moved from INCAS to Carnegie SC to further her competitive swimming career. The role played by sport in promoting friendships, new challenges, new experiences and fun can never be over-estimated. It takes a very special person like team mate Kirsty however to access the full range of benefits. Well done Kirsty and Cerys….rather you than me.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

 

Scottish Borders Disability Sport Group (SBDSG) are hosting their 3rd Borders Boccia Open Competition on Saturday 30^th September and is open for players of all ages with a physical or learning disability across the country. For most players this will be the last opportunity to sharpen up their skills in a competitive environment prior to the Scottish Boccia Open.  The competition will be delivered in partnership with LIVE BORDERS (LB) and Scottish Disability Sport (SDS).

The details of the competition are below –

Event: Borders Boccia Open Competition 2017

Venue: Queens Leisure Centre, Galashiels TD1 2AE

Date: Saturday 30^th September 2017

Time: 10am – 4.00pm (approx.)

Entry: £5

The Entry Form is attached.

As with other Scottish Disability Sport Boccia events, we rely on dedicated volunteers to officiate matches to ensure the success of the competition. Also attached is Match Referee Volunteer Request for anyone who is able to support this event.

If you require further information, please contact Alan Oliver on the details below.

All forms should be returned to Alan Oliver, LIVE BORDERS Sports Development, St Mary’s Mill, Level Crossing Road, Selkirk, TD7 2DU, aoliver@liveborders.org.uk – 07887 471 137 or 01750 700 110.