Category: A News

2017 National Lawn Bowls Championships

The sun was shining for bowlers in Aberdeen for the 2017 National Lawn Bowls Championships.  SDS returned to Westburn Park, Aberdeen for another successful Championships. The picturesque park in the heart of the Granite City has been the home of the Championships for almost thirty years now and as ever Sport Aberdeen proved to be excellent hosts. SDS were delighted to welcome the Depute Lord Provost of Aberdeen Allan Donnelly to present the trophies to the winners and the Chair of Sport Aberdeen Colin Taylor who attended to support the bowlers. Sport Aberdeen have been ideal partners over the years for this event and their commitment to disability sport in the area is clear with their unstinting support of this event.

Conditions were ideal as players from all over Scotland descended on the three-green club. Particularly pleasing was the presence of new bowlers at the Championships from the Scottish Borders, Angus and Perth & Kinross. Steve Key – a bowls player from Perth & Kinross – made his first appearance a memorable one by securing the title for players in a wheelchair. Steve defeated the highly decorated former champion Rosemary Lenton (Dumfries & Galloway) in the final by 9 points to 6. Four-time champion Billy Allan from Fife and his fellow Commonwealth Games squad member Mike Nicoll (Scottish Borders) in the final of Section 4 by 11 points to 5 to claim the Dewars trophy for the fifth time and may have the peerless David Heddle’s eight-title records in his cross-hairs.

Sections 1 & 7 were combined and four bowler competed for this title with the experienced Carole Martin from Lothian emerging victorious on this occasion defeating Grampian’s Katherine Hardie in the final to the loss of no points and claim her first national title in the competition.

The Thomas Taylor trophy was contested by bowlers from three branches with 2016 winner Tracy Black from Forth Valley, Fife’s Mary Wilson, Barbara McMillan, Maria Spencer and Sam Smeaton expected to be all competing strongly for the 2017 edition. In an extraordinarily close group Sam Smeaton qualified for the final on shot difference as the players all secured one win apiece. Mary Wilson repeated her 2016 performance by finishing runner-up to her stable-mate Sam by 7 points to 4.

The closest section of all proved to be Section 6 where local bowler Ali Burt and Lothian’s Richard Morrison were the clear group winners who then faced off in the final. Last year’s champion Fraser Mathieson had to withdraw prior to the vent with an injured back and this meant a new name was destined for the trophy. IN an intensely competitive match Ali Burt sent the local home happy with a 6-5 win over the Lothian bowler.

Fife’s strength in the bowlers with a learning disability section came to the fore again with both titles heading back down the coast to the kingdom. Craig Donaldson added to his 4 titles with against Phillip Hendry from Highland in a comfortable 14-6 win. Wendy Thomson joined Billy Allan as the only bowlers to defend their titles in 2017 by beating Lothian’s Amanda Craig in the Section 9 final and lift the Jessie Buchan cup.

SDS congratulates all winners on their achievements and are already looking forward to next year’s championships.

SDS is indebted once again to the support offered in staging the championships by Aberdeen City Council and Sport Aberdeen.

Fife Bowlers Achieve Something Very Special

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

Fife Indoor Bowls Championships Aberhill

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

60 Seconds with a Tayside athlete: Sarah Ellis

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.

 

Martin Perry

Playing our Part: Martin Perry

23-year-old Martin Perry from Paisley attended mainstream school and was fully included within mainstream PE lessons. He was signposted by an Active Schools co-ordinator to Scottish Disability Sport’s summer sports camp, where he was introduced to the world of disability sport. The rest is history for Martin.

Since then, Martin has achieved in many areas of his life, including coaching qualifications, university, and is training with a focus on selection for Tokyo 2020.

Watch the sportscotland video below to get more information on Martin’s story, and if you would like to find out about disability sport opportunities in your area contact us on 0131 317 1130 or admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

First All-Brit Grand Slam Wheelchair Tennis Semi at US Open

Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett added to their growing list of historic achievements on Friday at the US Open when they set up the first all-Brit men’s singles wheelchair tennis semi-final at a Grand Slam.
Reid and Hewett will go head-to-head in Saturday’s semi-final, with a British player from the Tennis Foundation’s Wheelchair Tennis World Class Programme guaranteed a place in the men’s singles final in New York for the first time. Later in the day Reid and Hewett will be on the same side of the net when they contest the men’s doubles final.
One year and one week on from meeting in the Rio Paralympic men’s singles gold medal match, the two Brits both won three-set quarter-finals in New York as world No. 2 Reid reached his second US Open singles semi-final since 2013 and world No.3 Hewett booked his place in the last four on his debut at the final Grand Slam of the year.
Reid made his US Open debut in 2013 with a quarter-final victory over Belgium’s Joachim Gerard and Gerard was on the other side of the net again on Friday as Reid earned a 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Despite earning an immediate break of serve Reid narrowly dropped the first set tie-break, but he came from behind to serve out the second set to love. Thereafter he dominated the deciding set to seal victory after two hours and 15 minutes.
“I’m very happy to come through a tough match against Jo today. Sometimes, to get the win it’s more about the desire rather than the quality of the tennis and that was the case in the final set today,” said Reid.
“There were definitely positives to take forward from the match into the semi tomorrow against Alfie, which will be a great occasion and one that I can’t wait for.”
Hewett came from 3-1 down to level both of the first two sets of his quarter-final against former world No.1 and six-time US Open champion Shingo Kunieda of Japan at 4-4. Hewett saved four set points in the opening set before going on to serve out the second set and force the decider.
The 19-year-old Roland Garros champion then forged into a 5-2 lead in the deciding set before wrapping up a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
“I’m really happy to be in my first US Open singles semi. Shingo played well and it was hard to break him down. He’s a great competitor and athlete, so it was always going to be a tough match,” said Hewett.
“I found a way to get back into the match after losing the first and being 3-1 down. I’m happy how I fought, I didn’t feel like it was one of my best matches, but I dug deep so I’m very pleased with that.”
Reid and Hewett also meet top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer in Saturday’s men’s doubles final as they bid to follow up their victories over the French duo in the last two Wimbledon finals.
Photo courtesy of the Tennis Foundation

World Champion Coaches in Fife

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

Welcome to SDS, Alison!

Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to announce the newest member of the Regional Team. Alison Shaw took up the post of Regional Manager for Grampian on Monday. Alison brings with her a wide range of knowledge and experience in both sports development and disability sport. Here are some facts below that Alison has shared about herself.

Hometown: Marykirk, South Aberdeenshire

Education: BSc Sports Studies from the University of Aberdeen

Work Experience: 6 years in Sports Development at Aberdeen Sports Village mostly developing children’s sport, disability sport opportunities, and managing the coaching and volunteering team

Disability Sport Experience: Represented on Grampian Disability Sport committee since 2013, undertook Disability Inclusion Training, Autism Awareness Training and add-on module for disability Trampoline coaching, and often coach trampoline and multi-activity sessions for people with disabilities.

In my spare time: Usually running around after my toddler,  but try to fit in the odd visit to the cinema/comedy shows, and enjoy taking part in sport and exercise.

If you or anyone you know has a disability and would like to get involved in Grampian please contact Alison on 07828 744848 or alternatively email Alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Forth Valley Disability Sport

Central Disability Sport Events & Coach Education Calendar

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;

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