Britain’s Gordon Reid will face Japan’s world No.1 Shingo Kunieda and Alfie Hewett will play world No.4 Joachim Gerard of Belgium when five players on the LTA’s Wheelchair Performance Pathway begin their Wimbledon challenges on Thursday. 

Reid and Lucy Shuker are both drawn against top seeded players in the men’s and women’s singles draws, with Shuker set to face two-time Wimbledon champion Diede de Groot and Jordanne Whiley set to open her account against 2019 women’s singles champion Aniek van Koot. 

While Shuker and Whiley both face Dutch challenges, so does Andy Lapthorne in the quad singles after the world No.2 was drawn  against reigning US Open champion Sam Schroder. 

World No.6 Reid, winner of the inaugural Wimbledon men’s wheelchair singles title in 2016, prepared for his latest challenge at The Championships by defeating 2019 Wimbledon champion Gustavo Fernandez in straight sets to win the wheelchair title at the cinch Championships at The Queen’s Club last month. Reid said:  

“I think you only need to look at past results and see how many of the guys in the Top 10 have beaten each other over the last couple of years. We all know there are no easy draws and you’ve got to be ready to go straight away.” 

Hewett won his third French Open men’s singles title last month to move to No.2 in the world rankings ahead of Fernandez after beating Kunieda in the final in Paris. Hewett begins his sixth Wimbledon as second seed for the men’s singles, having also beaten Gerard in his quarter-final at Roland Garros.  

Hewett and Reid are due to open their bid for a fourth Wimbledon men’s doubles title against Fernandez and Kunieda on Friday. The 11-time Grand Slam champions return to The Championships as the most successful all-British doubles partnership in Grand Slam history after winning their second Australian Open second French Open titles this season, defeating Fernandez and Kunieda in the semi-finals of both tournaments. 

World No.4 Whiley has won all four of her singles matches against world No.3 Van Koot since the 29-year-old Brit returned to international competition in 2019 following maternity leave. Whiley, who will partner Japan’s Yui Kamiji later this week in a bid for their fifth Wimbledon doubles title together, said: 

“I wasn’t too concerned about the draw, I’m just happy I’m not playing Yui or Diede at a Grand Slam again, to be honest. It’s just nice to play someone different and me and Aniek always have really great matches, so I’m looking forward to playing her.” 

Whiley and Kamiji, who have also won 11 Grand Slam titles together, will play Angelica Bernal of Colombia and Japan’s Momoko Ohtani in their doubles semi-final this year.   

Should Whiley beat Van Koot in Thursday’s quarter-final at Wimbledon she will go on to play the winner of the contest between Shuker and world No.1 De Groot.  

World No.11 Shuker made her Wimbledon debut in 2009, when she reached the first of four Wimbledon doubles finals to date. 

Shuker partners South Africa’s Kgothatso Montjane in the women’s doubles this year as the duo bid to reach their second Grand Slam final of 2021. In February they were runners-up at the Australian Open to De Groot and Van Koot, the same partnership they play in this year’s Wimbledon semi-finals. 

Lapthorne makes his second appearance at Wimbledon after quad singles and doubles events made their debut at The Championships in 2019, when the 30-year was a singles finalist and won the inaugural Wimbledon quad doubles title partnering Australia’s Dylan Alcott. 

This year Lapthorne and Alcott are on opposite sides of the net in both singles and doubles, as world No.2 Lapthorne will be with world No.3 ranked Dutchman Schroder.  

Lapthorne will partner American David Wagner in a bid to win their second successive Grand Slam doubles title together.  

Already three-time Australian Open and two-time US Open doubles champions, Lapthorne and Wagner won their first French Open title last month, beating Alcott and Schroder in a deciding match tie-break as Lapthorne completed his career Grand Slam of doubles titles. 

Lapthorne said: “When you get to a Grand Slam and have the top four players in the world then no draw is going be easy. Sam is going to be a tough opponent but I’m looking forward to the challenge and to trying to add another Wimbledon doubles title.“   

To find out more about the LTA’s work with disability tennis, head to www.lta.org.uk/play or email disabilitytennis@lta.org.uk. 

Nominations are invited from those connected with SDS for the annual awards to be presented at the online Annual General Meeting on Sunday 3rd October 2021. It is important that there is a clear indication why the individual/group is being nominated.

The Awards Panel will then meet to consider all applications and decide the winner for each category in advance of the presentations at the AGM on Sunday 3rd October 2021. All nominations should be returned in confidence, before Thursday 9th September 2021.

The nomination form is included below together with a list of previous award winners:

Awards Nomination Form 2021

Alternatively this can be completed using the form below:

Tokyo may be just around the corner but plans are already being put in place to help the next generation of British boccia stars.

A series of Boccia UK Challenger events – designed to help prepare and propel up and coming athletes – will take place over the next four years and have been boosted by financial support from Get Kids Going!

Get Kids Going! is a national charity which gives disabled children and young people, up to the age of 26 years, the opportunity of participating in sport.

Boccia UK’s Performance Director Helen Nicholls says:

“In the next cycle, we will be working towards the Paris Paralympics in 2024. The Challenger events will help ensure that athletes coming up through the ranks are well prepared and well supported to compete at an elite level. The Get Kids Going! grant will help us create the champions of the future. Boccia is a tactical and experience-based sport, and this support allows us to give athletes an environment where they can develop and thrive.”

Jane Emmerson, CEO of Get Kids Going!, explains:

“Finance is often a significant barrier for young people when it comes to attending events, particularly disabled athletes where care support is also a requirement for competition, so we are delighted that we can help to remove some of the barriers to participation at the Challenger events. We want disabled children and young people to have every opportunity to enjoy and excel at boccia.”

Get Kids Going! also helps equip young, talented athletes with bespoke sports wheelchairs and helps towards the cost of training and equipment.

Louis Saunders is currently Britain’s brightest young prospect and his journey to the Paralympics has been boosted by support from Get Kids Going! This has allowed him to purchase a new seating system which will support him to play in an optimal position.

The 19-year-old from Bognor Regis is hoping to compete at the Tokyo Paralympics and he will be eyeing an individual podium position at the Paris Games in 2024.

Louis says:

“The support from Get Kids Going! has made a huge difference – the new seating system means I am now much more accurate on court and more comfortable. The charity is really helping to fulfil my dreams.”

VINCYP are looking to hear from and link with more parents, carers, families and young people who have experience of visual impairment services in Scotland, to ensure that you and your family are at the forefront of decisions that are made. Full details can be found on the attached pdf poster.

More information about VINCYP can be located via  their VINCYP website and on Twitter.

You can register your interest at the following link: survey link

2020-11-04 VINCYP Family Recruitment Poster V1

With Wimbledon kicking off and with the Tokyo Paralympic Games on the horizon, the Wheelchair Tennis Initiative aim is to provide unrivalled inspirational and aspirational experiences of tennis in a fun, welcoming, sociable and inclusive environment.

From July until October we will be delivering seven Wheelchair Tennis Initiative days across Great and Tennis Scotland are delighted to be hosting a day in Glasgow.

From a complete beginner who has never picked up a racket before to your experienced player, we are committed to providing the best possible experiences for all. These are open to all ages and abilities. All participants will be sign posted to their nearest venue following the event.

Sign up link:

https://www.lta.org.uk/play-compete/performance-tennis-players/wheelchair-tennis-initiative/

We would love to invite 12 to 15 people to attend our sessions, the first two taking place end of July and early August (please choose one preferred date for each venue). The venues for these events are:

• Fairways Indoor Golf Arena (in Coatbridge): Friday 30th July
• Stirling Golf Club (Academy Course): Monday 2nd August

Both venues are well-suited for golfers with disabilities. Fairways has fewer tripping hazards, flat surfaces, accessible loos next to training area and the weather is not an issue. Stirling Golf Club’s Academy Course is a small course specifically designed as a practice area which is perfect for beginners as well as those with disabilities (including wheelchair access).

Format

The sessions usually last about two hours for 12-15 people and we can provide:

• refreshments
• transport (minibus)
• all golf equipment
• free session with professional coaches to give beginners blind golf training.

There is no dress code for Fairways, trainers and denims are fine there (no football colours). However, Stirling Golf Club does have a dress code (smart casual dress; no jeans nor football/rugby colours, must wear collared shirts, trousers and shorts must be tailored).

For further information please contact Lynsey Roux-Cormack on developmentofficer@scottishblindgolf.com.

Free Sampler Sessions Flyer – July & August 2021

As part of our Spotlight on Basketball, we sat down with the brilliant Gemma Lumsdaine to talk about the life-changing experiences she had getting involved in the sport, her journey from playing into coaching and why she finds basketball is such an engaging sport.

Gemma is a Scotland U23 wheelchair basketball player and coach, as well as playing wheelchair rugby for the GB Talent Squad. She is also a member of the SDS Young Persons Sports Panel.

Here is her story.

Background – Gemma’s life in sport

Born with cerebral palsy, Gemma is a 23 year old who has been involved in sport to some degree for a majority of her life. From an early age she participated in individual sports such as swimming and horse riding often as part of her therapy, however she remembers how at the age of 8 she felt different because of her disability and this led her to isolating herself from society.

Fortunately for Gemma, the way out of this was attending a taster session with the Dundee Dragons WSC, at the time a Wheelchair Rugby League club which has since branched into a multi-sports club.

Since this introduction to team sports, Gemma has not looked back having progressed through the basketball pathway, moved into coaching and now playing wheelchair rugby at a performance level. Despite moving across sports, Gemma still remains heavily involved in the development of basketball in Scotland.

Gemma’s route into Basketball

Gemma’s story of her route into basketball is a unique one. Following on from her taster session with the Dundee Dragons she played for a few months where she freely admits she was ‘terrible’. Luck, however, was to be on her side where a chance call from Tina Gordon, the Pathways & Opportunities Manager at Basketball Scotland contacted the Dundee Dragons founder, Elizabeth Ferris, asking whether they had anyone under the age of 19 who could compete in an upcoming wheelchair basketball tournament, of which Gemma fitted the criteria. This wasn’t just any old tournament, but one in which Gemma would be representing her country.

Gemma realised this was too good an opportunity to turn down and soon embarked on a 3 week wheelchair basketball crash course before her first ever match where she represented Scotland, a pathway she readily admits is highly unusual.

With a few rule infringements in her early games, Gemma soon quickly learned the ropes and her role and position in the team hasn’t changed to this day. Jokingly she remembers how not only was she looking to help her team, but also remain within the rules in what was quite the introduction to the sport.

Gemma describes competing in this tournament in 2013 as ‘totally life changing’, where for the first time she was around people of a similar age with similar disabilities. It was this that Gemma realised the potential of what she could do alongside positive role models, and led her to becoming more independent compared to previous environments where she believed people with disabilities were seen as helpless and not empowered to create their own pathways.

Key to this transformation was Tina Gordon who Gemma says was a hugely influential figure in her development. Gemma tells how at first she lacked confidence in her own ability but Tina, demonstrating the importance of coaches and leaders in sport, showed an unwavering belief in Gemma that transformed her outlook on herself and her potential for a career in sport.

Gemma admits her pathway into the sport is unusual but it is an inspiring story of how sport can change lives and how leadership and coaching can help people with disabilities find and grow their passion.

How Gemma progressed in performance sport

As Gemma openly admits, her introduction to performance basketball was highly unusual and unlikely to repeat itself owing to the sports rapid development over the last few years. She did however seize the opportunity that was given to her to develop her game and progress in the sport.

Following on from her first tournament Gemma knew that wheelchair basketball was for her and she decided to train for it and get a proper grip of the game. Tina Gordon was again a huge influence in helping Gemma improve and refine her game, as was competing with and against the best players such as Robyn Love which tested her skills on the court. She also recognises that in a game so reliant on collective teamwork, there is a responsibility on each player to improve and be the best they can be.

She also credits being moved into captaincy and leadership roles has helped her progression, where she enjoys the responsibility it brings and being the link between coach and players. She also recognises that Scotland has moved away from the traditional way of naming the ‘best’ player as captain, with more focus being placed on leadership, communication and people skills which is something Gemma appreciates.

The attraction of basketball?

Gemma lists a few key attractions that wheelchair basketball offers that make it such a compelling sport to play. Firstly, it is inclusive and anyone can contribute no matter their physical disability, with different classifications and specific player roles allowing everyone to play their part in the collective effort.

Demonstrating it’s inclusivity, Gemma’s disability prevents her from shooting and ball handling but her role of Guard is highly specialised and a crucial tactical weapon. Gemma’s game is based around blocking and disrupting the opposition defensive structure to create attacking opportunities for her teammates, or as she light-heartedly jokes, “I do all hard work and others get the glory of scoring all the points”.

This inclusivity feeds into the next key aspect Gemma finds the sport so interesting, as it is a highly tactical and strategic sport. With everyone having defined and specific roles to fulfil Gemma likens it to a ‘jigsaw puzzle’, where all the parts have to come together in unison to ensure the team functions as a collective – something that is not always easy in the fast paced, thrilling environment of the basketball court.

With coordinated attacking plans coming up against structured defensive schemes, teams must be well oiled machines with every player contributing to see success, and this is something Gemma mentions as maybe a surprise to those entering the sport at just how tactical the game can be, something that is not always apparent to those watching.

With the variation in classifications and roles on court, how does a player like Gemma know she has been successful in fulfilling her role? This is a problem not just in basketball but most team sports, though heightened with the fact that Gemma is not responsible for scoring points herself. This is where Tina Gordon comes in again – where she has developed a more comprehensive and inclusive set of metrics that quantify performance and allow all players success to be recognised. These statistics allow Gemma to know when one of her blocks (or picks) has been successful in creating a shooting opportunity, creating a team first culture where everyone’s success is celebrated as well as providing a better base to reflect on and review individual performance.

Gemma’s route into coaching

Since moving into wheelchair basketball and gaining captaincy roles, the logical next step for Gemma was to gain coaching experience and use her leadership skills to support and develop players. This began where it all started at the Dundee Dragons, where she assisted sessions, took warm-ups and worked individually with players to gain experience and confidence in coaching.

When the Lead Dragons coach left, the opportunity presented itself to step in and assume the responsibility herself. This wasn’t without it’s challenges as she would be coaching players older than herself as well as playing and coaching simultaneously which is difficult for even the most experienced of coaches.

Gemma believes in the value of person-centered coaching, helping young developing athletes learn new skills, develop and make a positive difference to lives – something she credits Tina with passing on to her, and something she is committed to passing on herself to those she coaches.

Gemma has some experience of working in a results oriented, high performance basketball as Scotland Assistant Coach for a year, and whilst not ruling this type of role out in the future is committed to the developmental aspect of coaching where the value of sport and its ability to change lives is at the forefront of what she wants to achieve.

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Thanks to the remarkable Gemma Lumsdaine for her valuable insights and telling SDS about her inspirational journey, if you would like to get involved in basketball you can find out more here:

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  Spotlight on Basketball

 Get involved in Basketball

 Basketball Factfile

 Paracast with Robyn Love

 Visit basketballscotland