Category: Uncategorized

Young Person’s Sports Panel Recruitment 2023 Extended

 

SDS are recruiting now for the next cohort of the Young Person’s Sports Panel! You can apply using the form below which also has all the information you need to know about the panel.

SDS YPSP Application 2023

The Young Person’s Sport Panel is a voice for young people with disabilities in sport. The group is a key consultation group for the SDS staff and board. We are recruiting for a new cohort of panel members for a term of 3 years.

As part of the Young Person’s Sports Panel, you will:

  • Inspire through inclusion
  • Change lives through sport
  • Influence the future of disability sport in Scotland
  • Attend development courses, national conferences, and events
  • Connect with and influence people, communities, and organisations

Who are we looking for?

  •  People living in Scotland
  •  Young people with a disability aged between 16 -24
  •  People who are committed and enthusiastic about disability sport
  •  People who can commit between 8 and 12 hours a month. Depending on personal circumstances
  •  People who are able to attend meetings every 2 months, these will be a mix of virtual and in-person meetings
  •  People who are passionate about making a difference in disability sport

Young Start and Young Person’s Sports Panel Residential February 2023

The Young Start and Young Person’s Sports Panel residential took place on 11th and 12th February 2023 at the SportScotland National Training Centre in Largs. It was a very fun and productive 2 days with 16 young people in attendance across both programs.

After arriving and having lunch on Saturday one of our YPSP members Grace Stirling led the group in an icebreaker activity so that each of the two groups could get to know each other.

After this the group dived straight into a session with Scott Tait about filming social media content on their phones. YPSP member Abby Cook also delivered a presentation about how to use TikTok and the benefits of being fun and short and snappy on social media. The group went off to film some of their own content with one of their TikTok’s being posted on SDS social media gaining huge popularity and being viewed thousands of times!

At the end of the day everyone took part in a boccia leaders’ course with lots of creativity and great coaching skills being developed. This means the whole group will gain their boccia leaders award.

In the evening everyone headed out for a well-earned dinner at tony macaroni in Largs.

YS and YPSP at Tony Macaroni in Largs
On Sunday morning everyone was up bright and early for breakfast followed by some future planning where ideas were brainstormed for the next period of the young start program. Lots of great ideas were discussed with a particular focus on making sure all people with disabilities can still access sport despite the cost-of-living crisis.

Our final activity of the weekend was a brilliant goalball session delivered by YPSP member Samantha Gough. This was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and for many was their first opportunity to try the sport and Samantha did a great job of making it a fun session for all.

A huge thanks must go to the National Lottery who have funded the SDS Young Start program for the past 6 years.

Overall there was lots to take away from the two days together and everyone gave it their all and had a great time!

Blue background with information on Cross Country. 3 images of athletes

Cross Country Championships – Entries close 28 February

Entries are invited for the following National Event: SDS Cross Country Championships with our partners Scottish Athletics.

The National Cross Country Championships will take place on 16 March back at Alexandra Park.

Registration are now open and you can enter by clicking on this link.  Closing date will be 28 February.

Individual, branch and school entries welcome.  If entering as a school, schools should set up or use an account using the school name/details on sds.justgo.com remember to select the correct quantity of ‘tickets’ relating to the number of athletes entering.  This will then allow you to enter information for each athlete one after the other. Branches should be through the club entry tile.  Only schools or branches may pay using invoice.  Individuals should not pay with invoice.

All payments should be made in advance of the event.  

For more information or questions on this event and more please email events@scottishdisabilitysport.com

Christmas Greetings from All at SDS

Everyone involved with Scottish Disability Sport would like to take this opportunity to wish all athletes, coaches, volunteers, partners and key stakeholders a very merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year. We thank you all most sincerely for your hard work, commitment, achievements and support during the last 12 months. We all look forward to working with you further during 2023.

2022 Commonwealth Games

Name Hometown Sport G S B
Ollie Carter Cupar Aquatics
Stephen Clegg Newcastleton Aquatics 1
Sam Downie Edinburgh Aquatics
Abby Kane Largs Aquatics
Toni Shaw Aberdeen Aquatics 1
Sean Frame Glasgow Athletics 1
Samantha Kinghorn Gordon Athletics 1
Ross Paterson Paisley Athletics
Alexander Thomson Athletics
Melanie Woods Athletics
Libby Clegg Newcastleton Cycling
Neil Fachie MBE Aberdeen Cycling 1 1
Jenny Holl Blair Drummond Cycling
Aileen McGlynn OBE Glasgow Cycling 1 1
Lewis Stewart Killearn Cycling 1 1
Ellie Stone Aviemore Cycling 1 1
Robert Barr Glasgow Lawn Bowls 1
Garry Brown Kirkmuirhill Lawn Bowls 1
Sarah Jane Ewing Dunfermline Lawn bowls 1
Melanie Inness Edinburgh Lawn Bowls 1
Rosemary Lenton Dumfries Lawn Bowls 1
George Miller Ardrossan Lawn Bowls 1
Kevin Wallace Clackmannan Lawn Bowls 1
Pauline Wilson Chester-le-Street Lawn Bowls 1
Hazel Macleod Edinburgh Triathlon
Alison Peasgood Kirkcaldy Triathlon
Micky Yule Edinburgh Weightlifting 1
Jude Hamer Exeter Wheelchair Basketball
Robyn Love Ayr Wheelchair Basketball
Lynsey Speirs Rutherglen Wheelchair Basketball
Jessica Whyte Manchester Wheelchair Basketball

Garry Brown

Age: 38

Home town: Kirkmuirhill

Sport: Para Lawn Bowl

Events: Para Gents B7/8 Pairs

Classification: B7

Club: Blackwood Victoria Bowling Club

Coach/es: Stevie CaineBob Christie, Eric McMillan

When and how did you get involved in sport?

Went to a come try day at my club and joined and never looked back.

Career highlights to date:

  • 2x Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast and Birmingham)
  • 2x World Championships
  • Multiple winner winner of both Scottish indoor and outdoor titles

What are your ambitions for the Commonwealth Games?

For Birmingham to go a few stages further than the Gold Coast and bring back a medal.

Do you have one piece of advice for an aspiring athlete?

Never give up and follow your dreams.

Facebook: Garry Brown

 

Lynsey Speirs

Age: 39

Home town: Rutherglen

Sport: Wheelchair Basketball

Classification: 1.0

Club: Loughborough Lightning

Coach/es: George Bates

When and how did you get involved in sport?

I have loved playing and watching team sports my whole life. I was happiest as a youngster with a football at my feet or a hockey stick in my hands. After my spinal cord injury I lost sport for a while and didn’t find wheelchair basketball until I was well into my thirties!

Attending my local wheelchair basketball club (now Glasgow Rollin’ Rocks) for a taster session is what made me fall in love with the sport. Since the introduction of wheelchair basketball into my life I have benefited in so many ways, including meeting the most incredible people and finding my way into the Loughborough Lightning squad, a PhD opportunity at the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport, and of course the Team Scotland squad.

Sport really has been life changing for me.

Career highlights to date:

Getting the opportunity to represent Scotland at the 3X3 Europe Commonwealth Games Qualifying tournament is an experience I will never forget.

What are your ambitions for the Commonwealth Games?

I am so excited and proud to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games and I intend to give it everything I’ve got to bring home a medal

Do you have one piece of advice for an aspiring athlete?

Enjoy the journey where ever your sport is taking you. The rewards are along the way, not just at the finish line.

Twitter: @lynseyspeirs18

Instagram: @lynseyspeirs18

Robyn Love

Age: 31

Home town: Ayr

Sport: Wheelchair Basketball

Classification: 3.5

Club: Loughborough Lightning

Coach/es: Stevie Caine

When and how did you get involved in sport?

I saw wheelchair basketball on the television during the London 2012 Paralympic Games and was inspired to give it a go. I had never tried any disability sport before that, but within two years of taking it up I was trying out for the Great Britain team

Career highlights to date:

Representing GB at two Paralympic Games.

Winning Silver at the 2018 World Championships.

What are your ambitions for the Commonwealth Games?

I want to bring a medal home for team Scotland in the wheelchair basketball, it will be such a big achievement for such a small country where the participation for wheelchair basketball is quite low.

Do you have one piece of advice for an aspiring athlete?

Always enjoy what you do….if you enjoy the journey then you will be even happier with your destination.

Twitter: @Robyn_Love13

Facebook: Robyn Love

Instagram: robyn_love13

Scottish para-athletes confirmed for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

SDS are delighted that 31 Scottish para-athletes have been selected in the Team Scotland squad for the upcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Not only is this the largest number of Scottish para-athletes selected to compete at a Commonwealth Games, but the most sports they will compete in (7).

The games begin on Tuesday 28th July running until Friday 8th August with the para-athletes set to compete across the following sports: Athletics, Swimming, Bowls, Triathlon, Powerlifting, Cycling & Basketball.

The following Scottish para-athletes have been selected:

Athletics

Ross Paterson, Alexander Thomson,

Sammi Kinghorn, Mel Woods, Sean Frame

Swimming

Abby Kane, Stephen Clegg,

Toni Shaw, Ollie Carter, Sam Downie

Bowls

Gary Hood, Kevin Wallace, Pauline Wilson,

Rosemary Lenton, Robert Barr, Melanie Innes,

Sarah Jane Ewing (guide), George Miller (guide)

Triathlon

Alison Peasgood & Hazel McLeod (guide)

Powerlifting

Micky Yule

Cycling

Neil Fachie, Aileen McGlynn,

Libby Clegg, Lewis Stewart (pilot),

Jenny Holl (pilot), Ellie Stone (pilot)

Basketball

Robyn Love, Jude Hamer, Jessica Whyte, Lynsey Speirs

Many congratulations to all athletes who have been selected and we wish everyone the best of luck in Birmingham.

Find out more on the Team Scotland website