Disability Sport Fife values the strong relationship it enjoys with the three local Sports Councils. Each of the three Sports Councils offers Disability Sport Fife and others the opportunity to nominate and showcase the achievements of Para athletes, coaches and volunteers from within east, west and central Fife.

Last night it was the turn of Kirkcaldy & Central Fife Sports Council to showcase sporting/volunteering excellence within its catchment area and DSF members featured prominently.

Derek Rae from Kirkcaldy and Fife Athletic Club featured prominently in the awards list following his amazing 2018 season. Derek won the PLM Optometrists disability sports person of the year award. Michael Drever from Leven and Owen Miller from Dunfermline and Fife AC were runners up for their achievements in Para trap shooting and athletics.

Michael Mellon from Cardenden was the only Scot in the UK Invictus Games team in Australia and was awarded the Gary Innes Memorial Shield.

Steven and Robert Anderson were runners up in the Service to Sport section for their roles as DSF peer mentor volunteers.

Derek rounded off an amazing 2019 evening by winning the Fife College special achievement award. The award winner in this category is selected from all the winners celebrated throughout the evening. Derek is the first Para athlete to win this award – a very special achievement by a great athlete and role model.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre was the venue for the Fife badminton championships and DSF is indebted to Fife Sports and Leisure Trust for continued support of the DSF events programme. The championships were the second major event of the 2019 Fife Sports Festival.

The late Russell Hogg worked for both Badminton Scotland and Scottish Disability Sport and had a major influence on the development of disability badminton in Fife. Russell’s achievements as a Scottish international badminton player are well known and his passion for badminton development was unique.

Russell greatly influenced the DSF attitude towards badminton and thanks to Russell’s guidance and enthusiasm the sport has been part of the DSF programme for a significant number of years. DSF has a very special relationship with Kirkcaldy High School and for the fifth year Kirkcaldy High School’s Sports Leaders were responsible for umpiring duties.
For the 2019 Championships, DSF once again created divisions based on age, gender and ability to ensure that participants competed against players of similar ability. Junior players from schools and adults from West Fife CSS, East

Fife CSS and DSF weekly sessions in Glenothes and Cowdenbeath signed up for the all day event.
Scottish international Para badminton player, Mary Wilson from Edinburgh, successfully defended the open title for women and throughout the day offered advice, shot choices and subliminal coaching to all those she played. Pauline Bryson from the DSF Cowdenbeath group was runner up with Briony Clark from DSF Glenrothes won bronze. Tanis Murphy from East Fife CSS won the intermediate section and Erin Johnstone from West Fife CSS was runner up.
Rosalind Penman from Balwearie HS successfully defended the girls open title and Jade Trowell from Glenrothes HS was runner up. Samantha Christie from Balwearie HS won the bronze medal. Scott Todd from Glenrothes HS won the equivalent section for boys by defeating Calum Robertson from Balwearie HS 2 – 1. Leo Cord from Balwearie HS won bronze. Mark Phimister from Balwearie HS defeated David Goodsir from Glenrothes HS to win the intermediate boys title with Sufyann Saleem from Balwearie HS winning bronze.

The mens open section had several close matches plus play offs to determine the outcome. Lloyd Simpson from DSF Glenrothes was the outstanding player from the start of the competition and managed a comfortable win against Steven Anderson from DSF Glenrothes to retain the open title. Robert Anderson from DSF Glenrothes won bronze.
There were play offs in the mens intermediate competition also but once again Ryan Melville from DSF Glenrothes was the outstanding player from the start. Allan Robertson from DSF Glenrothes won silver and Stephen Russell from DSF Glenrothes a well deserved bronze. The level 3 competition was won by Ryan Peterson from East Fife CSS with Tristen Rankine from West Fife CSS finishing runner up. John Sapsed from West Fife CSS won bronze.
Great venue, committed players, super officials and volunteers – a very successful event and well done to all those who participated. The photo includes all the title winners and medalists.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

Swimmers from West Fife CSS enjoyed a very productive day at the 2019 Disability Sport Fife swimming championships held at the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre on Friday 1st March.

The championships are supported by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and Fife Council and as always are the first event of the Annual Fife Sports Festival that has been running for 43 years. The championships are also a qualifying event for the Scottish Senior Swimming Championships organised by Scottish Disability Sport.

Hannah Moffat and Connor Mitchell started the day off perfectly for the West Fife CSS team with wins in each of the two trophy races reserved for the leading community support services swimmers. Tanis Murphy and Ryan Peterson from East Fife CSS picked up the trophy race silver medals.

The day ended exactly as it had begun for West Fife CSS swimmers when they won the Inter CSS relay and the Sonia Kane Trophy followed by the overall team competition and the Anne H Brodie trophy. East Fife CSS finished second and Central third. An outstanding championships for West Fife CSS.

Eight schools contested the inter schools competition for the new Sky Trophy and it was the powerful Woodmill HS swim team that ran out worthy winners with 60 points. Madras college swimmers finished second and Balwearie HS third. This meant that Woodmill HS completed the junior swimming double having won the Russel Hogg trophy at the Inter shools gala held last September at Lochgelly HS. This was the highest number of schools entered for the championships to date and Queen Anne HS and Auchmuty HS were welcomed to the gala for the first time.

There were fine swims by Fife’s leading physically disabled swimmers Cara Smyth, Craig Smith and Katie Pake. Cara and Katie swim with Carnegie SC and Craig was making his return to competition swimming after an absence of several years.

Shaun Rowlcliffe, Liam McIntyre and Carter Taylor were the outstanding senior swimmers with a learning disability. Skye Hammon (Dunfermline HS), Nathan Smith (Woodmill HS), Josh Johnstone (Woodmill HS), Stephen Braid (Woodmill HS), Cameron Hay (John Fergus School), Kieran Beaton (Madras College) and Keir Fisher (Auchmuty HS) showed up extremely well in the equivalent section for juniors.

The championships as always came to an exciting end with excellent relay events involving juniors, swimmers with physical disabilities and four teams of independent swimmers with a learning disability who attend coach led sessions at Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre and Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre supported by Spirit of 2012 under the GOGA in Fife programme.

At the conclusion of the championships tribute was paid to the many people involved with the organisation and running of the event including Kirkcaldy HS sports leaders, Scottish Swimming officials, DSF volunteers and peer mentor volunteers, FSLT duty staff and school and Health and social Care support staff. The 2019 Sports Festival is well and truly up and running.

Rchard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board Of Charity Trustees

Andrew Stuart, 19 year old Golfer from Dunblane, is all set to represent Great Britain at the Special Olympics World Games, set for 14-21 March in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. More than 7,000 athletes from 170 countries will compete in 24 summer sports, along with 2,500 coaches. These will be the first Special Olympics World Games in the Middle East/North Africa region. The 2019 World Games kick off with a star-studded Opening Ceremony in the iconic Zayed Sports City Stadium in the heart of Abu Dhabi, the largest sports venue in the Persian Gulf. In addition to sports competition, the 2019 World Games will feature inspiring non-sports activities and programs, including Unified Sports experiences, free Healthy Athletes screenings, Global Youth Leadership Summit, and the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

Andrew has been playing golf since the age of eight and has represented Forth Valley Disability Sport at three National Summer Games including Leicester 2009, Bath 2013 and Sheffield 2017 and at the Anniversary Games hosted in Stirling in 2018. 2018 was a very successful year for Andrew winning 18 medals or trophies in golf. Forth Valley Disability Sport would like to wish Andrew and the Great Britain team the very best of luck.

Laura Stuart, Andrew’s mum, said: “It always was a dream for Andrew to one day play for his country. Andrew has made many friends over the years through playing golf within the Special Olympics and is giving him great confidence to be around different people. Andrew would like to thank his grandad and his Special Olympics Head Coach Jamie McDonald for always helping him. And all the family and friends who made it possible for Andrew to get to the World Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi it is a great achievement for Andrew and as a family we are all very proud of him.”

Forth Valley Disability Sport is the leading organisation in the Forth Valley area providing sporting opportunities to people with physical, learning, sensory and complex needs. We have many clubs and partners providing these and if you would like to know anything about sport or physical activity, please get in touch. You can do this by contacting us, give us a call on 01786 466486 or connecting with us via our social media channels – Facebook and Twitter.

Disability Sport Fife relies on partnerships and there are few that compare with the partnership we enjoy with Health and Social Care in Fife. Since the mid 70s, the three community support services in Fife (previously Fife day centres)  have played a key role in the development of disability sport in Fife. Many adults with additional support needs associated with these agencies have represented Fife locally, nationally and internationally with great distinction.

It is not so much the agencies but the staff and service users within these agencies that have really made the difference. On March 15,^th Brain Herd the Community Support Coordinator at East Fife Community Support Services will retire. Brian has been an outstanding ally of Disability Sport Fife in all the various roles he has played within Fife Council Social Work Services and Health and Social Care. Brain will be greatly missed and I have no doubt that the exceptionally strong relationship that DSF enjoys with this area of Health and Social Care is due to Brian’s belief in DSF as an asset to EFCSS service users.

For over 30 years DSF has had the privilege of benefitting from the skills and abilities of Brian Herd. As well as being a support coach to the Robert Gough Centre members, Brian travelled with Fife and Scottish teams throughout Great Britain and overseas to Northern Ireland and Spain. Brian was one of a small number of Scots to be selected as an athletics coach for the one and only Paralympic Games for athletes with a learning disability in Madrid in 1992. Brian played a significant role in support of DSF when Fife Special Olympics was part of the responsibilities of DSF. Selecting, preparing and funding Fife SO teams was a major challenge for all of us but made easier because of Fife Council staff like Brian Herd.

East Fife CSS and the Robert Gough Centre have always been active members of DSF. Brain Herd has always been supportive of the DSF mission and where possible has facilitated the involvement of EFCSS service users. The legacy of Brian Herd is a strong community support service and lots of active adults with additional support needs of all ages and abilities who enjoy active recreation including sport.

Thank you Brian for years of support, encouragement, friendship and expertise. You will be greatly missed by all of us associated with Disability Sport Fife.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

1-year, fixed term (part time)

The post will be focused around the delivery and co-ordination of water sports activities and other sporting and lifestyle activities in the Firhill Basin and the wider geographical area. The post will include working with children and young people from various communities in North Glasgow. In addition, this post will involve creating and developing partnerships to provide other opportunities and activities that will support the project. The post will be based at the Firhill Basin, Partick Thistle Football Club.

This will be a part-time position for a period of 12 months. This may be extended beyond this date.

The contract will be for 52 weeks (12 months) from the end of March 2019 to the end of March 2020. The post will mainly be evening and weekend work. The hours will be 20 hours per week.

Salary: competitive salary.

All relevant training will be provided, as and when it is required.

Job Description:

We are looking for a dynamic, self-motivated individual with a passion for sport and youth work to develop this exciting new project at the Firhill Basin. The successful candidate will be employed by Scottish Rowing and report directly to Firhill Youth Project Group*. The successful candidate will be responsible for community engagement, building local partnerships, delivering water sports activity sessions and co-ordinating programmes, activities and events in collaboration with key partners, including:

• Scottish Rowing;
• Glasgow Life;
• Partick Thistle Football Club;
• Glasgow Kayak Club;
• Other community/voluntary organisations, partners and networks.

Key Reponsibilities:

• Accountable and directly reporting to Firhill Youth Project Group* in line with the strategic aims of the project;
• To complete and provide regular monitoring, evaluation and impact reports in relation to all programmes and activities;
• To develop and lead the delivery of water sports activities for children and young people;
• In partnership with Firhill Young Project & Community Sports Hub, to plan and coordinate the scheduling and delivery of other sporting, lifestyle activities and events;
• Implements cohesive approaches to facilitate strong partnerships and robust communications streams to ensure effective community engagement with all local partners;
• To promote community leadership and active participation of the Firhill Youth Project & Community Sports Hub whilst being a positive role model;
• To assist with promotion, marketing campigns and brand awareness of all Firhill Youth Project & Community Sports Hub programmes and activities.

Other Responsibilities will include:

• To attend relevant training courses to improve your coaching experience and knowledge in line with the post;
• The ability to adapt sessions to cater for various levels of age and ability;
• To respect the rights of all participants and ensure that their well-being and safety are always considered;
• To ensure that all activities are delivered in line with Scottish Rowing’s and other Governing Body policies and procedures, particularly Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy, Water Safety and Coaches Code of Conduct;
• To inspect all sports and activity equipment prior to and after sessions to ensure safe to use and report defective equipment to the relevant organisation for repair.

*The Firhill Youth Project Group is composed of Scottish Rowing, Glasgow Life and Partick Thistle Football Club.

This post is Regulated Work as defined by The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (“The PVG Scheme”). All applicants are required to complete a self-declaration form and the successful postholder will be required to be a member of The PVG Scheme.

For a candidate specification, application and monitoring forms see our website: https://www.scottish-rowing.org.uk/index.php/about-us/vacancies/760-firhill-project-lead-coach

OR

Contact Carol Ann Ellis, Scottish Rowing Administrator, telephone: 01698 250206, email office@scottish-rowing.org.uk.

 

It was an amazing final round of the 2018/2019 East Cross Country Series organised by Scottish Disability Sport and Scottish Athletics at Peffermill in Edinburgh for the pupils of Bell Baxter HS.

Not only were there four overall series medalists for Bell Baxter HS pupils Sophie Coughlin, Arran Howe, Thomas Quigg (all gold) and David Norry (bronze) but the complete Bell Baxter HS squad was awarded the John de Courcy shield.

The shield was presented for the first time in memory of the late John de Courcy who was one of the original architects of the East Series and who passed away suddenly last year. The shield is presented to the school that in the opinion of all other schools demonstrated camaraderie, sportsmanship and support for others. Schools were not allowed to vote for their own pupils.

Bell Baxter HS teacher Fiona Stewart who has travelled for many years with the Bell Baxter squad was thrilled that the pupils from north east Fife had been recognised in such a special way.

The East Series is well supported by Fife secondary schools with departments for pupils with additional support needs. Several Fife athletes won overall series medals this year and even more were well placed in the final round of the 2018/2019 series. This will be reported in future posts.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

The National Deaf Children’s Society are running a deaf awareness and basic BSL course for swimming teachers at Portlethen Academy on 5th March. This is in advance of swimming lessons we are planning to start at Portlethen Pool later in the year, and some places are still available for teachers / instructors who may be interested in coming along, especially if you have deaf children in your swimming lessons.

All details are below. Please follow the link to book if you are interested in attending: https://swimmingworkshopportlethen.eventbrite.co.uk

Date: Tuesday 5 March 2019
Time: 9.30am – 1.30pm
Venue: Portlethen Academy, Portlethen AB12 4QL
Book: https://swimmingworkshopportlethen.eventbrite.co.uk
Cost: Free (cancellation charge of £35)

Disability Sport Fife is delighted to report that a new sports bursary, available to athlete members, was presented for the first time at the DSF office at theMichael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre this week.

Bursaries have been provided by past Paralympian Paul Johnston from Kennoway, who represented Great Britain in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 where he won a bronze medal. In the words of PJ “it’s payback for all the support I received from DSF and partners when I was competing at the highest level. Sport changed my life and offered me so many opportunities and introduced me to so many new friends all over the world.” PJ has worked for the Fire and Rescue Services for 23 years.

The first Paul Johnston bursary recipient is Kieran Steer from Crossgates who had a break after the Paralympic Games in Rio. Kieran is attempting to regain the form that established him as the number eleven ranked player in the BC4 class in the lead up to Rio. Kieran trains at Crossgates Community Centre with support from Fife Council and the Paul Johnston bursary of £250 will help Kieran to meet his hall hire costs.

I met with PJ, Kieran and Kieran’s coach Cat prior to the photo call and the two athletes shared lots of stories about their experiences to date and plans for the future. PJ was as always encouraging, enthusiastic and inspiring and Kieran was massively appreciative of PJs advice and bursary support. Another solid Fife sports friendship has been established.

Disability Sport Fife (SCIO) members can now access Bill Pullar bursaries, Russell Hogg bursaries, Association of Fife Rotary Clubs bursaries, Order of St John Fife bursaries, St Andrews Kilrymont Rotary bursary and now the Paul Johnston bursaries. In addition throughout the year there are incidental bursaries that are awarded by individual supporters of DSF who on most occasions wish to remain anonymous.

These monetary awards assist DSF members greatly to achieve their full potential in Para sports by helping them with training and competition costs. Para athletes are also supported by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust under the talented athlete scheme and Fife Council through grant aid. Many thanks to all the agencies that provide essential support for athlete members.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

 

Do you believe in the power of sport to change lives?

We are looking for applicants from a variety of backgrounds to apply for a position on the sportscotland Board and we would be pleased if you would reach out to your networks to spread the word.

We want to hear from people with a passion for sport, who see the value in creating a culture where sport is for life and who believe in an active Scotland where everyone benefits from physical activity.

We will be promoting the appointments across our social media channels using #GetOnBoard and ask if you can support and share with your networks. I have attached a flyer which you may find helpful in your communications or for further information.

The application pack is available on the public appointments websitewww.appointed-for-scotland.org and completed applications must be received by Friday 22 March 2019.

sportscotland Board Advert