Tyler McLelland from Glenrothes and Auchmuty HS is back in training at the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre and he was missed by everybody who knows him. In 2017 Tyler went through surgery and a lengthy period of rehabilitation and rest. Recently his consultant gave him the go ahead to resume training and he could not get back to boccia quickly enough.

Coach Emma (Tyler’s mum) had a full and well thought out programme ready for him on his return. Tyler has had little chance to train with his new Spanish boccia balls purchased with funding from the Order of St John in Fife. After only a few sessions it was noted that he was throwing as well as ever and cannot wait for the competition season to start.

Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and in particular the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre have been massively supportive of the young Disability Sport Fife member since he was first introduced to the game less than two years ago. The most recent supportive measure by the FSLT is to agree to a boccia court being laid in the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre for Tyler to use in training.

Tyler has been identified by DSF as a young boccia player of considerable promise. Coach Emma is signed up for a UKCC Level 1 boccia course this year having completed her Leaders award last year. Team McLelland will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with in national boccia in years to come. Tyler competes in the BC4 class, the same class as Rio Paralympian Kieran Steer from Crossgates, who recently retired from the sport.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

 

 

Get Out Get Active has offered Adam Faulds from Glenrothes the opportunity to develop as an exceptional volunteer for active recreation and sport in Fife. The ex Balwearie HS DAS pupil transitioned comfortably from school to community activity at the beginning of the GOGA in Fife programme and from the start he has gone from strength to strength.

At school Adam was an enthusiastic participant but since leaving school he has taken to inclusive bowls successfully with Dovecot Bowling Club and has advanced his swimming skills out of all recognition. In both instances the sessions he attends have had GOGA investment with support from Spirit of 2012 over the past 18 months.

Adam was invited to become a Disability Sport Fife volunteer peer mentor and in this aspect of his leisure time he excels. Initially Adam signed up to support participants with severe and complex needs who attend the weekly multi sport and run jump and throws sessions. His skills as a peer mentor were obvious from the start and as part of his Disability Sport Fife (GOGA in Fife) training he was offered a place on a Walk Leaders Course tutored by Vivienne McNiven of Active Fife.

Adam made such an impression on Vivienne that he was invited to join the mainstream Walk Leaders programme and before Christmas he informed me that he had led his first community walk. The highlight of 2017 for Adam was being invited to the Bums Off Seats walk leaders Christmas lunch. The influence of GOGA, supported by Spirit of 2012 is considerable throughout Adam’s transition from school to community. This young man has a strong skill set for helping others and GOGA in Fife has offered him the opportunity to flourish.

Adam Faulds is one of a number of young volunteer peer mentors whose confidence and self esteem have developed significantly through being involved in the GOGA in Fife programme. Thank you Adam for your support and long may it continue.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

 

GB Para trap shooter Mike Drever from Leven, like all our other high performance athletes, is fully involved in intensive training, preparing for the season ahead.

Mike has recently been involved in a five day training camp in Malaga and has started working with Scottish Target Shooting Coach Marco Micheli. Marco is an A licence ISSF coach and regarded as one of the best in the world by shooters. Mike is signed up for a 5 day training camp with Marco in late February at the national shooting centre in Scotland (NSCS). Together they have set ambitious goals for the year ahead.

The next major event for Mike will be the World Cup Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. Mike is waiting to hear from GB Shooting about the selection policy and then he will make a decision about competing or not. This is the most expensive event on the calendar and because athletes are self funded, Mike has to select his programme of events carefully. If he does not travel to the UAE, Mike plans to compete in the GB selection shoot in Nuthampstead at the end of March.

Best wishes Mike, all of us in DSF are behind you all the way.

 

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

The second event in the West of Scotland Schools Cross Country Series was held on Wednesday 25th January at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.  The series is part of the West of Scotland Schools calendar of events, which is supported by the Inspiring Sport Project from Celtic FC Foundation.

After all the recent adverse weather, Bellahouston was bathed in sunshine, with minimal wind, but with a chilly bite to the air. Conditions underfoot were muddy, to say the least and a few shoes were lost coming in to the home straight!

226 pupils from schools across the West of Scotland competed across the 1km, 2km and 3km races and once again proved that Cross Country is still a favourite when it comes to the sports events throughout the year.

There were some great performances from the West’s leading runners, Sara Stevenson from Merkland School and Alexander Thomson from Hamilton Grammar, notable winners in the 1km races.

Cormac O’Hara from Williamwood High School crossing the line first in the 2km race and Darren Carruthers from Victoria Park AC making his mark in the 3km event.

Both Alexander and Darren have recently been selected for the World Special Olympics Games in Abu Dhabi next year.  Congratulations go to them.

 

The final event of the series, where series medallists will be decided, takes place on Thursday 22nd February at Chateauherault Country Park in South Lanarkshire.

Swimmer Shannon Crosbie was amongst the athletes selected to represent Great Britain at the upcoming Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi in 2019.  Judo players Philip Brodie and Harrison Lovett are joined by golfer Caitlin Dodds, taking the number of athletes selected from the region to four.

The athletes will be joined by Head Coaches Jamie McDonald (Golf) and Jo Imrie (Judo) who have been selected to lead the Great British team in their selected sports.  Johnny Imrie has also been selected onto the judo coaching team.  Congratulations to those selected, a wonderful achievement.

The World Summer Games will be held in March 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  The Games will feature seven days of competition in 24 sports with around 7000 athletes with an intellectual impairment participating over the course of the Games.  More information on the Games can be found by following the link below –

https://www.specialolympics.org/Games/2019_World_Summer_Games.aspx

For more information surrounding sporting opportunities with Lothian Special Olympics please follow the highlighted link – http://www.lothianspecialolympics.org/

The annual Para Sport Festival is on the horizon for 2018, welcoming young people from across the East of Scotland with a physical or sensory impairment and providing them with an opportunity to try a range of Para Sports, delivered by some of the best clubs and coaches across the country.  This year’s festival is scheduled for Friday 23^rd March at Forrester / St Augustine’s High School, Edinburgh – event details can be found below.

Event:   East of Scotland Para Sport Festival 2018

Date:     Friday 23^rd March 2018

Venue: Forrester / St Augustine’s High School, Edinburgh, EH12 9AE

Format: This 2018 event will take a slightly different format to previous years, offering an opportunity for young people with a physical impairment to try swimming, tennis, triathlon and wheelchair basketball during the morning of the event.  The afternoon session will welcome children with sensory impairments to try sports athletics, goalball, judo and swimming.

Powerchair users are also encouraged and welcome to attend the event and sports such as athletics, boccia and powerchair football will be available for individuals to try on the day.  The timings of these sessions are yet TBC due to hall availability, however we will let all participants using a powerchair know as soon as possible.

The event, previously named the Paralympic Experience Event, is entering its seventh year and is a fantastic opportunity for primary and secondary aged young people to experience some of the sports that are successfully showcased at major events such as the Paralympic Games.  The activities selected reflect the strong club structure in the region and will aim to ignite the transition from the event to more regular sporting activity with one or more of the session’s being delivered.

The festival is a partnership event between Scottish Disability Sport, Edinburgh Active Schools, Lothian Disability Sport and Edinburgh Leisure who work together, along with local club coaches, to offer sessions to the children and young people from East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, the Scottish Borders and West Lothian.  This year’s event will also be supported by Celtic Community Foundation.

During the 2016 event, video footage was captured highlighting the aims and potential impact of the event featuring testimonies from young people, parents, club coaches and professional officers.  We hope this footage will prove a useful tool in providing an accurate insight to the event.

 

An entry pack for the event can be downloaded here in PDF format.  Additionally, an online version of the form can be accessed by clicking here.

If you require further information relating to the event, please contact Neal Herbert on 0131 625 4414 or neal.herbert@scottishdisabilitysport.com.  Entry forms will be circulated early in the New Year.