For the past 40 years Rotary International has played a major role in supporting Disability Sport Fife (DSF) to develop sports opportunities for children, athletes and players with a physical, sensory or learning disability. Rotary clubs throughout Fife have financially supported Fife teams, funded individual sportsmen and women, enabled the purchase of adapted equipment or provided the necessary resources to host local events. DSF considers Rotary International a key partner and thanks to the efforts of Rotarians past and present, the organisation is as strong as it is today.

DSF and the Association of Fife Rotary clubs have signed up to a five year bursary programme. The bursary programme is designed to offer support to emerging performance sportsmen and women at a key stage of their development. Each year four Rotary bursaries of up to £250 are awarded to individuals or groups who have financial challenges. Since the programme was established twelve bursaries have been awarded to DSF members to assist them with their considerable expenses as committed sportsmen and women.

Representing the Association of Fife Rotary Clubs, Jim Slater (Dunfermline Carnegie), Derek Thomson (Burntisland) and Alan Farquarson (West Fife) met with the President of DSF at Pitreavie Athletics Centre to present the 2017 bursaries to the following:

Brad Stewart from Ladybank who was selected for Team GB for the first time for the Para archery world ranking tournament and European Cup in the Czech Republic. Brad was 6th in the individual event and won silver in team.

Michael Drever from Leven who is the only Scot in the Team GB Para trap team that will travel to Lonato in Italy in September for the a World Cup competition in September. This is the first time Mike has been selected for Team GB.

Skye and Finlay Davidson from Inverkething who were part of the British team that travelled to Canada for the 2017 World Dwarf Games and achieved considerable success across a range of sports.

Owen Miller from Dunfermline and Fife AC who is the leading Scottish athlete with a learning disability and who excels in international sport specifically over 1500m and 800m. Owen is the Scottish record holder and a medallist at successive INAS International Championships.

The four Rotary bursaries made a considerable difference to the five recipients this year in their efforts to address a shortfall in funding for their events programme. Only when athletes achieve at the highest level will UK funding come their way. DSF considers the Rotary bursary programme critical for emerging performers with talent.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

A total of 69 athletes travelled from all over the Lothian Special Olympics region to participate in this year’s Special Olympics GB’s National Summer Games, hosted in Sheffield from Monday 7^th to Friday 12^th August.  The event saw a total of around 2600 athletes, 800 volunteer coaches, 1000+ volunteers and 150 officials from across the United Kingdom descend on the city of steel for the country’s largest multi-sport event of 2017.  There were also around 50 broadcasters over the 20 sports offered.

The Summer Games, held every 4 years, invites athletes with intellectual disabilities of all sporting abilities to participate and compete in a wide range of sports including athletics, swimming, football and judo.  In total, there were 69 athletes and 31 coaches & volunteers who represented Lothian across 10 of the 20 sports offered during this year’s games.  Athletes participated superbly throughout whilst claiming 25 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze medals and a host of 4^th-8^th place ribbons.

Notable achievements for the Lothian athletes included the success of the Boccia squad.  The all-female Lothian squad achieved considerable success claiming gold and silver medals in both the singles and pairs competitions whilst swimming, judo and badminton yielded a number of medals for experienced athletes as well individuals participating for the first time.  One athlete travelling to Sheffield for his first games experience was swimmer Callum Todd with the Fauldhouse Penguins club member securing medals in the Individual Medley (Bronze) as well as the 100m Backstroke (Gold).  Badminton made a welcome return after a hiatus and Ten Pin Bowling was included for the first time and athletes from the East of Scotland didn’t disappoint, with Michael McCraw (Badminton, Male Singles) claiming gold while team mates Daniel Strand and Jenni Gray finished 4^th and 5^th place respectively.  All sports were played in great spirits with fair play and professionalism at the forefront throughout, reflected by the officials overseeing the events as rules and regulations were strictly adhered to.  This ensured a level playing field for all athletes and players but also helped produce an extremely high level of performance, demonstrated by some of the times, distances and scores recorded over the week.

The week also incorporated the work that is being done throughout the East of Scotland in relation to the Play Unified Project, allowing school students from schools in the Lothian area to travel to Sheffield and be part of the Games.  The Play Unified project encourages schools to develop and deliver projects that provide an opportunity for mainstream school pupils to work alongside youngsters with a learning disability.

The Games is the culmination of months of training, commitment and dedication for the athletes and coaches involved and provides the pinnacle for many in terms of sporting achievements.  There is also a vast amount of work behind the scenes leading into the Games through the significant fundraising efforts which is essential in contributing towards kit, travel, and accommodation costs for the team of over 100 people.  Lothian Head of Delegation (HOD), Lynne Sturgeon, was key to the whole journey, overseeing and supporting athletes and coaches from all sports while coordinating the Games in the lead up and throughput the 6 day event.  Lynne states “It was amazing, the attitude and respect the Lothian athletes showed throughput the games.  The weekly dedication of the voluntary coaches and admin volunteers who create the training opportunities in the Lothians was repaid superbly by the athletes.  Without these volunteers the athletes would not have these opportunities to excel on and off the sports field.”

The event provides the platform for individuals to showcase their sporting talents, regardless of the level at which they compete, but also provides an opportunity to form relationships with their peers during a week that is packed from start to finish with competition, recreational activities, social opportunities and much more.  The week began with an all singing, all dancing opening ceremony and finished with a party evening with far more in between including a Q&A session with current England Head Coach Gareth Southgate.  This highlights the ever increasing profile of the SOGB National Games and the value it holds for participants as they build lifelong relationships, increase their confidence and achieve personal goals throughout the 6 day event.

If you are interested in learning more about the Games please follow the link below.  Additionally, if you would like to find out more about local opportunities associated to the Special Olympics, please contact solothian@gmail.com or visit www.lothianspecialolympics.org.

http://specialolympicsgb.org.uk/2017-sheffield-games

What is next?

Special Olympics GB 40^th Anniversary games hosted by Special Olympics Scotland to be held in Stirling 9 to 13^th August 2018 – further information to follow.

The Disability Sport Fife (DSF) athlete and coach bursary system has assisted a significant number of individuals at a critical time in their sporting career. Bursaries have been awarded to assist members attend major events, purchase expensive equipment, meet their weekly training costs or settle fees or individual athlete sports event contributions. Over almost four decades almost one hundred Fife athletes and players from a wide range of sports have benefited from the DSF system.

One of the most successful is the Bill Pullar Bursary Scheme, established by Margaret Pullar in the name of her late husband Bill, a great supporter of DSF. The Bill Pullar Bursary scheme has assisted many Fife leading Paralympians and high performance sportsmen and women when lack of funding was playing a part in their career development.

Each year Margaret Pullar attends the Disability Sport Fife AGM and Awards Evening and personally presents the bursaries. This year because of ill health Margaret was unable to attend make the journey to Glenrothes and hand over bursary awards to Oliver Carter (Cupar) and Michael Simpson (Auchtermuchty). Each athlete was however most grateful for the financial support which has helped them this year in their respective international swimming and bowls careers.

Margaret has been a Disability Sport Fife supporter for many years and a recent visit to her home in Cupar found her in good spirits and as always fully committed to the Bill Pullar Bursary programme.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Well done to Kirsty Brunton from Dalgety Bay and INCAS swimming club and Adam Donnachie from East Kilbride on winning the women’s and men’s 1K race at the 2017 Scottish National Open Water Championships at Loch Venacher organised by Scottish Swimming earlier in the month.

This was the first occasion that events have been included in the championships for swimmers with physical impairments. Both Kirsty and Adam swim in the S8 category of international Para swimming. Kirsty’s time was 0:29:36.00 and Adam’s time was 0:18:59.00. Excellent swims on both counts. Kirsty is coached by Garrie Roberts at INCAS.

Kirsty is an excellent and experienced sailor and the week leading up to the open water swim was fully involved in the Dalgety Bay sailing club youth week. She is a fully committed club volunteer with years of service to the club in various capacities.

Disability Sport Fife recognises Kirsty as a role model mum who is now involved in a range of sports and is supportive of Get Out Get Active (GOGA) in Fife. Kirsty herself has benefitted from the GOGA investment in Fife and is now fully committed to recumbent cycling as well as her aquatic sports. Her open water swimming commitment has enabled her to lift the first Scottish title for female disabled participants.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

 

Forth Valley Disability Sport Team has excelled themselves in the 10^th Special Olympics National Summer Games which was hosted in the City of Sheffield from Monday 7^th August and Saturday 12^th August 2017. Forth Valley Special Olympics Teams medal haul has reached 44 medals overall.

The Forth Valley Team of 53 athletes and 29 coaches / carers competed against athletes from all over Britain. The team was made up of individuals from Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire. Athletes represented Forth Valley in the Special Olympics National Summer Games which is a competition for people with learning disabilities and is organised by Special Olympics GB.

The athletes have competed against 2600 athletes from 19 other regions in the UK in athletics, boccia, bowls, football, golf, and swimming.

The games began with an exciting opening ceremony which set the scene for the three day competition with performances from world famous signer Tony Hadley and many other well know celebrities. Cheers from family and friends welcomed the athletes in their parade as they entered Bramell Lane, home of Sheffield United FC.

The Forth Valley Team has been training hard for the competition which took place in 13 venues throughout Sheffield. The commitment of the athletes has been evident in the results which you can see listed below. Well done to all of our Special Olympics athletes, many of whom medalled and recorded personal best.

Graham Harvey, Team Manager, said: “It has been a fantastic competition and for many of the athletes it has been their first time away from home and competing in a National event. Everyone will be going home with memories they will never forget.” He also went on to thank the many local business that have supported the team including RJM sports who supplied the Forth Valley teams Uhlsport kit, M-line for transporting the team to and from Sheffield and the volunteer coaches, escorts and careers who have made it possible for the team to be here.

Forth Valley Disability Sport would also like to thank everyone who helped the Special Olympics team to be so successful. A few companies, clubs and organisation are listed below:

Awards for All ,The Schuh Trust, Bannockburn Miners Welfare Social Club, EDF Energy, Morrisons Supermarket, Aldi Supermarket, Asda, Forth Valley Flyers Athletics Club, Right on Target Boccia Club, Stirling City All Stars, Enable Arion Swimming Club, Falkirk Indoor Bowling Club.

If anyone reading this article would like more information about sports participation opportunities for people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities please telephone Forth Valley Disability Sport on 01786 466486.

The extensive individual and team medal haul is as follows:-

Athletics
Name	Area	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Steven Stone	Falkirk	3			4th
Chloe McLean	Stirling			2	4th, 6th
George Le Hardy	Falkirk	3		1
Alanna Burton	Falkirk	1		3
Caitlyn Ross	Falkirk	2		1	6th
Niall Finlayson	Stirling	1			4th, 5th, 5th
Kenneth Holderness	Falkirk				4th, 6th, 7th, 7th
Bruce Anderson	Stirling		1		6th, 7th
Liam Nolan	Falkirk	2		1
David Harley	Falkirk	1	2		8th
Grant Waplington	Falkirk		1		5th, 6th, 8th
Amy Currie	Stirling			1	4th, 7th, 8th
Ellen Wotherspoon	Falkirk			1	6th
Paul Wotherspoon	Falkirk			1	4th, 5th, 6th
INDIVIDUAL MEDALS		12	4	10
TEAM MEDALS		1		1

 

Boccia
Name	Area	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Lee Duncan	Clackmannanshire		1	1
Connor Whannel	Clackmannanshire	1	1
Darren Rooney	Clackmannanshire	1			4th
Barbara-Ann McGinn	Clackmannanshire	1			5th
INDIVIDUAL MEDALS		1		1
TEAM MEDALS		1	1

 

Indoor Bowls
Name	Area	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Craig Stirling	Falkirk		1
Frank Maguire	Falkirk		1	1
Robert McWilliams	Falkirk		1	1
PAIR MEDALS			1
TEAM MEDALS				1

 

Football 7-a-Side
Forth Valley A Team	Forth Valley B Team
Gold Medal	Bronze Medal
Names:	Names:
Hendry Bell	Stephen Donaldson
Craig Boyle	James Ferguson
Garrie Knight	Jamie Henderson
Paul Lucy	Peter Holden
Paul Marshall	David Lenton
Iain McLeod	Callum Macdonald
Stuart Munro	Daniel McLean
Shaun Wotton	Patrick McLean
	Christopher Pearson
	Gordon Reid
	John Shanks

 

Golf
Name	Area	Medals
Andrew Stuart	Stirling	1 silver

 

Swimming
Name	Area	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Andrew McMillan	Falkirk	2	2
Gavin Miller	Clackmannanshire	1		1	4th, 4th
Claire Robertson	Clackmannanshire		1		5th
Mark Lumsden	Stirling	2			5th
Lewis Kellett	Falkirk	1			5th, 6th, 8th
Nathan Boyle	Stirling				7th
James McDonald	Stirling				5th, 7th
Virginia Shaw	Stirling				6th, 8th
Claire Mathewson	Stirling				5th, 8th
Sharon Sloan	Stirling				4th
Darren Byrne	Stirling				6th, 8th
John Thompson	Stirling				6th, 7th
INDIVIDUAL MEDALS		2	3	1
TEAM MEDALS		1

THE TOTAL OF THE MEDAL SUCCESS OVERALL IS: 44 MEDALS

Earlier in the year I reported that Skye and Finlay Davidson from Inverkeithing were part of the UK Dwarf Sports Association Team that headed to Canada for the 7th World Dwarf Games. The eight day Games have drawn to a conclusion and the Davidson family are heading home exhausted but fully satisfied that they have given their very best for Team UK across a wide range of sports.

In team games alone they have played four back to back games and within their age group individual events they have encountered quality international opposition. Mum Hailey has paid tribute to the coaches back in Fife who helped prepare Skye and Finlay for this sporting chance of a lifetime on the world stage.

Finlay and Skye are hugely enthusiastic about sports and very eager to try everything that comes their way. Mum Hailey also travelled with the team and she is herself is an active Disability Sport Fife sportswoman, leading by example. The Davidson’s are inspirational and considered a true role model DSF family with a strong commitment to weekly Fife sports sessions, Fife teams and GOGA in Fife. Hailey herself is fully committed nationally to encouraging families of young people with achondroplasia to become involved in physical activity, including sport.

For the young Davidson children the World Games are a stepping stone on the journey that may one day lead to their involvement in Para sport at international level. Not surprisingly swimmer Ellie Symonds is a family heroine and performances in Canada are an indication that the Davidson children may have the potential to follow in her footsteps. For the record results for Skye and Finlay were as follows:

Skye – 40m run gold, 20m run gold, relay 4×20 silver, Frisbee bronze, tennis ball gold, football gold, swimming 25m gold, hockey bronze, badminton bronze, basketball bronze

Finlay – boccia quarter finals, crossbow bronze, hockey bronze, relay 4×60 bronze

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Amputee Football Association Scotland (AFAS) are looking for new members who love the game of football!

In collaboration with Motherwell FC Community Trust, AFAS are offering a new Amputee Football session open to Junior and Senior players with limb absence.

The first training session will take place on Sunday 10^th September at Firpark Stadium, Motherwell from 11am -1pm.

If you have a passion for the beautiful game, come along and get involved!

Please see this flyer for more details.

Scottish Disability Sport is working in partnership to provide a National event exclusively for children, young people and adults with visual impairments from across Scotland.

The aim of the event is to provide an introduction to sport and engage participants in sport. RNIB, Haggeye, Guide Dogs Scotland and Visibility are supporting Scottish Disability Sport and governing body partners the Scottish Football Association, JudoScotland, Scottish Swimming and Scottish Athletics, Goalball UK and Blazing Saddles to provide a quality experience to participants on the day.  This unique opportunity is funded by the BIG Lottery Fund.

Many people with a visual impairment are not aware of the opportunities available to them in their local area. Scottish Disability Sport Regional Managers will be on hand on the day to raise awareness and support participants to get involved in their chosen sport in their local area. If you would like to have a chat about the event please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sports on offer throughout the day are: athletics, cycling, football, goalball, judo and swimming.

Date: Saturday 11th November, 2017

Venue: Scotstoun Leisure Centre, 122 Danes Drive, Glasgow, G14 9HD

Time: 10.30 am – 4.00 pm

Cost: FREE

If you have a visual impairment or know someone with a visual impairment that would like to get involved in sport and would like to attend please register by telephoning Scottish Disability Sport on 0131 317 1130 or email admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Please note that booking is essential for all participants.

For public transport information please see the SPT website at: www.spt.co.uk

Visual Impairment Engagement Day Flyer

I had the pleasure this week of having a coffee at Fisher and Donaldsons in Cupar with the remarkable Caroline Baird MBE. My specific mission was to meet the new Caroline following her extensive surgery and rehabilitation at the hands of a brilliant medical team in London. From the moment I picked her up at her parents home and bid farewell to her two daughters for a short period it was obvious that Caroline is indeed a very different person. Her posture, mobility, confidence and speech have improved dramatically following a number years of restriction, pain, lack of energy, frustration and loss of confidence.

Almost 18 months ago Caroline and Dr Sammler, her neurologist at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, embarked on a journey that eventfully led to her visit to the medical team in London. Caroline was introduced to different treatments under the expert guidance of Dr Sammler but the returns were disappointing. Deep brain stimulation is routinely used in the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s with incredible success but less so for those with dystonia. Caroline did not hesitate when it was offered to her as an option and she and husband John headed south on a journey that the family most definitely believe led to the return of the Caroline of old. While everybody at home held their breath, the gritty, determined successful Paralympian of the 90s took it all in her stride.

Caroline spent approximately three weeks in hospital under care of the superb medical team. She spent 7/8 hours in surgery over two sessions and ended up with two electrodes in her head and a “box” on the upper part of her chest that controls the whole stimulation process. John has the task of controlling the process under guidance from the London medical team and to date everything has gone exceptionally well. Approximately two weeks after leaving hospital Caroline proudly walked up the Bonnygate in Cupar in her role as a Past Chieftain of Cupar Highland Games to the complete astonishment of fellow Chieftains and friends. Another example of medical progress, the skills and abilities of the medical profession and the determination of a young woman to secure quality in her life free from pain and postural challenges.

During our coffee chat we spoke about the future and despite my efforts she did not buy into my suggestion of a future in bowls preferring instead her own mission to get back on a bicycle. Caroline reminded me that she meant a bicycle and not a tricycle. True to form challenge is always at the forefront of her thinking, with an emphasis on making up for lost time. Her immediate aim is to get back to work with Cornerstone Care where she works as a support worker with tenants with additional support needs.

Introduced to Para sport by Disability Sport Fife (DSF), Caroline’s first representative honour came as a member of the Scottish Junior Squad that competed in the British Junior Swimming Championships at Stoke Mandeville. She was encouraged to try athletics and very quickly it was evident this was where she would excel. Caroline’s first major representative honour came as a member of the Scottish Youth Team that travelled to the World Games in Miami in 1989. Caroline then went on to win 5 Paralympic medals of which 4 were gold. Her first Paralympic selection was Barcelona in 1992 and she returned with a gold medal. Further honours and medals followed in Atlanta and Sydney. She also won gold at the World Championships in Berlin in ’94 and Birmingham in ’98. For over a decade Caroline was recognised as the world’s leading sprinter in the T36 Class. She achieved times and set standards that had never been envisaged for a T36 athlete with cerebral palsy. Caroline was the true superstar of women’s athletics for her generation. She pushed the boundaries and raised the standards in the T36 class under the guidance of coach, John Oulton.

Spending time with Caroline is always a pleasure and this occasion was no exception. She inspired me as an athlete and continues to amaze me as a friend of many years. Coffee time was a pleasure and one particular phrase sticks in my mind “waking up every day and experiencing the changes that have happened is like a dream come true”. Well done Caroline and her medical team plus of course her devoted husband and family who have been behind her throughout her life. Disability Sport Fife is fiercely proud of this great athlete role model.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife