12 year old Finlay and 7 year old Skye from Inverkeithing HS and Inverkeithing Primary became members of Disability Sport Fife (DSF) in 2016 and within a short period of time they have made an immense impression on fellow athletes and coaching personnel. Parents Hailey and Scott hail from Aberdeen and Edinburgh respectively and following a spell in Kinnesswood, the family settled in Inverkeithing eight years ago. Finlay and Skye are the first athletes with achondroplasia to be involved with DSF.

The Davidson family joined the Dwarf Sports Association Uk (Dsauk) 5years ago and became inspired to become active in sports. Each year Skye and Finlay compete at the National Games in Birmingham in a range of sports. In June 2015 mum Hailey was encouraged to develop a Dsauk programme north of the border and consequently create many more opportunities for participants with dwarfism in Scotland. Currently Finlay and Skye are involved in track and field, football, basketball, hockey, boccia, curling, archery, swimming and badminton.

Finlay and Skye are members of the new Scottish region of the Dsauk and participate in a wide range of monthly activities. It was obvious early on that they had a real passion for sport and considerable performance potential. At the 2016 National Games they won 11 medals between them. They became further inspired about disability sport from watching the Paralympic Games from Rio.

Team Davidson are very committed to regular weekly training in Fife. Skye and Finlay pursue their swimming and Taekwon-do interests at Inverkithing HS Community Use School or as it is known to locals “The Wing”. Within the “Wing” the first disability swimming club was established back in the 70s with coach Jean Wilson at the helm. The Inverkeithing Club went on to produce many fine swimmers for the DSF swim squad including William McQueen who became a Paralympic medallist.

Finlay and Skye signed up to DSF last year following involvement with Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) and have not looked back since. Their impact on the Thursday DSF run, jump and throws session at Pitreavie, led by coach Pamela Robson, has been massive and their performances have improved accordingly. DSF has nominated Finlay to attend a Classification Clinic hosted by Scottish and British Athletics in Glasgow and they are also signed up to GOGA in Fife. The youngsters are also pursuing an active interest in competitive disability badminton.

The 2017 Dsauk National Games will once again be a focus for the very active and enthusiastic youngsters as well as local and national event opportunities.  In addition however they will be travelling to Guelph in Canada in August to compete in the 7^th World Dwarf Games as part of the GB team …. a busy but very exciting year for the talented Fife youngsters.

Skye’s ambition is to be a fast runner and compete for GB at the Paralympic Games. Finlay has similar sporting ambitions but at the same time believes that it would be amazing to be an Xbox gamer. Whatever the future holds for these talented Fife youngsters it is definite that they are widely respected within DSF and they have only been with us for a very short period. Hailey and Scott are yet another team of very inspirational Fife parents who are fully committed to the benefits of sport.

Richard Brickley MBE
President Disability Sport Fife

Highland Disability Sport and Inverness Harriers Para Athlete Abbie McNally from Alness was awarded The Ross and Cromarty Sports Council Endeavour Award at a Ceremony at Tulloch Castle last night. In 2016 she was medallist twice at the British Age Group Championships as well as a double gold medallist at the British School Games at Loughborough when she competed for Scotland. Well done Abbie.

In partnership with the West of Scotland Schools Association, SDS ran the Schools Boccia Championships on Tuesday 24^th January at the Emirates Arena Glasgow.  55 pupils from across 8 local authorities competed, with some excellent play from all participants.

We hope the pupils enjoyed the day and well done to everyone involved.

Medal Winners are below:

Physical Disability – A1
Gold: Zoe Irving, Langholm Academy, Dumfries & Galloway
Silver: Taylor McTaggart, St Mungo’s Academy, Glasgow
Bronze: Christopher Telfer, Dalmilling PS, South Ayrshire

Physical Disability – A2
Gold: Daniel McLaughlin, Annanhill Primary, East Ayrshire
Silver: Aiden Gibson, Craigmarloch, Inverclyde
Bronze: Connor McLauchlan, Kelbourne Park School, Glasgow

Physical Disability – Ramp players
Gold: Fraser Somerville, Mearns Castle, East Renfrewshire
Silver: Sophie Spence, Buchanan High, North Lanarkshire
Bronze: Faith Wright, Annanhill Primary, East Ayrshire

Learning Disability
Gold: Hayden Keir, Annan Academy, Dumfries & Galloway
Silver: Michael Gilhooly, Hollybrook, Glasgow
Bronze: Calum Thomson, Hollybrook, Glasgow

Paralympian Stephen McGuire and ex-Paralympian Peter McGuire were on hand to encourage the competitors, give out the medals and have their picture taken with the pupils so big thanks to them.

Thanks also to the Celtic FC Foundation’s ‘Inspiring Sport’ project who funded the event, to the Emirates Arena for hosting and their help on the day, and Ayrshire College students for officiating.

Pool Workshop – Introduction to Disability Swimming
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Merrick Leisure Centre, 0930-1230

£25.00. This course is subsidised 50% by Dumfries & Galloway Disability Sport. Please note that this workshop is being offered free to teachers which is fully subsidised by Dumfries & Galloway Disability Sport.

Inclusive Athletics
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Lincluden Primary School, 0930-1230

£25.00. This course is subsidised 50% by Dumfries & Galloway Disability Sport. Please note that this workshop is being offered free to teachers which is fully subsidised by Dumfries & Galloway Disability Sport.

Let’s Motivate Workshop
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Lincluden Primary School, 1300-1600

Free to attend

For more information on all workshops please download the flyer here.

Balwearie High School, Lochgelly High School and Madras College signed up for round one of the 2017  Disability Sport Fife 7s League. All three schools competed in both S1/S2 and S3 – S6 sections. Many thanks to the many school staff who are committed to the development of football for players with additional support needs and who continue to assist with the organisation of the League. The tournament has come a long way in seven years. A few schools were missing from round one but hope to be present in rounds two and three.

The S1/S2 section looks as if it will be close this year if the January results are anything to go by. Madras College and Lochgelly HS shared the honours with five points each and Balwearie HS finished third with two points. Callum Nicoll (Madras College) and Ryan Baird (Lochgelly HS) were top goal scorers with three goals each.

Balwearie HS players have won the senior section for the past four years following wins by Lochgelly HS in years one and two. It was an all-too-familiar situation again this year as Balwearie HS topped the section with six points and Lochgelly HS and Madras College finished with four and two points respectively. Thirteen goals in total were scored in the senior section with Stuart Taylor from Balwearie HS finishing top scorer with four goals.

DSF is indebted to David McArdle from the Scottish FA for continued support of football development in Fife. DSF is also indebted to Derek Lowe, Area Coordinator for the Fife Referees Association and to Andrew McGachan and Alistair Watt who officiated at the January event. The provision of the excellent Kirkcaldy High School football facilities has been instrumental to the League’s success.  Special thanks to Rector Derek Allan and Principal Teacher of PE Malcolm Stewart.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

Disability Sport Fife is always pleased to celebrate the improvement and success of our younger members and on this occasion the athlete in question is Cameron Adam from Dunfermline and West Fife AC. Cameron competes in the under 13 age group and if you wish to witness the energy and skill of this young athlete check out the video that was made a couple of years ago when we visited Canmore Primary School.

Cameron competes in the class for athletes with cerebral palsy who have a hemiplegia. Cameron’s class is T37 for sprinting and F37 for throws and jumps. Cameron’s impairment impacts on his left arm and leg but it does not stop him hurdling as is clearly demonstrated in the video. Nor does the weakness on one side of his body stop this all action youngster sprint effectively, long jump 2.17 metres and throw a 3K shot 3.89 metres. In long jump Cameron has a current GB ranking of 6 and during the past two seasons he has managed a 100 metres ranking as high as 14.

Cameron is strong, dynamic, focussed and very determined. In 2015 he secured his national classification through scottishathletics and he has not looked back since. At the 2015 Scottish Junior Championships organised by Scottish Disability Sport and Scottish Athletics, Cameron ran 13.2 for 60 metres and returned a year later to record a PB of 12.3. In the same event in 2015 his 100 metres time was 21.7 and last year he improved by 0.2 seconds. In September last year Cameron recorded a PB for 100 metres of 19.9 demonstrating clearly that all the training at his club and at Pitreavie Athletics Centre with Disability Sport Fife is paying off.

Cameron’s shot and long jump have also shown steady improvement. Throughout the 2017 season this very talented youngster will be chipping away at his personal best times and distances and fulfilling the promise he has demonstrated from the first day he became involved with Disability Sport Fife.

Cameron’s mum is now club coaching and has signed up with DSF as a coach/volunteer. Both Cameron’s parents attended a Sports Coach UK workshop put on by DSF and as with so many talented young people, his mum and dad are behind him all the way. Junior athletics has never been stronger in Fife and Cameron Adam is one of the most promising athletes competing in 2017.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

Grampian Disability Sport are excited to announce the launch of their Get Out, Get Active (GOGA) project

We invite you to join us at Garioch Sports Centre, Burghmuir Drive Inverurie, AB51 4GY on the 5^th March @ 2pm.  This event will be the official launch of the project including adapted cycling, walking and triathlon for people with disabilities.

At the launch event there will be the opportunity to try adapted cycling for all abilities.  Garioch Sports Centre will become the first adapted cycling hub to be set up as part of the project and the first ever hub in Aberdeenshire.  So come along and tell us what you would like to see at the hub.

Places will be limited for the adapted cycling session so please book your place now by emailing: gemma.lewis@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or call 01467 534730.

Scottish Disability Sport will be facilitating an exciting opportunity for all members of education staff from across the East of Scotland to attend a range of workshops in areas such as inclusive early years, PE for children with severe and complex needs and working with children on the autism spectrum.  The workshops will welcome experienced individuals to lead the sessions and provide information and ideas for education staff to implement in their everyday practice.

Further information on the day can be found below or by clicking here.

When:  Friday 3^rd February

Where: Firrhill High School, Edinburgh, EH14 1DP

Time:    1.30pm – 4.30pm

The training opportunity is open to all early years practitioners, primary teachers, primary specialist PE teachers, secondary PE teachers, trainee teachers and learning support staff from East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian.

On the day, various workshops will be delivered by experienced practitioners in the field.  The workshops will include (TBC):

• Working with children on the autism spectrum
• Dance
• Inclusive early years
• PE for children with severe and complex needs – providing an opportunity to share good practice.

Attendees are asked to choose one workshop from the list provided and the day will conclude with an opportunity to network with peers from other areas of the East of Scotland.

Anyone interested in this opportunity should complete the attached booking form and return to admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com by Friday 27^th January 2017.  If you require further information, please contact 0131 317 1130.

 

 

Scottish Disability Sport are working in partnership with East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club and Lothian Disability Sport to plan and deliver an exciting new opportunity for players with a physical, sensory or learning impairment.  The development day will provide an insight to the sport of bowls for new players while also providing coaching and participation information for existing bowlers.

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) is the recognised governing body for para bowls in Scotland and are excited to be working alongside local partners to identify players in the east region of Scotland with the aim of establishing a regular para bowls session at East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club.  The details of the session can be found below and also by clicking here.

Event:   East of Scotland Para Bowls Development Day

Date:     Sunday 12^th February 2017

Time:    12 noon – 2.00pm

Venue: East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club, East Lothian, EH33 1LZ

To express an interest or for further information, please get in touch on 0131 625 4414 or  email neal.herbert@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

 

 

 

Forth Valley Disability Sport Awards will recognise the commitment, achievement and contribution that our athletes, coaches, volunteers and clubs have made to our community in Forth Valley in 2016.

The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Monday, 20th February 2017 at The Stirling Albert Hall, Albert Place, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2QL. We welcome all award applications with a closing date of Wednesday 25th January.

For more information and if you would like to make a nomination please see the Forth Valley Disability Sport website.