Pamela Mitchell from Dunfermline was the first Disability Sport Fife (DSF) bowler with a learning disability to win a UK title. The occasion was the Special Olympics Summer Games in Brighton in 1986 and mainstream international bowler Tony Alcock remarked on Pamela’s exceptional skills at the time. Pamela excelled in singles and pairs and set a standard that others from Fife have tried to live up to. Pamela has been a prolific winner of Scottish and Fife titles but a recent run of poor health interfered with her bowls plans. With all that behind her Pamela made a return to the DSF bowls team that retained the Inter Area title at Kelvingrove in 2015 and she has not looked back since.

Pamela is a member at Headwell Indoor Bowling Club where she has played her bowls for many years. This weekend past, Pamela played second in the Headwell Ladies Four at the SIBA National Fours. Sadie Philp played lead, Claire Ewing played third and the Skip was Sarah Ewing, Director to IBD visually impaired world champion Maria Spencer from Dunfermline. DSF is fiercely proud of the partnerships it has with inclusive bowling clubs across Fife and Headwell Indoor is a fine example of a club that encourages all sections of the community, including bowlers with disabilities.

On Saturday Team Headwell defeated Cumbernauld 24-14 and on Sunday morning recorded a second victory against Falkirk by 28-9. The final match of the weekend resulted in a narrow quarter final victory over East Fife Indoor by 17-16 in a match that could have gone either way. In this match Team Headwell played a team with three full Scottish internationals, one of whom is scheduled to play in New Zealand this month. Skip Sarah Ewing was exceptionally complimentary about Pamela and how she held her nerve in every tie. Pamela delivered a series of quality bowls at two and helped send Team Headwell to the semi finals in Aberdeen in March to play Fife neighbours Abbeyview.  Pamela and her team mates are only two games away from representing Scotland in the British Isles Championships.

Earlier this month I reported on the three DSF member athletes who helped Fife AC to a third place finish in a major cross country competition. Pamela Mitchell has similarly contributed to the success of Team Headwell at the SIBA National Fours. This proves conclusively that performance athletes with a disability have the potential to make a very positive contribution to the competition ambitions of mainstream sports clubs. Most importantly however it demonstrates that DSF members are not only valued and appreciated as performance athletes but that Fife has many sports clubs that are inclusive in ethos and practice. Brilliant job Pamela. We shall all be behind you in Aberdeen.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

Through the partnership project ‘Inspiring Sport’ between the Celtic FC Foundation and Scottish Disability Sport, 55 young people with Physical Disabilities and Visual Impairments enjoyed a day of sport and physical activity at Ravenscraig Sports Facility on Friday 11^th November.

Inspiring Sport aims to enhance the lives of young people and adults with physical, learning and sensory disabilities in the West of Scotland through the medium of sport and physical activity and through various means, encourages participation which is beneficial for a healthy lifestyle and social interaction.

The event was supported by coaches from Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport, scottishathletics, judoscotland, tennisscotland, Scottish Rowing, Scottish Cycling, Table Tennis Scotland and Scottish Boccia, and Celtic Football Club Community Coaches coached the football sessions during the event.

Volunteer coaches from clubs across the West, St Mirren Warriors Wheelchair Basketball Club, Victoria Park City of Glasgow Athletics Club, Drumchapel Table Tennis Club and Movement Park Judo were also assisting on the day.

The event was a great success with all of the young people fully involved in a range of activities which were based on fun and enjoyment and which encourages future participation in sport.

A number of the participants were treated to an inspirational talk delivered by para athletes, Stephen McGuire, BC4 Boccia World Champion and Team GB member and Kayleigh Haggo, Scottish Swimming Squad member.  Stephen and Kayleigh gave a fantastic insight into their journey in sport from starting out and their future ambitions and certainly gave their audience something to aim for in the future.

The event also welcomed Kieran Tierney, first team player for Celtic, who joined the participants in some of the sports, signed t-shirts and took some ‘selfies’ with the excited youngsters.

Thank you to all the coaches and volunteers who gave up their time to support the event, Active Schools East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire for their assistance on the day and Ravenscraig Sports Facility for their cooperation once again.

To find out more about this event or disability sport in the West of Scotland, please contact

Lynn Allison – lynn.allison@scottishdisabilitysport.com / 07974 448580

Lori Ure – lori.ure@scottishdisabiltysport.com / 07806 815591

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Glasgow based Women Warriors Wheelchair Basketball Club received recognition at the Sports Council for Glasgow Annual Sports Awards, as winners of the ‘Disability Achievement Club of the Year’.

Anne-Marie Monaghan, founder of the club, said: “I’m delighted with our Achievement Award and the success of the club.  This award is for everyone involved in Women Warriors, including those on and off the court.  We work as a team and celebrate this success as a team”.

This was not the end of nominations for the club, as head coach and 3 times GB Paralympian, Sarah Baillie, was presented with the well deserved ‘Disability Coach of the Year Award’. “Personally I feel really chuffed with my award, but it is a great reflection of all the dedication put in by everyone in the team,” said Sarah.

The Women Warriors were established 2 years ago, and have grown from strength to strength training on a weekly basis.  With over 20 members attending the club, the Warriors play in both basketballscotland’s wheelchair basketball league, and British Wheelchair Basketball’s Women’s League, which is based in Nottingham.

If you would like to find out more about wheelchair basketball or join a club, please contact Tina Gordon, basketballscotland Wheelchair Basketball Development Officer tina.gordon@basketball-scotland.com.

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Disability Sport Fife (DSF) considers Badminton Scotland a major Scottish Governing Body partner in the delivery of quality sports experiences for junior participants with additional support needs. With support from the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, Active Schools,  Glenrothes HS Sports Leaders and Jane Russell from Badminton Scotland a very successful Badminton Festival was held at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre. The Festival was held to raise awareness of the World Badminton Championships that will be held in Glasgow in August 2017.

Pupils from Balwearie HS and Lochgelly HS signed up for the Festival. A full two hour programme of badminton skills and activities coordinated by Jane and delivered by the young Glenrothes HS Sports Leaders was enjoyed by all the Festival participants. Activities were varied and maintained participant interest for the duration of the Festival. The final session of the Festival involved match play with Sports Leaders fully involved as umpires.

Badminton is a priority sport for Disability Sport Fife and its many members. The original inspiration was the late Russell Hogg from Badminton Scotland and Scottish Disability Sport. Jane Russell has sustained the promotion of the sport with workshops for coaches and Festivals for participants. DSF coaches Alex Bird and Julie Hogg lead evening and afternoon sessions in Glenrothes and Cowdenbeath for players with additional support needs and the DSF Badminton Championships attract an entry now of almost 60 players. Badminton in Fife has never been more popular.

The Festival ended with the presentation of achievement certificates to participants and sports leaders. The 2017 World Championships were the catalyst for the Festival but there is no doubt that the enthusiasm of the GHS Sports Leaders and the quality of their coaching inspired the participant pupils. Well done to the pupils and staff from the three participating Fife High Schools.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

Scotland West Special Olympics Basketball Team won the GB Special Olympics 2016 National Basketball Championships at the National Basketball Performance Centre, Manchester.

Scotland West entered a mixed team comprising of 7 males and 3 females from the Glasgow Eagles disability squad coached by Alistair Cameron and Justine Kerr supported by Head coach Willie Cameron and Head of delegation Gordon McCormack.

Scotland West won every one of their 9 games and beating Northern Region 30-7 in the final to lift the championship proving yet again they are the best Special Olympics basketball team in Britain.

Such was the success at Manchester Scotland West will enter 2 teams in the Special Olympics GB Summer games at Sheffield in 2017.

Visibility’s Children and Families Project –Christmas Fun Day for children 5 – 12 years old.

On Sunday 11th December from 1 – 3pm we will be having our Christmas Fun Day at Bearsden Ski Slopes, The Mound, Stockiemuir Rd, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 3RS

On the day we will take part in a Tubing session where we will have fun going down the slope on a rubber tube followed by some food and Party Games.

Please wrap up warm on the day and wear waterproof outer clothing and bring gloves,   Helmets will be provided.

Places for this event are limited so booking is essential.

If you would like to join us on the day please get in touch by calling Clare Sweeney on 0141 332 4632 or emailing Clare.Sweeney@visibility.org.uk.

We look forward to seeing you all on the day.

Disability Sport Fife (DSF) is committed to encouraging para athletes to become involved in teaching and coaching particularly after they have retired from competitive sport. Who better to inspire, encourage and retain members within our movement than those who have enjoyed the benefits of sports participation and want others to share similar experiences.

Lucy Walkup represented Great Britain at two Deaflympics and numerous other World and European Championships. Lucy retired from performance swimming and is now a student at the University of Stirling and coaching and teaching in the Stirling area. Craig Smith from FINS was a very promising competitive physically disabled swimmer but has taken time out from training to concentrate on his studies and his future career. Like Lucy, Craig now has a Level 1 swimming award and has signed up to the sportscotland/ Scottish Disability Sport inclusive coach programme. Both Lucy and Craig are being supported through their early months as coaches/teachers/volunteers and are benefiting from the experience.

DSF has encouraged a number of present athletes to train as volunteer support coaches and their contribution to the DSF weekly programme of sports activity sessions is very significant. Steven Anderson, Adam Faulds, Briony Clark and Ryan Spearman for example support DSF weekly multi sports sessions and bowls, boccia, racquet sports and run, jump and throws specifically. Their regular contribution has enhanced greatly the learning experience of children, young people and adults with physical, sensory or learning disabilities.

Paralympian Kieran Steer was a member of Team GB at the Games in Rio earlier this year. Kieran is a world class boccia player and has already considered coaching as a career by attending a UKCC Level 1 Boccia course. Kieran jumped at the chance offered by DSF to work with novice player Tyler McLelland from Glenrothes . The pair met for the first time at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre and hit it off immediately. Sessions are supported by the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust plus DSF and on the first week coach Claire Morrison attended to offer advice and direction. Kieran and Tyler are booked to work together every Monday up until Christmas.

As with any aspiring young athlete, supportive parents are critical and Tyler has a very enthusiastic family behind him. 10 year old Tyler is also attending the DSF run, jump and throws sessions at Pitreavie Stadium where he has made a major impact with coaches in only a couple of weeks. Tyler now has a set of DSF practice boccia balls and a huge desire to develop his skills as a boccia player and athlete. With Kieran and the other DSF coaches behind him all the way Tyler will undoubtedly make steady progress.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

Disability Sport Fife has teamed up with the well established and highly respected “Bums off Seats” programme to introduce health walks to participants of all ages and abilities with a physical, sensory or learning disability. DSF hopes to encourage member organisations and individual athletes to take advantage of Bums off Seats local health walks that are currently available across Fife to all sections of the community.

This initiative is part of the Get Out and Get Active (GOGA) programme which DSF has signed up to with support from Scottish Disability Sport and Spirit of 2012. In stage one of the initiative, Bums off Seats Programme Coordinator Vivienne McNiven tutored a Volunteer Walk Leaders Training Course in Glenrothes to establish a group of local people/significant others trained to promote and lead health walks on an ongoing basis.

A health walk is a short, local walk usually lasting between 30 and 60 minutes and ½ to 2½ miles long. 12 newly trained walk leaders from schools, Central Fife CSS, Fife College and University of St Andrews etc. will join a network of over 6000 volunteers throughout the UK. The training is recognised by the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health.

Photo: Vivienne McNiven with the new Walk Leaders who will work with DSF members and others.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

At this time of the year a significant number of Disability Sport Fife (DSF) members turn their attention to cross country. Fife secondary schools with Departments for pupils with additional support needs prepare enthusiastically for the autumn, winter and spring programme of cross country events organised by DSF, Scottish Athletics and Scottish Disability Sport. Races are held in Fife, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Fife Athletic Club athletes Owen Miller and Sam Fernando first came to the attention of DSF as members of their school cross country teams and the strong Fife track and field teams of recent years have developed from cross country successes.

The East Series 1 cross country was held early in November at Peffermill. 36 junior athletes from Bell Baxter HS, Woodmill HS, Balwearie HS, and Lochgelly HS competed in separate boys and girls races over 1K, 2K and 3K. Fife athletes recorded eleven year group first places.

Arran Howe (S4) from Bell Baxter HS had the fastest 1K time of the day of 4.40, following in the footsteps of ex Bell Baxter HS pupil Sam Fernando who currently leads the UK junior rankings. Over the same distance Fife produced the following year group winners: Nathan Smith (S1) Woodmill HS, Edwin Barron (S2) Woodmill HS, Connor Brown (S3) Woodmill HS and Reece Dickson (S5) Balwearie HS.

Sophie Coughlin (S1) from Bell Baxter HS returned the second fastest IK time for girls in Series 1 of 6.37 and Megan Wilson (S3) Woodmill HS and Chloe Ramsay (S2) Lochgelly HS were individual IK year group winners. Michelle Harley (S4) Lochgelly HS was the fastest girl over 2K in East Series 1 and Matthew Blair (S5) Woodmill HS was the second fastest boy and year group winner.

The 3K races are reserved for the leading junior athletes and Casey Donaldson (S4) Woodmill HS recorded the fastest Series 1 time of 16.53. Brandon Eason (S6) Balwearie HS was second fastest in 18.26 to round off another very successful East Series Cross Country event for Fife schools.

Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife

 

The 2016 Central Parasport Festival was a great success, seeing 44 children with physical and sensory impairments taking part at Grangemouth Sports Complex. Pupils from P1 – S6 in mainstream schools travelled from across Central Scotland to take part in boccia, tennis, swimming, athletics, football, bowls and basketball delivered by local sports clubs, national coaches and GB athletes.

The event was a great triumph, with numbers doubling from previous years. Strong partnerships with Forth Valley Disability Sport, Active Stirling, Falkirk Community Trust and Clackmannanshire Council supported the identification of pupils attending this year’s event. A workshop was also held by Richard Brickley MBE for parents, PE teachers and Active Schools coordinators to gain additional insight into subjects such as disability inclusion, pathways and classification.

Inspirational speeches closed the event from local para athletes Laura Cluxton (2014 Commonwealth visually impaired cyclist) and Meggan Dawson Farrell (2014 Commonwealth wheelchair racer). These athletes hoped to inspire the next generation of athletes from the Central belt.

Cheryl Willet, Central Regional Development Manager, said: “The event was a great success and a worthwhile experience for not only many pupils engaging in sports they may never have tried before, but also their parents and teachers. The message is certainly getting out there that the pathway from participation to performance for athletes with a disability is in place within Central, from a local level to an international level.  Most of all, it has been great to see so many pupils with a physical and sensory disability in mainstream schools engage in the sports, have fun, and potentially move up the pathway.”

A special thank you to Forth Valley Disability Sport, Active Stirling, Falkirk Community Trust, Clackmannanshire Council, Scottish Athletics, Tennis Scotland, Scottish Swimming, Basketball Scotland, Forth Valley Flyers, Right on Target Boccia Club, Falkirk indoor Bowling club, Falkirk Football Club, sportscotland and Grangemouth Sports Complex for their support.

To find out more about this event or disability sport in Central Scotland, please contact:

Cheryl Willet – cheryl.willet@scottishdisabilitysport.com / Phone: 07577 830360

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