Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) enjoy a close relationship with basketballscotland and continue to work collaboratively to support and develop opportunities for participants with disabilities to play basketball across the country.
Participation opportunities are available to all individuals, including players with a learning disability and those with a physical disability via running and wheelchair formats of the game. The inclusive nature of the sport enables players of all abilities, regardless of experience or background to come together, become connected and get involved.
Para Sport Festivals
Basketball is a mainstay at the SDS Para Sport Festivals with many children and young people given a taste of the sport for the first time under the watchful eye of basketballscotland’s Disability Talent & Pathways Manager Tina Gordon who is quick to identify and support anyone who is keen to take the sport further. Para Sport Festivals have been a key method of engaging school aged young people at grassroots level and supporting them into club activity and we hope to continue this trend as we return to sport post pandemic.
Clubs
As mentioned, there are opportunities to play the sport across the country and more details of these sessions can be found via the interactive map here.
There are currently six wheelchair basketball clubs across Scotland, ranging from more established clubs like Lothian Phoenix, Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club and West of Scotland Wheelchair Sports Club (Glasgow Rolling Rocks) to recently developed opportunities like Perth Eagles Wheelchair Sports Club.
In addition to established club activity, there are also sessions delivered at the Crags Centre in Edinburgh offering ‘pick up’ wheelchair basketball sessions and opportunities for young people on the autism spectrum disorder.
Players with Learning Disabilities
Opportunities for players with learning disabilities are primarily driven by Special Olympics branches and supported by basketballscotland. There is a strong basketball presence for players with a learning disability in the West of Scotland and Tayside while other regions are also looking to establish and develop activity, creating more opportunity across the country.
Leading Performers
Ayr born Robyn Love is Scotland’s leading wheelchair basketball player having represented GB Women since 2015 where she assisted the team to a sliver medal at the Osaka Cup in Japan. The 3.5 point player also represented GB Women at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio and is focused on her second Games, which are scheduled to take place in Tokyo later this year (2021).
You can listen to Robyn’s journey on the SDS Paracast, with Robyn’s episode due to be released on Thursday 17th June.
Coach, Education and Training Opportunities
basketballscotland have developed their coach education pathway to ensure that inclusion is a golden thread that runs through each course from the introductory ‘Make It Happen’ to the UKCC Level 2. This inclusive approach allows developing coaches to gain an understanding of disability basketball and provides the required support should they wish to focus on this.
Visit the basketballscotland website for more information
Contact: Tina Gordon, Disability Talent & Pathways Manager – tina.gordon@basketball-scotland.com
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