As part of GOGA in Fife (Get Out Get Active), Disability Sport Fife (DSF) teamed up with Active Schools and Badminton Scotland to organise a “Big Hit” Festival at the University of St Andrews Sports Centre on Tuesday 21st November between 10 00 and 12 00. GOGA in Fife is supported by Spirit of 2012 and has a focus of encouraging inactive individuals with additional support needs to be active more often.

The Festival on the day was coordinated by Jane Russell of Badminton Scotland with support from Alex Bird from Active Schools. Caitlyn McAleese, Active Schools Coordinator, Madras College Primary Cluster, was the Fife Council staff member who approached DSF about setting up the Festival. Caitlyn coordinated arrangements in the lead up to the event.

Sports Leaders from Madras College, prepared by Jane, delivered a two hour programme of appropriate skills, games and fun activities. 26 pupils with additional support needs from Madras College in St Andrews and Castlehill Primary in Cupar participated. The follow up to the half day Festival will be the introduction of lunch time badminton sessions in 2018 with input from Madras College staff and sports leaders.

A morning of active recreation was enjoyed by all. Learners were supported by learning support assistants, teachers and sports leaders. It is hoped to host a follow up GOGA in Fife tennis Festival for North East Fife schools in 2018, once again in the magnificent University of St Andrews Sports Centre.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Disability Sport Fife members played a significant role in the outstanding results recorded by the four Fife AC members who finished ninth overall at the Scottish Athletics National Short Course Cross Country Championships at Kirkcaldy High School on Saturday 11th November.

Almost 150 athletes from 36 of Scotland’s leading athletics clubs participated. Cameron Boyek from Central AC was the first athlete to finish in a time of 12.01. Fife Athletic Club leading athlete Logan Rees crossed the finish line in 6th place in 12.16 and he was followed by Owen Miller in 56th place in 13.11, Sam Fernando in 73rd place in 13.23 and Derek Rae in 75th place in 13.27. Fine performances by every Fife athlete and a most creditable finishing overall position.

Logan, Sam and Derek are coached by Ron Morrison in St Andrews and Owen is coached by Steve Doig in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy. All DSF members are on heavy endurance and strength training programmes over the winter in preparation for the 2018 athletics season. Cross country races are part of that programme and all DSF members thrive on the challenges presented by this very different and hugely enjoyable form of distance running.

Disability Sport Fife greatly values the very strong partnership it enjoys with Fife AC in event organisation and athlete training. There are more DSF members than ever before training with Fife AC as club members and Fife AC officials play a prominent role in the organisation of DSF Cross Country and Track and Field meetings throughout the year. DSF recognises Fife AC as a truly inclusive athletics club

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Disability club starting 23rd November from 5-7pm, £1 admission.

• Boccia
• Wheelchair basketball
• Wheelchair rugby

For further information contact Dianne Campbell on 07523 827 373 or admin@ayrshiresportsability.org.uk.

Sportsability Flyer

Disability Sport Fife (DSF) enjoys a very special relationship with the members of the Order of St John Fife. For over two decades Order members have financially supported individual DSF members and teams and have even funded the purchase of a DSF mini bus. Thousands of pounds have been raised by Order members in support of DSF projects and programmes and the beneficiaries have been hundreds of DSF members past and present.

Earlier this year Order members presented DSF with a cheque for £500 and it was decided to spend part of the money on the purchase of boccia balls for the ever improving young Tyler McLelland from Glenrothes. Advice was sought from Boccia UK Coach Claire Morrison and Claire recommended that soft boccia balls from Spain were the best available internationally for Tyler. Claire arranged the purchase and Tyler has not let them out of his sight since they arrived. They command a prominent position at home.

Recent surgery to his arm has prevented Tyler practicing but in the new year he hopes to return to full training. The young Auchmuty HS pupil hopes to follow in the footsteps of Rio Paralympian Kieran Steer from Crossgates who recently retired from the sport. Tyler’s mum Emma is now pursuing a coaching pathway and is going forward for her UKCC Level 1 Boccia Award in February next year.

Order of St John members Lesley Macdonald, Ewen Macdonald, Mary Gilmour, Stuart Morris, Elizabeth Laing, Findlay Macrae, Lawson Rennie and James Clark recently visited the DSF office at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre to meet up with Tyler, mum Emma and little brother Jack. Tyler explained why the soft Spanish boccia balls will help him with his game and even outlined some of the intricacies of the sport that is played globally by players with high levels of physical impairment. Tyler just cannot wait to get back playing after an already lengthy lay off.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Over 60 junior athletes with additional support needs competed in Round 1 of the East Series Cross Country Championships at Peffermill in Edinburgh. Disability Sport Fife had the largest representation of athletes in one of the most popular occasions on the annual calendar of events. The East Series is organised by Scottish Athletics and Scottish Disability Sport and the penultimate race is held in Fife at the Beveridge Park and organised by Disability Sport Fife and Fife AC.

Athletes from Bell Baxter HS, Balwearie HS, Woodmill HS and Lochgelly HS took part. Cross country is very popular in Fife and prepares the young athletes for the 2018 Track and Field season. Owen Miller and Sam Fernando from Balwearie HS and Bell Baxter HS respectively established themselves in the East Series Cross Country events before becoming outstanding middle distance athletes with Fife AC.

In the girls 1K race Fife produced four year group winners through Gemma Seaton S1 (Woodmill HS), Saskia Taylor S3 (Woodmill HS), Megan Wilson S4 (Woodmill HS), Derry Reilly S5 (Lochgelly HS). In the equivalent for boys Nathan Smith S2 (Woodmill HS), Michael Robertson S3 (Woodmill HS), Ryan Downie S4 (Woodmill HS) and Scott Combe S6 (Woodmill HS) were the year group winners.

In the 2K race for girls, Michelle and Louise Harley S5 from Lochgelly HS finished first and second respectively. Edwin Barron S3 (Woodmill HS), Shakeel Ul-Haq S4 (Lochgelly HS), Arran Howe S5 (Bell Baxter HS) and Matthew Blair S6 (Woodmill HS) were year group winners in the 2K race for boys.

Nine year group race wins for the young athletes from Woodmill HS in the first of the 2017/2018 East Series of cross country races. A really impressive start and the pupils are already looking forward to race two next month.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife