A para trap shooter from Aberdeenshire is celebrating after claiming two titles at this year’s British Shooting Awards.
Grampian athlete Allan Ritchie from Whitecairns was delighted and surprised to be awarded ‘Major International Medalist’ and ‘Para Trap Shooter of the Year 2018’ at the ceremony on 9th November at Bisham Abbey.
The awards follow Allan’s incredible autumn of competitions where, within the space of three weeks, he was crowned British Champion in Wales before driving through France and Italy to compete in the the WSPS World Cup and the WSPS World Championships where he took home a team gold medal. In the year 2017 – 2018, Allan also held Scottish, British, European and World Records, which is an incredible achievement.
Well done to Allan and all his supporters.
If you or anyone you know lives in Grampian with a physical, sensory or learning disability and is interested in getting involved in sport, please get in touch with Alison Shaw on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 07828 744 848.
Tyler McLelland has just returned from the No Limits boccia tournament in Bathgate with his first boccia winner’s salver. The young Auchmuty HS pupil improves with every competition and this victory was the most important occasion in his competition journey to date.
Tyler is coached by mum Emma and understandably there is considerable delight in the McLelland household at this significant tournament result. Tyler has been playing well in practice and there were high hopes within Team McLelland that he might produce the same form at the No Limits event.
Tyler played three games in his qualifying pool and won all three. In the section of three to determine the medalists, all three players won one game and lost one game. On the shots count back Tyler came out on top and lifted the top prize. Coach and player were pleased with the outcome but are fully aware there is still much room for improvement.
Photos attached with the article are from the No Limits competition and a recent training session at the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre. Tyler is flanked by mum Emma and dad Mark. The Disability Sport Fife teenager has access to a boccia court at the leisure centre courtesy of Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife
Part of the Disability Sport Fife mission is to celebrate success, share good practice or reflect on the role model athletes and volunteers who contribute so much to our movement. Often the subject is a performance athlete operating at the highest level but sometimes the individual is not so well known and an inspiration to others.
Sam Fernando from Gateside and Fife AC is most definitely an athlete performing at the highest level in his sport. 2018 has been a year of “firsts” for the ex Bell Baxter HS pupil who competes in the T20 class. Sam is coached by Ron Morrison at Fife Athletic Club and his successes of the past year are just reward for his commitment to training and excellence in competition.
In 2018 Sam competed at senior level in track and cross country and was selected for Great Britain for the first time. In April Sam launched his track season with an outstanding 33:26.24 in his first ever 10,000m at the Scottish 10,000m Championships. In his first senior steeplechase in May Sam recorded a personal best of 10:10.71 for 3000m steeplechase. On the strength of those results Sam was selected to represent Great Britain at the INAS European Championship Games in Paris in July.
Sam met up with his fellow team members in London and travelled to Paris. This was the first time in Sam’s athletics career that he remained part of a team without the support of family. In Paris Sam went on to turn in two outstanding performances – bronze medal in 10,000m and gold in 3000m steeplechase. Those performances were produced on consecutive days which is testament to Sam’s level of fitness.
Within a week of his return to the UK, Sam pulled out a massive PB for 5000m – 15:40.17. Throughout the year Sam has run personal best times for 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m and 3000m steeplechase.
Sam Fernando is a very special athlete with a very strong support team behind him. Sam has a hugely supportive family and a team of coaches and athletes at Fife AC who are inclusive in thinking and practice. Sam is popular, committed and is gaining in experience with every race.
2018 has been exceptional for Team Fernando but I am sure this is only the start and there is much more to come. Sam is a product of the excellent sports development system that is available to young athletes with additional support needs in Fife. Identified by his school in the first instance for inclusion in the Bell Baxter HS cross country team and early membership of Fife AC with its many inclusive coaches and supportive athlete members are what set him off on the right track in the early years. In his first cross country run in the East Series it was obvious to us all that he had a hugely promising future. Well done Sam and all the best in 2019.
Photo: Sam and mum Kate
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife
Scotland’s players returned from the VYV BWF European Para-Badminton Championships in France with a haul of three bronze medals.
Fiona Christie, Bobby Laing and Colin Leslie all stood on the podium in a successful event in which the Scots medalled across all three categories.
Playing in her last European Championships, Fiona Christie finished second in her Wheelchair WH2 singles group behind Esther Torres of Spain.
But, with the top two players both progressing from the group stage they were drawn against each other in the first round of the knockout stage and Christie gained revenge with a hard-fought 21-16 24-22 win to send her into the semi-finals and secure her bronze medal.
In the semis, Turkey’s second seed Narin Uluc was just too strong for Christie, winning 21-15 21-13, but the Scot can be proud of her bronze medal in her last ever European Championships.
In the SS6 mixed doubles, Laing and English partner Rebecca Bedford also progressed from the group stages as the second ranked pair and were drawn against top seeds Andrew Martin and Rachel Choong of England in the semi-finals.
Martin and Choong won 21-17 21-19 but with both losing semi-finalists awarded bronze, Laing and Bedford had secured their medal once they had progressed from their group.
Leslie and English player Anthony Forster finished top of Group D in the SL3-SL4 men’s doubles, pushing Leslie’s compatriot Alan Oliver and his Swedish partner Rickard Nilsson, the third seeds, into second place.
Both pairs progressed to the knockout stages, but while Oliver and Nilsson lost in the quarter-finals, Leslie and Forster beat Russian duo Anton Ivanov and Vladimir Nikolaev 21-12 21-12 to reach the semi-finals.
Defeat to eventual champions Jan-Niklas Pott and Pascal Wolter ended their campaign but they had already done enough to win bronze.
Scottish Disability Sport would especially like to note the following winners who work tirelessly in the field of disability sport or demonstrate inclusion in their coaching:
Young Coach of the Year: Gemma Lumsdaine
Volunteer of the Year: Kirsty Ewen
Performance Development Coach of the Year: Jennifer Scally
Disability Coach of the Year: Gregor McMillan
Technical Official of the Year: Darren Thomson
Each of them is such a worthy winner and so deserve this recognition for all their time, energy and commitment.
This was a wonderful night dedicated to the people who make sport happen. Many thanks to sportscotland for providing such an excellent night and the City of Glasgow for providing such a fitting venue.
Gregor McMillan
Sportscotland coaching awards 2018 Pics by Alan Peebles
An Aberdeen coach has been recognised for his stellar work in para swimming after he was named sportscotland’s Disability Coach of the Year.
Gregor McMillan is the Head Coach of the University of Aberdeen Performance Swimming squad and some of his brightest prospects have had seasons to remember as Toni Shaw won six medals (two gold, two silver and two bronze) at the IPC European Swimming Championships and Conner Morrison won silver at the same competition.
A key part of Gregor’s coaching ethos is to have a fully inclusive programme for both able bodied and para swimmers, with the only goal being to ensure each swimmer is able to reach their potential.
As well as having a great understanding of inclusion and para swimming and creating an equitable environment for swimmers with a disability, Gregor goes to great lengths to adapt his coaching practices to ensure the best fit for each athlete and has linked with both Scottish Swimming and British Para-Swimming to further develop his knowledge and understanding of the para-swimming pathway.
Gregor is working hard with Toni and Conner as they look to make the step up to world level with an eye on Tokyo 2020, but it’s not his athletes winning medals that gives him the most satisfaction in his work, it is seeing improvements in all his athletes both in the pool and away from the pool.
He said: “The success of the guys in the last year has been down to their hard work. They’ve put the building blocks in place in terms of commitment and attention to detail. The progression for them will be to try and step up from European level to try and be successful on the world circuit this season, and beyond that Tokyo is the next goal.
“The most rewarding thing about what I do is seeing athletes develop, both physically and personally. Getting results from perseverance and hard work is so rewarding and I enjoy seeing that on a daily basis.
“The integration of the programme is very important to us, we’re not looking to exclude any athletes or make it able bodied only. It’s about making sure every athlete is included, challenged and able to achieve their potential in the sport.”
Stewart Harris, sportscotland Chief Executive, said: “Every year across Scotland, thousands of dedicated sporting enthusiasts devote their time, knowledge and skills to help others achieve their sporting goals. Our Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards provide us with a chance to celebrate the great sporting achievements that are taking place every day and congratulate individuals on their commitment to Scottish sport.
“Gregor has done an incredible job in para swimming, the improvements in his swimmers are testament to that. The commitment, dedication and support he offers all of his swimmers can’t be overstated and he’s a fully deserving winner of this award.
“At sportscotland we are implementing a world-class sporting system at every level in Scotland and we can only do so with the support of the many dedicated coaches, officials and volunteers.”
Gemma Lumsdaine
Sportscotland coaching awards 2018 Pics by Alan Peebles
A Dundee coach has been recognised for her dedication to wheelchair basketball after she was named sportscotland’s Performance Development Coach of the Year.
Gemma Lumsdaine is a Scotland under-23 wheelchair basketball player whose hard work as a coach in recent years has led to some brilliant results.
Gemma has coached the juniors at the Dundee Dragons for the last two years, leading by example and showing a huge impact on the club’s youngsters.
As well as coaching the Junior Dragons, Gemma coaches the Tayside Regional Squad and she is assistant coach for Scotland U19s, supporting two of the Dundee Dragons to represent the UK in the Invictus Games and the GB under-22 team.
Under Gemma’s guidance as lead coach the Senior Dragons team won a memorable double as they clinched the Scottish League and Cup.
She juggles her coaching and playing responsibilities with an ambassadorial role in the sport with Basketball Scotland and has presented at the UK Coaching Conference, the Scottish Women’s Convention, and was also asked to address the House of Lords at the launch of ‘Supporting Tomorrow’s Superstars’.
But despite her tireless work, Gemma says that she gets more out of the sport than she puts in, saying that having a key role in player improvement is just rewards for all the hours she dedicates on and off the court.
She said: “It is really important to keep learning and trying to improve yourself as a coach. My favourite part about being a coach is seeing players develop, not necessarily on the court but develop as people, seeing their skills and confidence increase and seeing their lives improve as a result.
“Building trust and a rapport with athletes is really important, that’s how you get the best out of someone. It means you have a relationship which isn’t just on the court, you can help them with other parts of life too.”
Stewart Harris, sportscotland Chief Executive, said: “Every year across Scotland, thousands of dedicated sporting enthusiasts devote their time, knowledge and skills to help others achieve their sporting goals. Our Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards provide us with a chance to celebrate the great sporting achievements that are taking place every day and congratulate individuals on their commitment to Scottish sport.
“Gemma has done an incredible job in a short space of time in wheelchair basketball. The commitment, dedication and support she offers her club and players can’t be overstated and she’s a full deserving winner of this award.
“At sportscotland we are implementing a world-class sporting system at every level in Scotland and we can only do so with the support of the many dedicated coaches, officials and volunteers.”
Jennifer Scally
Sportscotland coaching awards 2018 Pics by Alan Peebles
A Glasgow coach has been recognised for her dedication to wheelchair basketball after winning sportscotland’s Performance Development Coach of the Year Award.
Jennifer Scally has had a major impact on wheelchair basketball in Scotland, helping the growth of the junior and women’s and coaching several teams very successfully.
Jennifer, originally from Northern Ireland, became hooked on wheelchair basketball shortly after moving to Scotland to study sports science and has never looked back after starting off volunteering with the Dundee Dragons. Her coaching career has continued to flourish several years after moving to Glasgow and she now coaches the Glasgow Rocks Wheelchair Basketball Team.
The coach’s academic background has led her towards innovative coaching techniques and performance analysis based heavily on scientific and statistical methods.
Last season alone Jennifer has coached the Phoenix Scottish League team in the development league and was also head coach of the Scottish Women Warriors team which gained promotion in their first year in the British League. She was also asked by British Wheelchair Basketball to support the GB Senior Women’s Squad who achieved silver in the World Championships, the team’s highest ever placing.
Jennifer’s rapid rise in coaching was recognised at the start of this season when she was appointed as head coach of the new Glasgow Rocks Wheelchair Basketball Team playing in British Wheelchair Basketball Division 1.
Despite her climb up the ranks, the main goal and highlight of Jennifer’s coaching remains the same, seeing players improve and getting the benefits of sport.
She said: “To see the commitment of players who put their all into the sport and just want to do their best is my favourite bit, I’ve been fortunate enough to see that across different teams.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work with my coach mentor Tina Gordon for a long time. I’m very scientific and statistically based in terms of performance analysis to read and understand the game. Anything we can use to help players understand the game we do.
“But seeing players get better is just the best part. I’m a coach because I want to help the players, not to do anything for myself. To see them work hard and seeing them get the benefits from that is easily the best part about being a coach.”
Stewart Harris, sportscotland Chief Executive, said: “Every year across Scotland, thousands of dedicated sporting enthusiasts devote their time, knowledge and skills to help others achieve their sporting goals. Our Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards provide us with a chance to celebrate the great sporting achievements that are taking place every day and congratulate individuals on their commitment to Scottish sport.
“Jennifer has done an incredible job in a short space of time in wheelchair basketball. The commitment, dedication and support she has offered her teams and players can’t be overstated and she’s a full deserving winner of this award.
“At sportscotland we are implementing a world-class sporting system at every level in Scotland and we can only do so with the support of the many dedicated coaches, officials and volunteers.”
Darren Thomson
Sportscotland coaching awards 2018 Pics by Alan Peebles
A Dundee coach and official has had his years of dedication to sport recognised by being named sportscotland’s Technical Official of the Year.
Darren Thomson has been involved in boccia for 26 years, mainly as a coach, but he has been officiating for the last seven years, seeing him take to boccia courts at Paralympic and world level in front of packed crowds.
But that is just a small part of what Darren gives to the sport. As a coach he runs sessions to help players onto the player pathway with the plan of leading on to national and international level. Darren is also passionate about the sport at a recreational level where he oversees sessions where players with physical and mental disabilities play together, saying the effort the players made to overcome their disabilities was the thing that got him hooked on boccia.
Darren officiated at the London 2012 Paralympics and the 2018 World Championships in Liverpool, but he insists what he enjoys most is being on court with the athletes whether that be at home in Dundee or with the world’s best at the ExCel Arena in London.
He said: “It was the sport that grabbed my attention in terms of the efforts the individuals were making to overcome their disability. It dragged me in after that, from an officiating standpoint to be involved on the court with those individuals is fantastic and the passion is still there all these years later.
“I’ve been involved in a range of officiating capacities at a local level, I really still enjoy working at the grassroots and helping to bring on new players.
“One of my career highlights was to be involved in the London 2012 Paralympics. I was there just a year after I passed my international qualification. That was a great experience, I absolutely loved it. Boccia is usually a sport that doesn’t attract a huge audience, to be in the ExCel Arena with 5,000 attendances every day was just incredible.
“The thing I enjoy most is being with the athletes, seeing the highs and lows of the sport first hand. At all levels of the sport to be able to see and interact with the athletes first hand.”
Stewart Harris, sportscotland Chief Executive, said: “Every year across Scotland, thousands of dedicated sporting enthusiasts devote their time, knowledge and skills to help others achieve their sporting goals. Our Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards provide us with a chance to celebrate the great sporting achievements that are taking place every day and congratulate individuals on their commitment to Scottish sport.
“Darren has given so much to the sport of boccia, his club and of course all of the athletes he has worked with over the years. This award is truly fitting for a lifetime of hard work and dedication.”
“At sportscotland we are implementing a world-class sporting system at every level in Scotland and we can only do so with the support of the many dedicated coaches, officials and volunteers.”
European Champion Toni Shaw was today unveiled as a Learn to Swim Ambassador for Scottish Swimming’s National Framework for Swimming in Scotland, proudly supported by Scottish Water.
Shaw, who was Team Scotland’s youngest athlete on the Gold Coast, went onto win six medals at the World Para Swimming Allianz European Championships in Dublin in August on her senior GB debut. As an Ambassador she will work alongside Duncan Scott to help highlight the benefits of learning to swim from as young an age as possible, as Scottish Swimming roll out the National Framework for Swimming across Scotland.
Shaw joined 30 children from Hanover Street School in their swimming lesson at the Aquatics Centre, Aberdeen Sports Village, shared some tips and took part in a question and answer session. Shaw, who swims with the University of Aberdeen Performance Swim Team said:
“I’m really proud to be named as an Ambassador for the Learn to Swim Programme. My swimming journey is really no different from how these children are learning. I had lessons at Northfield Pool, enjoyed them and was then encouraged to join the local swimming club, Cults Otters.”
Shaw who competes in the S9 classification, which includes athletes with a range of impairments, said of the National Framework’s approach to swimmers with a disability,
“I am really pleased that swimmers with disabilities are taught in an inclusive learn to swim environment. If there is someone with a disability and the swimming teachers are aware of their impairment the lessons can be adapted as required. It has been great to develop as a swimmer and be seen beyond my disability, this has helped me integrate into a performance environment where I get to train alongside the likes of Hannah Miley.”
Gavin Macleod, Chief Executive of Scottish Disability Sport, said: “Scottish Swimming is a great example of an SGB that is committed to and actively delivering their sport in an inclusive way and this is particularly prominent with their work around the Learn to Swim Framework.”
Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of Scottish Swimming, said: “Introducing swimming at an early age brings a whole host of benefits for children. We are delighted to have Toni on board as an Ambassador for Learn to Swim in Scotland; she is a fantastic example of what hard work can achieve.”
“Thanks to Scottish Water’s support and the hard work of our country’s leisure trusts and aquatic providers, Scottish Swimming is able to roll out the National Framework which will ultimately reach over 100,000 young people.”
Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs with Scottish Water, said: “This is an excellent scheme for us to be involved with in so many ways and we’re proud to support it.
“The programme equips children with key, life skills that will help them to be safer in the water, whether at their local pool, at the beach on holiday or even just out and about around Scotland’s miles of coastline, rivers and lochs.”
The Learn to Swim Framework helps to create quality Learn to Swim environments for children from birth upwards where they can become competent, confident and safe swimmers with opportunities to progress through the aquatic pathway and to swim for fun.
There are already more than 53,000 kids – including 5,600 pre-school children – who are on the programme and the target is to reach 100,000 children across Scotland by 2020.
It is a wonderful opportunity for the community to pull together as volunteers and put on a great event, and showcase not just Wheelchair Curling as a sport but also the City of Stirling as a venue for World Championship Curling.
After a week of preparation, the event runs from 3rd March 2019 – 10th March 2019 with three separate draws a day at 9am, 2pm and 7pm.
Deadlines for receiving applications is Sunday 9th December 2018.
If you have any questions please get in touch with the Scottish Curling Workforce Development Manager, Fiona Harfield on 0131 333 3003 or email: fiona@scottishcurling.org
Due to support from the Voluntary Action Fund, we are able to offer tailored support to volunteers who may experience disadvantage, or barriers to volunteering. Please indicate on your application form if you feel this applies to you.
Our workshops support instructors and coaches to ensure deaf young people are fully included in swimming activities.
Instructors and coaches will learn how to make small & simple changes to make activities deaf-friendly and develop confidence communicating with deaf children and young people.
Instructors will also learn basic British Sign Language and watersport specific signs.
The training will cover:
The impact of deafness on young people
Communication methods
How to adapt your activities
Tips for welcoming deaf children
Guidance on engaging with deaf children in your area
More school pupils than ever before took to the court for this year’s Grampian Schools’ Inclusive Basketball Festival.
Over 50 pupils with additional support needs and physical, sensory and learning disabilities from primary and secondary schools across Aberdeenshire took part in the Festival, which was organized by Active Schools Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire in conjunction with Grampian Flyers Wheelchair Basketball Club. It comprised of skills and drills sessions, running basketball matches, wheelchair basketball matches & Inclusive Zone Basketball games.
The Festival is semi-competitive in nature, with winners from each of the matches determined by number of baskets made rather than using the traditional scoring system.
This year’s Festival winners were Granitehill Globetrotters from Northfield Academy, with an awesome 24 baskets made!
Congratulations to the winners, and well done to all of the teams who came along and gave it their all on the day: Bucksburn Academy; Anna Ritchie School; Dyce Academy; Bridge of Don Academy; Northfield Academy; Hazlehead Primary; and Mile End School.
A massive thank you to everyone from Grampian Flyers Wheelchair Basketball Club, especially Sarah Hawken who organised the event.
If you or anyone you know lives in Grampian with a physical, sensory or learning disability and is interested in getting involved in sport, please get in touch with Alison Shaw on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 07828 744 848.
Katie Pake from Coalton of Balgonie Primary and Carnegie Swimming Club was the outstanding performer in the Fife junior swim team at the 2018 Scottish championships for junior swimmers with a physical or sensory impairment at Grangemouth Sports Complex. Competing in her first Scottish Disability Sportnational championships, the Fife youngster competed in five events, won four national titles and finished second in 100m individual medley. An outstanding start to her competitive career as a Para swimmer.
Cara Smyth from Carnegie Swimming Club was swimming in her final junior championships and recorded top three finishes in all her five events. It is always a sad day when junior swimmers compete in their final event but for Cara it was great to be competitive again following a lengthy period of rehabilitation after surgery. Cara has been a prolific success over the years as a member of Team Fife.
The remaining seven Fife swimmers won seven national titles and seven runners up medals. Five members of Team Fife are members of Carnegie Swimming club and three others train at DSF sessions at Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre and Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre. Connor Brown from Woodmill HS trains with his school and the day before was the leading physically disabled athlete at the first East Series cross country event of the season in Edinburgh.
Well done to Cameron Hemphill (Bell Baxter HS/Carnegie), Logan Harley (Glenrothes HS), Kerys Ballard (Woodmill HS), Keri MacNicol (Burntisland Primary), Bethany Payne (Donibristle Primary) and Graeme Baxter (Windmill Campus).
Thank you to Team Fife support staff Anna Tizzard, Kay Maxwell and Kerry Hick. Disability Sport Fife is in the process of rebuilding its junior swim team and the results this year are an indication that we are heading in the right direction.
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife
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