Scottish and Boccia UK player Jamie McCowan has announced his retirement from the sport.

Jamie and his mum Linda have been a huge part of the Scottish Boccia Squad over the years and have brought a wealth of knowledge, experience and fun to the team.

Jamie has played Boccia for 17 years, starting off as a BC4 before transitioning into the BC3 game. Over this time Jamie has competed at two Paralympic Games, reached number 2 in the World Rankings and won multiple medals at World Class Events. SDS is delighted that Jamie is one our of 4 Coaching Futures Apprentices and will still be involved in a coaching capacity with the Scottish Boccia Squad. We wish both Jamie and Linda all the best in their retirement.

Jamie McCowan retires — Boccia UK

Nominations are invited from those connected with SDS for the following awards that will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday 24^th September 2023 at the Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling. It is important that there is a clear indication why the individual/group is being nominated.

The Awards Panel will then meet to consider all applications and decide the winner for each category in advance of the presentations at the AGM on Sunday 24^th September 2023.

A list of former award winners can be seen on our website here: https://www.scottishdisabilitysport.com/sds-award-winners/

All nominations should be returned in confidence, before Friday 18^th August 2023, to admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Alternatively the Awards Nomination Form can be completed online here: 2023 Scottish Disability Sport Annual Awards.

Awards Nomination Form 2023

The Virtus Games will take place 4-10 June 2023 in Vichy, France. The Virtus Global Games is the top level international competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities, Down Syndrome and Autism without intellectual disabilities. Over 1,000 athletes, 400 staff from over 80 countries will take part in this event.

Six Scottish athletes will represent Scotland across four sports: Athletics, Swimming, Judo and Tennis. The Opening Ceremony will take place on Sunday 4 June with the competition starting on Monday 5 June. The competition schedule can be found here:

Events programme | Global Games 2023 (gg2023.org)

The athletes who will represent Scotland are:

Name	Sport	Hometown
Steven Bryce	Athletics	Wishaw
Sam Fernando	Athletics	Fife
Matthew Power	Athletics	West Lothian
Cerys	McCrindle	Ayrshire
Chris Murphy	Judo	Drumchapel
Dominic Ioannotti	Tennis	Prestwick

More information on the games can be found here: Virtus Global Games 2023 | Vichy France (gg2023.org)

If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming involved in disability please contact us on 0131 317 1130 / admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

The Scotland National CP Football Team will kick off their IFCPF European Championship campaign against the Republic of Ireland in Sardinia on 2nd June.

The team travelled to Sardinia buoyed by their second place finish in last year’s IFCPF World Championships. The Scots have been drawn in a challenging group for the initial stages of the competition and will face Paralympic champions Ukraine and Germany.

The match fixtures for the group stage of the competition for Scotland are as follows:

• Scotland v Ireland, 2nd June, 3.30pm local time
• Scotland v Ukraine, 4th June, 9.30am local time
• Scotland v Germany, 6th June, 12.00 noon local time

All matches can be viewed through the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/@2023IFCPFeuropeanchampionships/streams

Players

Name	Home town
Barry Hunter	Greenock
Blair Glynn	Tranent
Christopher Moore	Cowie
Dean Thornton	Glasgow
James McAlpine	Glasgow
Jamie Kelly	Hamilton
Keiran Martin	Falkirk
Kerr Mackenzie	Paisley
Mark Robertson	Dalkeith
Martin Hickman	Glasgow
Matthew Wynne	Eaglesham
Sean Millership	Epsom

Staff

Name	Role	Home town
Greig Taylor	Head Coach	Bo’ness
Billy McAdam	Coach	Linlithgow
Craig Young	Coach	Armadale
Erin-Louise Robertson	Sport Scientist	Edinburgh
James Docherty	Coach	Greenock
Katie Scott	Physiotherapist	Motherwell
Kirsty Pitts	Physiotherapist	Glasgow

SDS would like to take the opportunity to wish the team every success throughout the competition.

If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming involved in CP football please contact us on 0131 317 1130 / admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.