Mike and Joan Mowat from Dovecot Bowling Club attended a Sports Coach UK, How to Coach Disabled People in Sport (DSF) workshop organised by Disability Sport Fife at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre, Glenrothes. Within a few days of the workshop, DSF was negotiating with the Dovecot club to provide some last minute coaching for Briony Clark who had been called up by DSF for the Fife women’s Inter Area Bowls squad. The club provided quality coaching for Briony and she went on to contribute significantly to the Team Fife retention of the Inter Area Trophy at the Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy.
Briony is now one of several young bowlers with additional support needs who are attending the club and receiving excellent coaching from club members. Thanks to a bursary from the Fife Association of Fife Rotary clubs it has been possible to buy bowling shoes for the young players. Second hand bowls have been donated to DSF by mainstream club members from within the Central Fife area. Briony has been joined by Adam Faulds and Stephen and Robert Anderson and more learners are expected to join this excellent example of an inclusive sports/bowls club in the period ahead.
As well as Bob and Joan Mowat, DSF is indebted to Barbara Robertson who has been helping Briony and Marshall McIntyre and Alistair Pringle who have been helping Robert and Stephen. For some time DSF has been trying to establish an inclusive bowls session within the Glenrothes area and Dovecot BC have come to the rescue. Watch this space for further developments within Central Fife.
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife