Disability Sport Fife enjoys very special relationships with a significant number of mainstream sports clubs across Fife. Many of these clubs offer inclusive recreational opportunities to DSF members and others offer a pathway to athletes and players with performance potential in Para sports. DSF lists some of these clubs on the DSF registration form available from the NEW DSF website but understandably there are too many to list them all. DSF concentrates on clubs that offer specialist opportunities where DSF neither has the expertise or coaching workforce.
One of the mainstream clubs that DSF is proud to list as a partner is the St Andrews Coastal Rowing Club. Club contact Julie Hardisty reported that this summer David Leeson became the first physically disabled participant to utilise an adapted seat in the St. Andrews Coastal Rowing Club boat. The specially adapted seat allows him to row as part of a crew. Access by wheelchair is via pontoons in the local harbour installed courtesy of the St. Andrews Harbour Trust. The Trust will install a winch during the next phase of the planned upgrade and this will enable participants with severe mobility difficulties to access the boat more easily. The rowing club has members with amputations and committee members are keen to encourage more participants with different impairments into their rapidly growing sport.
The adapted seat, as far as club members are aware, is the only one of its kind in Scotland and was kindly donated by club member Andrew Rendle. David rows using a pair of lightweight sculling oars in the harbour and in East Sands bay. His determination and willingness to “try anything” is remarkable. The adaptive rowing programme in St Andrews will continue next season with the support of club members and St Andrews Harbour Trust.
Is there a finer setting than St Andrews to enjoy the pleasure of coastal rowing? Disability Sport Fife is proud to have the club as a partner and congratulates club members on their success to date in making their sport more inclusive. DSF is delighted to have the St Andrews Coastal Rowing club listed as a partner and encourages interested participants to express their interest on a DSF registration form and return it completed to the DSF administrator Norma Buchanan. There after Julie Hardisty will be in touch.
Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife