Tag: bowls

East of Scotland Para Bowls Development Day

East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club provided the ideal location for the recent East Para Bowls Development Day, inviting individuals to come along and try the sport of bowls under the expert eye of a number of experienced coaches.

The development day took place on Sunday 12th of February, aiming to promote disability bowls in the East of Scotland area and provide an environment where beginners could gain experience of the sport while more advanced players could benefit from the expertise from coaches present and keen to impart their knowledge.  The session welcomed fifteen bowlers to East Lothian with many of that number coming from a mainstream club background, highlighting the number of players with an impairment who are actively participating in the sport.

The day was coordinated and delivered in partnership between East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club (ELIBC), Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) and Lothian Disability Sport (LDS), looking to increase the awareness of opportunities in disability bowls and ignite a longer term objective – establishing a regular ‘HUB’ session, providing the platform for players from Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders with an impairment to progress and develop within the sport.  SDS will aim to support players from grassroots participation right through to a performance level, should they display the talent and desire to do so.

ELIBC have recently received Direct Club Investment from sportscotland, a support package which will aim to help and develop the club through increased membership, youth engagement, player retention and of course increased participation in disability bowls.  LDS were also in a position to provide funding to support this Direct Club Investment, resulting in the creation of a Development Coordinator position which was filled by renowned East Lothian based bowler Billy Mellors.  Billy has been instrumental in the work done thus far and will be a key figure in developing disability bowls in the East region moving forward – Billy highlighted ‘We are delighted that so many participants attended the session and encouraged that a genuine spread of experienced bowlers and new starters took part which is exactly the purpose of the Hub. Our coaches excelled on the day and look forward to the programme that will be scheduled soon.

Inclusive Bowls Performance Development Manager for Scottish Disability Sport, Ron McArthur was also present on the day to provide his experience in the world of Para bowls and provided disability specific training to ten coaches from the East and Midlothian in the lead up to the event to ensure they were comfortable and confident to work with a range of players with varying disabilities including visual impairment, cerebral palsy and learning disability.  Ron added that ‘Bowls is a total inclusion sport open to everyone regardless of disability, ability or age.  Whether you want to you play fun games or go onto International Level, Billy and his coaches will guide you on a pathway that will best suit your needs and help you achieve your full potential.  Play well and enjoy’.

If you are keen to attend the new HUB session or looking for further information relating to disability bowls in the East of Scotland, please get in touch with Neal Herbert (Regional Manager, SDS) on neal.herbert@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 0131 625 4414 or Billy Mellors (ELIBC Development Coordinator) on development@bowlseastlothian.uk or 07930 716073.

Group photo of 2017 winners

2017 SDS National Carpet Bowls Championships

The 37th annual Scottish Disability Sport National Carpet Bowls Championships took place at Dundee International Sports Complex (DISC) on February 4 2017.

This event traditionally is one of the first major events in the competition year and brings together many of the nation’s leading indoor and outdoor bowlers. The quality of the bowling on show was frequently of the highest level and yet again demonstrated the standard of bowler regularly playing in Scotland.

Leisure & Culture Dundee and Dundee City Disability Sport proved to be excellent hosts and DISC is a venue ideally suited to the hosting of this Championships, indeed we hope to return in 2018 to the same venue. Many thanks to all staff involved in the set-up of this event, especially Gordon Quinton, Darren Thomson, Carol Duncan and Sam Thomson.

This year saw players from Highland, Fife, Lothian, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and host branch Dundee compete over 5 sections to determine the leading carpet para-bowlers in the country. It was gratifying to see an increase in the sections with a learning disability and to welcome back the bowlers from a branch with a strong bowling history, South Lanarkshire. More development work is required to unearth bowlers with a physical and sensory disability and SDS and Bowls Scotland will continue to identify bowlers through the grassroots programmes within schools, clubs and branches. SDS Bowls Performance Development Manager Ron McArthur is gathering a picture of provision and accessibility amongst bowling clubs in Scotland and is developing the Regional Indoor Hubs with 4 clubs evidencing progress. Allied to an extensive Coach Education programme and the comprehensive national events programme the sport is well placed to ensure existing and new para-bowlers in all classifications are well catered for in accessible sessions and competition structure.

Interestingly, none of last year’s title winners were able to retain their trophy this year, which only serves to prove the level of competition evident each year at these championships.

Team Highland were celebrating their first trophy in almost two decades with Evan MacKintosh victorious in the Wheelchair section. With previous champion Wullie Harrison in the draws it was certainly well contested. It was, however, another Fife bowler who won through to contest the final with Evan. In a group where three bowlers finished on the same points, Theresa Wyse from Central Fife progressed to the final thanks to her superior points difference, partly achieved with her victory over her stablemate Wullie, however, Evan proved too strong in the final emerging the victor by 11 shots to 4.

In the Mixed Ambulant & B3 section the clever money was on a repeat of the 2016 final between Fife’s Billy Allan – a Commonwealth Games 2014 representative and a member of the current Games squad for 2018 – against Lothian’s Jimmy Restorick. Billy won the 2016 final which brought his title tally to four and he was keen to add the fifth this time around, however the roles were to be reversed this year with Restorick, the Prestonpans bowler in scintillating form and not allowing his experienced opponent from Cowdenbeath a foothold in the final.

In the all-Fife section for restricted ambulant & B2 bowlers two former champions went head to head. Eleanor Clark from Kirkcaldy lost a narrow final to Central Fife’s Neil Laughlin

Fife’s Craig Donaldson has shown incredible consistency in the section for male bowlers with a learning disability, contesting many finals over the years and has also won titles in this section. He was beaten by Lothian’s Alan Gordon – who exited at the semi-final stage this year – in 2016 and it is worth noting that the quality of bowler in this section is remarkable. Andrew Harrison, a previous multiple winner in this section and conqueror of Alan Gordon in the semis, from South Lanarkshire was the man to defeat Craig on this occasion in an incredibly tight affair, Harrison completing the victory 21-19 in a match that kept a ferocious pace throughout.

Thanks as ever go to our Fife office – Norma Buchanan and Richard Brickley MBE who prepared the programme and draw for the event, with Norma providing crucial administration support on the day. Further thanks to Ron McArthur, Bob Christie – Director of Development at Bowls Scotland, and Gordon McCormack OBE, Chairperson of the Glasgow Disability Sport branch for their support of this event.

Officials from local Bowling Clubs all provided officials for the day and without this input the event simply would not be possible. The support was again significant with 30 officials attending on the day and SDS are indebted to all who attended.

This continues to be an incredibly exciting period for bowls in Scotland as preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast gathers momentum and on national attention turns to the new SDS National Indoor Championships in April at Falkirk IBC.

Photo Credit: James Mackie

Photo: L to R: Christine Fisher (Dundee), Evan MacKintosh (Highland), Amanda Craig (Lothian), Neil Laughlin (Fife), Andrew Harrison (S. Lanarkshire) and Jimmy Restorick (Lothian).

Billy Allan bowling

Grampian Para-Bowls Development Day

When: Saturday 25th March, 2017 – 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Where: Garioch Indoor Bowling Club, Harlaw Business Centre, Harlaw Road, Inverurie AB51 4FR

No cost to attend.

Scottish Disability Sport are working in partnership with Garioch Indoor Bowling Club to deliver a -para-bowls “taster session” for all players with a physical, learning or sensory impairment.

  • Are you interested in starting a new sport or physical activity?
  • Are you interested in representing your country at international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games?
  • This may be the opportunity you have been looking for …

This event will invite players to come along and work with experienced coaches in the world of para-bowls, providing the opportunity to learn new skills. All abilities welcome!

For more information or to register your interest in the day, please contact Claire McDonald on 07533 056 564 or email claire.mcdonald@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Please note, players attending must bring appropriate footwear to access the playing surface (bowls shoes, flat soled infoor trainers, plimsoles, slippers, etc.). Please get in touch for further information.

Irene Edgar and David Thomas

Para Bowls Squads Announced

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) is the recognised governing body for para bowls in Scotland and is tasked with selecting a national squad capable of delivering medals at the highest levels of international competition, including the Home Nations Championships, IBD World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.  Scotland is considered to be one of the leading nations within the sport and our intention is to build on this success.

With the inclusion of two events within the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games para programme – Mixed Pair B2/B3 and Open Triple B6/B7/B8 – preparations have accelerated.  As a result SDS, along with the coaching staff, have been in the process of monitoring players (and Directors) within the current programme in order to select a Commonwealth Games 2018 Extended Squad to ensure that we are in the best possible position to compete on the world stage.  Furthermore, the opportunity was taken to review the whole squad due to the programme being buoyed with the addition of several new players.  This has improved performances across the board and increased the competition for places.

The players selected will be in contention for the Home Nations Championships in Wales in April 2017, as well as the all-important Multi Nations Event in Broadbeach, Australia in June 2017.  The latter event which will contribute to the qualification of Scotland for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Commenting on the team selection, SDS Performance Manager Gary Fraser said:

“SDS are delighted to announce a strong field of players within our 2018 Commonwealth Games Extended Squad, as well as our National Squad as a whole.  It is an exciting time within the sport as we head into a busy training and competition calendar next year.  We will compete in the Home Nations in Wales in April, prior to selecting a team for the Multi-Nations event at the Broadbeach Bowls Club on the Gold Coast, where the 2018 Commonwealth Games will take place.  We look forward to the months ahead and have every confidence in the players we have selected.”

The extended squad will be reduced to a maximum of 10 players and 4 Directors for the Multi-Nations Event at Broadbeach Bowls Club.  This selection will take place towards the end of April and the final selection for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will take place on a date to be confirmed in October 2017.

CG2018 Extended Squad

Open Triple B6/B7/B8

Player Classification Town Local Authority
Billy Allan B6 Cowdenbeath Fife
Gary Clelland B6 Linlithgow West Lothian
Mike Nicoll B6 Jedburgh Scottish Borders
Garry Brown B7 Kirkmuirhill South Lanarkshire
Don Chalmers B7 Buchlyvie Stirling
John Hughes B7 Stewarton East Ayrshire
Martin Hunter B7 Burntisland Fife
Barbara McMillan B7 Cowdenbeath Fife
Michael Simpson B7 Auchtermuchty Fife
John Wardrope B7 Ayr South Ayrshire

 

Mixed Pair B2/B3

Player Classification Town Local Authority
Robert Barr B3 Glasgow Glasgow
Billy Edgar B2 Saltcoats North Ayrshire
Irene Edgar B2 Saltcoats North Ayrshire
Harry Harris B3 Larbert Falkirk
Maria Spencer B3 Dunfermline Fife
Mary Stevenson B2 Barrhead Renfrewshire

 

Director Town Local Authority
Sarah-Jane Ewing Dunfermline Fife
Ron McArthur Falkirk Falkirk
Christine Morrow Dalmuir Clydebank
Doreen Strachan Glasgow Glasgow
David Thomas Ardrossan North Ayrshire
Grace Whitton Bothwell North Lanarkshire

 

National Para Bowls Squad

Player Classification Town Local Authority
Eleanor Clark B1 Kirkcaldy Fife
Billy Edgar B2 Saltcoats North Ayrshire
Irene Edgar B2 Saltcoats North Ayrshire
Mary Stevenson B2 Barrhead Renfrewshire
Harry Harris B3 Larbert Falkirk
Maria Spencer B3 Dunfermline Fife
Robert Barr B3 Glasgow Glasgow
Billy Allan B6 Cowdenbeath Fife
Fraser Mathieson B6 St. Ninians Stirling
Gary Clelland B6 Linlithgow West Lothian
George Guthrie B6 Glasgow Glasgow
Mike Nicoll B6 Jedburgh Scottish Borders
Barbara McMillan B7 Cowdenbeath Fife
Derek Hartley B7 Tullibody Clackmannanshire
Don Chalmers B7 Buchlyvie Stirling
John Hughes B7 Stewarton East Ayrshire
John Wardrope B7 Ayr South Ayrshire
Martin Hunter B7 Burntisland Fife
Michael Simpson B7 Auchtermuchty Fife
Rosemary Lenton B7 Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway
Tracy Black B7 Alloa Clackmannanshire
Garry Brown B7 Kirkmuirhill South Lanarkshire
Brendan Handling B8 Stranraer Dumfries and Galloway
Ian Brown B8 Kilbirnie North Ayrshire

 

 

Coach / Assessor Town Local Authority
Bob Dick (Head Coach) Cupar Fife
Chris McGready Perth Perth & Kinross
Eric McMillan Cowdenbeath Fife
Nigel Walker  Dalgety Bay Fife
Bob Christie Brechin Angus