LEADING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT IN SCOTLAND FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES WITH A PHYSICAL, SENSORY OR LEARNING DISABILITY Annual Report 2008 - 2009 www.scottishdisabilitysport.com Scottish Disability Sport would like to acknowledge with sincere thanks the generous financial support received from the following Councils to assist with hosting the AGM and producing this Annual Report: Chairman’s Message Welcome to the 2009 AGM for Scottish Disability Sport. Many of our branches have been working hard in Yet another year has flown by and you just wonder ensuring the MOR programme (minimum operating where the time has gone. requirements) has been achieved and we look forward to supporting their progress and further development We are again indebted to the many volunteers who throughout the next year. work tirelessly in promoting Scottish Disability Sport, who in turn support our excellent staff throughout the I am delighted to say that for many, the partnerships year. As usual it’s been a busy year and many challenges between the professional officers within local authorities have been faced throughout. We started the year with and the branch have never been stronger. four new board members and I would like to Our staff members continue to excel and we thank all 11 for their support and assistance were delighted to welcome Grieg Taylor as throughout the year. We even managed three our Assistant Football Development Officer. training sessions through the Modern Sports Throughout the summer we have three Programme, funded by sportscotland, where weddings, Board member Lauren McTaggart, we discussed many of the issues within SDS, and staff members Ruari Davidson and the future programme and way forward. It’s Claire Mands. We send our congratulations important to mention Jed Renilson at this to all and wish them all the best for many point and we are all delighted that he has years to come. made a full recovery and we hope to see his cheerful face at meetings and events in the The most exciting development and not too distant future. challenge for SDS in the year ahead is ‘Regionalisation’. Through sportscotland we I am delighted that following the restructure have been offered funding to secure four of sportscotland we have finally moved additional SDS posts, to work in partnership into our new offices and for once we have with local authorities sourcing potential space, hot desks and even enough space athletes for 2014. There is also a possibility for a meeting and growth. Sadly we lost Gill Penfold, of further posts in 2010 and in the first stage we are Emma O’Callaghan and Eliza Watson, however the looking at the West (two posts), the East and Grampian. rainbow was having Heather Lowden return as our We will also take this opportunity to reassess the staff partnership manager and meeting the new senior staff structure and responsibilities within SDS. at sportscotland including Jacqueline Lynn, a long time supporter of SDS. It’s been a busy year and I must Throughout the year we have been bidding to host the record our CPISRA Football 7-a-side European Championships in thanks to our August 2010 and hope to officially announce a successful staff team of bid sometime in October. The support and guidance Claire, Ruari, from our partners the Scottish Football Association, Caroline, Ailien, Capability Scotland, Event Scotland, Greater Glasgow Greig, Cynthia, Marketing Bureau, UK Sport and Culture and Sport Norma and Glasgow has been outstanding and we look forward to Richard all led by hosting a good event. Gavin who have worked hard throughout the year. We found two new venues for our National Events For the coming year it’s all about restructuring, Programme and our congratulations go to Dundee for regionalisation and the CPISRA European hosting the Carpet Bowls Championships and Dumfries Championships and with your continuing support I and Galloway the Senior Swimming Championships. believe we are on the right pathway. In hosting the International Bowls Test Match in July, Scotland was truly in winning form with a clear victory over England. Hopefully this is a good indicator for future events and indeed the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Sadly we lost James Smith who died suddenly a few days before the event and it is a credit to the team and organisers, in particular Richard Brickley, who worked Gordon McCormack tirelessly to ensure the success of the Test Match. Chairman ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009 Page 1 CEO’s Message 2009 SDS is now at the midpoint of the current Strategic Plan, ‘Towards London and Beyond’ and the past year has seen a number of major developments and achievements that will pave the way for the later phases of this plan. 2008 / 2009 has seen record levels of investment in the Association, the implementation of an exciting new regional structure, a drive to identify new talent and a fresh commitment to investment in education & training. The success of Scottish athletes at the Beijing Summer Paralympic Games is still fresh in our mind and as we progress towards London 2012 and Glasgow 2014, our athletes have continued to compete and achieve at UK and international level. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those athletes, along with their coaches, this year as they undertake new challenges but I take this parents and support staff, who have trained, competed and opportunity to wish them all well for the future. I would represented SDS with distinction in the last year. I would also like to thank all those local authority, governing body also like to thank the vast army of volunteers and paid of sport and funding partners who continue to share the staff across Scotland who support SDS branches and sport SDS vision and strive to provide the very best structures specific programmes. These individuals are the life blood and pathways for athletes with a disability. of SDS and contribute a vast amount of time and energy to ensure that Scottish athletes with a disability have the The past year has brought success and progress in all areas opportunity to meet their full potential. of the Association’s work but 2008 / 2009 has not been without its challenges. Increased investment in performance The implementation of the new SDS regional structure is sport must be applauded and has undoubtedly benefited an extremely exciting development for the Association and many Scottish athletes with a disability. However, this over the next year we will see Development Manager posts investment must be balanced with support throughout the introduced in the East, Grampian and West regions with a sporting pathway if we are truly to achieve a sustainable remit for talent identification and development. These posts legacy for disability sport in Scotland post 2012 and 2014. will be directly linked to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Traditionally strong partnerships are being threatened Games and will be responsible for developing the next and shared values are being challenged at a time when generation of high performance athletes with a disability. resources at a local level are being squeezed and many The three Talent Identification Days that were held this children and young people with disabilities are not year has already commenced this process and a number receiving a fully inclusive experience in physical education of athletes who attended these day have already been and sport. Within SDS we must strive to ensure that the identified as having the potential to reach the very top of needs of all athletes with a disability are taken into account their chosen sport. and that all athletes are supported to progress through a Another exciting initiative in the last year was the hugely robust and sustainable sporting pathway. successful SDS National Conference ‘Challenge to Change’ The year ahead promises much as SDS athletes once again which undoubtedly raised awareness of the issues affecting seize the opportunity to compete across the globe. Our children and young people with a disability in accessing wheelchair curlers will compete in Canada, our footballers physical education and sport. In response to this agenda, in Holland, our swimmers will be in Iceland and our boccia SDS in partnership with sportscotland will be offering players will travel to Portugal. We will also learn if we have disability inclusion training to education staff across been successful in our bid to host the CPISRA Football Scotland in the year ahead. 7-a-side European Championships in Glasgow next August. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the SDS I wish you all every success wherever your sport may take Management Board for their hard work and commitment you and I look forward to celebrating your success and during 2008 / 2009. The Board is ably led by our Chairman development throughout 2009 / 2010. Gordon McCormack and much of the work undertaken by this committed group of individuals goes unnoticed. I would also thank all the SDS staff for their loyalty and support in the last year along with the numerous sportscotland staff that support the Association in all areas of our work. We were all saddened to bid farewell to sportscotland Gavin Macleod staff Emma O’Callaghan, Gill Penfold and Eliza Watson Chief Executive Officer Page 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009 Review of the Year SDS is delighted to welcome you to the 46th Annual Perhaps most importantly, SDS continues to benefit from General Meeting of the Association at the Windlestrae the expertise, skill and knowledge of the large number Hotel in Kinross. 2008 / 2009 has been a year of of volunteer co-ordinators, coaches, carers and support excitement, frustration and significant development as staff who support our athletes within their sport specific we continue to work toward the implementation of the programmes.