Tag: sportscotland

Anyone for tennis? Cashing in on ‘Murray mania’

Four-year plan to capitalise on ‘Murray mania’ in Scotland

The Scottish Government’s national agency for sport, sportscotland, and Tennis Scotland, the sport’s Governing Body, have announced a new four-year investment stream aimed at capitalising on the phenomenal success of Andy Murray.

sportscotland is investing £5.8 million into tennis in Scotland over the next four years to help modernise and develop the sport’s structure by improving facilities and widening access.

The objectives are to grow participation rates, increase the sport’s accessibility, and provide suitable environments to develop athletes to performance levels.

Since 2008 Tennis Scotland’s membership has increased from 32,715 to 47,657 – a rise of 45.7 per cent.

The new investment will improve tennis facilities in Scotland – both in clubs and courts in public parks – and increase the sport’s accessibility for those looking to emulate Scotland’s Wimbledon and multiple Grand Slam champion.

In addition, the new money will enhance the regional development team at Tennis Scotland, which will help to further increase participation, develop closer links between schools and places to play tennis, opening up better pathways for the sport, and work with Local Authorities to prioritise the rejuvenation of park courts.

Speaking at the Gannochy National Tennis Centre at the University of Stirling today, Sports Minister Shona Robison said: “Andy’s win was an emotional moment for Scotland and the whole country has been inspired by his brilliant performance.

“We want to see more people playing tennis and having access to top quality facilities to get fit, try something new, and have fun. This money is all about making sure the right facilities are there to help people get more active, as well as helping to create the tennis stars of the future to keep those Wimbledon wins coming!”

Stewart Harris, Chief Executive of sportscotland, added: “Andy’s Wimbledon victory was a defining moment for Scottish sport, and we are working collectively to capitalise on his incredible success. Today’s announcement will make it more accessible for people in Scotland to play tennis in improving facilities.

“It’s important that we take this unique chance to help grow the game in Scotland by providing more and better opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to play, and to assist the young players of today to emulate their hero from Dunblane by becoming the stars of tomorrow.”

Chief Executive of Tennis Scotland, David Marshall, said: “Never in the history of the game has tennis enjoyed such a level of profile in this country, and today’s announcement greatly enhances Tennis Scotland’s ability to take advantage of what is a huge opportunity to significantly increase levels of participation throughout the country.”

Supporting today’s initiative, Roger Draper, Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association, said: “Andy’s victory has inspired a nation, and this is a great opportunity to get more people playing tennis in Scotland. We’re committed to investing in places and programmes which will help to make tennis a game for everyone, and we are working with Tennis Scotland and sportscotland in order to achieve this goal.”

However while welcoming the announcement Scottish Green MSP for Lothian Alison Johnstone – a former competitive athlete and a member of Holyrood’s cross-party group on sport – has warned that tennis should ‘serve as a lesson’.

She said: “Andy Murray’s victory has inspired a nation and we’ll see a welcome increase in interest in tennis in Scotland as a result. It’s a shame the investment we’re now being promised has taken so long to materialise.

“Tennis used to be something anyone could do by simply walking on to their local court but over the years these facilities have been neglected or sold off for development. Governments at national and local level have allowed sports such as tennis to become costly and convoluted when they should be affordable and accessible.”

The Green MSP went on: “Many Scots will remember walk-on courts in their local parks and playing fields that are now grassed or concreted over, deemed costly and unnecessary. Promising to revive the public tennis courts in our town and city parks is a welcome step and they must be maintained for future generations. This sudden splashing of cash by government must serve as a lesson to those in authority that failure to invest in sport and leisure is a false economy.”

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City primary schools on their marks for sports event

ActiveMore than 1,000 primary school pupils will compete in one of the biggest ever school sports events in Edinburgh next week. The P6 pupils are taking part in the Games @ THE HUB event at Forrester High School Community Sports Hub next Wednesday (12 June).

Clyde, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games mascot, will also be making an appearance at the start of the event to welcome all the pupils.

This is the first event of its kind delivered by Active Schools and its purpose is to promote participation in sport in the build-up to Glasgow 2014. Pupils will compete in ten different sports: hockey, football, rugby, basketball, netball, gymnastics, cricket, volleyball, boccia and  tennis.

As well as the pupils taking part over fifty volunteers from the Young Ambassador programme – which is delivered by sportscotland in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust – and school sports leaders from across the city will be lending a hand to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day.

Jodi McGinty, a platinum Young Ambassador and torch bearer at the Olympics, will be presenting the shields to the winning teams. Jodi is also on the Young People’s Sport Panel, which is led by sportscotland in partnership with Young Scot.

One of the events is the Paralympic Sport Boccia which 10 of the teams will be trying out. Boccia is related to bowls and was originally designed to be played by people with cerebral palsy but now includes athletes with other disabilities.

Primary schools will send teams of 10 P6 pupils, both boys and girls, to take part in a competitive session in the morning and then a participative event in the afternoon. These sessions will be run by Children & Families’ Sports Development Officers, National Governing Bodies and local community clubs.

Active Schools hope this will be the start of an annual event. Each year, primary schools across the city will be able to take part in the competitive session of each sport where the winner will be presented with a shield.

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Councillor Cathy Fullerton, Vice Convener for Education (pictured above), said: “Glasgow 2014 presents us with a fantastic opportunity to promote a variety of sports across the Capital and this event is a great way of promoting this. I’m going along on the day to see everyone taking part and am delighted that so many primary school pupils are getting the opportunity to experience Games @ THE HUB.

“The facilities at Forrester/St Augustine’s are second to none and I know everyone will have a great time. Hopefully many of the children will be inspired to take up some of the sports outside of school and I want to thank everyone involved especially all the volunteers.”

Jacqueline Lynn, sportscotland’s Head of School and Community Sport, said: “The Games @ THE HUB event is sure to be an action-packed day of sport and physical activity and it will by wonderful to see so many pupils taking part.

“We are committed at sportscotland to increasing the opportunities for children and young people to participate in school sport, and significant progress is being made through our Active Schools Network and Community Sport Hub initiative. The Active Schools team in Edinburgh has done an excellent job in organising this event and we commend them for their efforts.”

 

Park life gets Inverleith Summer Programme under way

A whole host of agencies have got together to organise and support Inverleith’s Youth and Children’s Summer Park Events, and the programme kicks off at Ravleston Park on Monday (2 July) from 1 – 3pm with a portable football pitch, games, music, sports activities and more.

Further park events are planned at Ravelston again (Monday 16 July,1 -3pm), King George V (Monday 30 July 1- 4pm) and Inverleith Park (Friday 10 August 1- 4pm).

For more information contact Anne Brown at Inverleith CLD at Broughton High School, telephone 332 6316 or email anne.brown@ea.edin.sch.uk or check out the website www.joininedinburgh.org/holidayprogramme

And the agencies who have made the Summer Programme possible? In no particular order: Edinburgh Leisure, Glenogle Swim Centre, Fet Lor Youth Centre, Scotmid Co-operative, Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership, CLD Inverleith, Library2go, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, sportscotland active schools Edinburgh & Lothian and Borders Police.