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Sport / Shetland set for first ever taste of national learning disability games

Boccia is one of the sports included in the Stirling games. Photo: Ability Shetland

SHETLAND will fly the flag for the isles at a national learning disability sport competition for the first time ever this summer.

The isles could be represented in as many as six sports at the Scottish learning disability summer games in Stirling later this year after receiving a maiden invite.

And the event will continue the summer of sport for Shetlanders, coming a week after Orkney hosts the Island Games in July.

Ability Shetland is on the hunt for people with learning disabilities to pull on the blues and play football, rugby, bowls, boccia and badminton, or to take the plunge in the swimming pool.

Charis Scott, the charity’s sports development co-ordinator, said this was a massive chance for Shetland’s disabled athletes to compete at a higher level.

“This is the first time Shetland has been invited to the games,” she said.

“It’s a bit of an unknown for us, and it’s going to be a very high standard, but it’s a great opportunity.”

Around 750 athletes are expected to descend on Stirling for the games, along with more than 350 coaches, volunteers and officials from across the country.

Ability Shetland is looking for expressions of interest from anyone interested in competing in any of the six sports before 20 January, as it prepares to take as many as 30 athletes down to the University of Stirling for the three-day competition.

It is holding a football and rugby taster session at the Clickimin’s 60/40 on Tuesday, from 4pm-5pm, for anyone wanting to try either sport before deciding to sign up.

Players must be 16 or over to join the seven-a-side football team in Stirling, and 18 or over to play in the 15-team rugby side, with both sports mixed gender.

Six Shetland sports clubs have also committed to helping train up the learning disability team before they head to Stirling, which Scott said was a massive boost.

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Delting FC, the indoor bowls club, Shetland Boccia, Shetland Badminton Association, Shetland RFC and Shetland Swimming Association have also agreed to give up their spare time to get the isles’ athletes ready for the summer games.

Scott, the captain of Shetland Valkyries rugby team, says she is delighted more people will get to experience the joy of pulling on a Shetland jersey.

“It’s very exciting. People in Shetland have such pride in representing Shetland at sports, so it’s amazing some of these athletes will get to do it for the first time,” she said.

“I know what it’s like to represent Shetland, I take great pride in it.

“Some of these people will never have represented Shetland, so I’m quite delighted they’ll get that chance.”

Scott hopes they will be able to keep the spotlight on the isles’ sporting talent in the immediate aftermath of Orkney’s Island Games next July.

And she said they will be looking simply to go and get the very most out of being able to compete against some of Scotland’s top learning disability athletes.

“We want to do our best but that’s not the objective of this,” she said.

“Just taking part in this will be great.”

Scott is encouraging anyone interested in taking part in any of the six sports, or in finding out more information, to contact her or Jack Clubb on the council’s sports and leisure team.

“We really need people to get in touch if you want to take part,” she said.

“We’ve never had a learning disability team in some of these sports, so people might never have tried it, but it’s worth giving a go.”

Anyone interested in competing in any of the six sports can contact Scott at charis.scott3@shetland.org or Clubb on jack.clubb@shetland.gov.uk

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