Newsletter

April 2012	Glasgow School of Sport Hockey Graduate Wei Adams travels to Japan
November 2011	Open Day Success
November 2011	Pupils Aim to be Winning Students
October 2011	Commonwealth Youth Games Success Prepares Athletes for 2014 Journey
September 2011	World Class Badminton Exchange Launched with Dalian, China
September 2011	Medal Success for School of Sport at Commonwealth Youth Games
March 2011	Pupils Take Part in Fair Trade Awareness Raising
February 2011	School of Sport Showcase Spectacular

2012

GSoS Hockey Graduate Wei Adams Travels to Japan

April 2012

Former Glasgow School of Sport pupil and hockey player Wei Adams recently returned from an exchange in Japan as part of his university course at Strathclyde University arranged with Winning Students, which is Scotland's national sports scholarship programme supporting students competing in high performance sport across Scotland, some of the most talented young athletes including Olympians, Commonwealth competitors and senior internationalists, are combining their studies and their sport. Glasgow School of Sport was delighted to have been chosen as the launch venue for this years Winning Students programme.

Wei (pictured) graduated from the School of Sport in 2007 and since then he has gone on to win 28 caps for Scotland.

You may read the full article in full on the Winning Students website

Wei Adams

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2011

Open Day Success

November 2011

Glasgow School of Sport held its annual Open Day seeking sporting stars of the future. Over 200 people including interested pupils, their parents and carers and coaches from all over Scotland visited Bellahouston Academy to find out about the curriculum and sports programmes that are available to athletes, badminton players, swimmers, hockey players and gymnasts.

Open Day Audience (Photograph by Jonathan Faulds)	Gymnast James Thomson (Photograph by Jonathan Faulds)

Current pupils were on hand to answer questions and give advice on balancing their school work with sport and to demonstrate their sporting skills. High Performance Gymnastics Coach Sandra Walsh delivered an inspiring presentation sharing her approach on developing talent within the gymnastics programme.

Sandra Walsh (Photograph by Jonathan Faulds)

In the gym (Photograph by Jonathan Faulds)

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Pupils Aim to be Winning Students

November 2011

On 3rd November 2011, Glasgow School of Sport hosted the announcement of the Winning Students Award. Winning Students Scholarships support elite athletes in further education, to make balancing studying and training that little bit easier. Successful candidates each receive up to £5500 for the academic year, which can be put towards training, travelling expenses and any other sporting expenses they may face.

Winning Student Award recipients Nicola, Marc Austin, Robbie, Scott Quinn and Anna being pursued by potential future candidates!

As 74% of the pupils who attend Glasgow School of Sport go onto study in Further and Higher Education, hosting this event was a great opportunity to allow the pupils to speak with some of Scotland’s top performers and find out what challenges they face as students and how the award has helped them balance their sport and academic studies. More than 120 students across Scotland will receive some form of funding from Winning Students this year.

Attending the event was programme co-ordinator from the University of Stirling, Jason Aitkins. "I’m delighted the programme is able to support so many athletes." Also attending the event was Angela Porter; the School of Sport's Director, who commented “So far 13 of the School of Sport graduates have benefitted from Winning Students Scholarships and have continued to study and perform at a high level after they leave school – it’s a fantastic programme which supports Scotland’s talented student athletes.”

Part of the day was made up of a question and answer session with some of this year's Scholarship recipients including; Curler Anna Sloan (Glasgow Caledonian University), hockey player Nicola Skrastin (University of Glasgow) and swimmer Robbie Renwick (Strathclyde University). Five student athletes, shown below, joined senior sports pupils to share their advice on coping with high performance competition and study, and how to stay focused.

Among the Glasgow School of Sport pupils who attended the event was International Children's Games medalist for swimming, Callum Baxter. Callum hopes to go on to study Marine Biology and also represent Scotland in the Commonwealth Games - he wondered how you apply for the Winning Students Award. The scholarship is not something you can apply for yourself you must be nominated by your coach or group through your national governing body. Another prime future candidate is sports pupil, gymnast turned athlete; Danna Sim. She is eager to pass on the skills she has gained through sport by pursuing a career in Sport Psychology.

This year, School of Sport graduate and bronze medal winner at the Commonwealth Youth Games, Kirsty Gilmour received an award she was delighted “This award is superb. It means that I can focus on playing badminton and studying and not worry about how I’m going to pay for everything. It also helps to be recognised as a winning student as the lecturers at uni know that I have sporting demands too”.

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Commonwealth Youth Games Success Prepares School of Sport Athletes for 2014 Journey

October 2011

Sixty-three countries entered the fourth Commonwealth Youth Games 2011, held on the Isle of Man in September 2011. A fifty strong Youth Team Scotland all aged between 13-18 years, finished sixth overall in the medal tables with Glasgow School of Sport playing a huge part in this success. An incredible six of its pupils were in the team and returned with two medals after a string of outstanding performances.

Senior pupil Douglas Ross (17) led the way, winning gold on the vault in the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics individual apparatus finals. Douglas was the second gymnast to complete his two vaults facing an agonising wait as another six gymnasts took their turn. Douglas comments ‘I was very pleased with my vaults in the final but found it very nerve-racking to wait until the others had finished. The goals from my coach were to reach the finals but getting a medal, especially a gold one, was just superb. I was very proud to hear the national anthem as the Scottish flag was raised at my medal presentation, something that I will not forget.”

Kirsty and Douglas		Douglas leaps over Kirsty, Carly, Cara and Caitlin and Councillor Archie Graham

School of Sport gymnasts, Cara Kennedy (13) and Carly Smith (14), made up half of the gymnastics team, finishing 4th in the Women’s Artistic Team competition. Cara and Carly have already been tipped as potential Team Scotland representatives for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. All the gymnasts are coached by Glasgow School of Sport High Performance Coach Sandra Walsh and all are members of the City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club. In the club, Douglas is coached by Romanian 1988 Olympic bronze medallist Marius Gherman.

Recent School of Sport graduate Kirsty Gilmour (17) took bronze in the badminton women’s singles after defeating Malaysian Li Lian Yang in a play-off. It is the latest in a line of fine performances by rising star Kirsty, who has already had a taste of the senior Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year. Kirsty was joined in the Isle of Man by fellow School of Sport graduates Josh Neil (16) and Caitlin Pringle (17) together comprising three of the four badminton players in the CYG Team.

The Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council and Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “The School of Sport works tirelessly to prepare our rising sports stars for events such as this, which is becoming increasingly important as we turn our focus to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. These results show that our youngest athletes are on the right track for the Games.”

The Commonwealth Youth Games has a great track record of uncovering future champions at senior level, and Scotland is no exception. To date 47 Scottish athletes from a total of 200 have progressed from the youth to the senior Commonwealth Games Team, with 11 going on to win a total of 18 medals for Scotland.

With the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow less than three years away, the Glasgow School of Sport is looking forward to its pupils and graduates making selection, but only time will tell! 

Douglas Ross and his winning vault

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World-Class Badminton Exchange Launched with Dalian, China

September 2011

In September 2011, a badminton exchange programme between twin city Dalian in North East China was launched with the Lord Provost’s and International Office and Glasgow School of Sport hosting world-renowned badminton coach Qinghua Song. China is a dominant force in World badminton and Qinghua Song has over 30 years of experience coaching at the highest level. Her former students include Du Jing and Yu Yang, the reigning Olympic Ladies Doubles Champions.

Coach Song at Bellahouston Academy	Coach Song

The focus of Coach Song’s visit was to work intensively with the players and coaches within the badminton team at Glasgow School of Sport. In addition, coaching sessions and master classes were organised with Glasgow Development Talent and Satellite Squads, the Glasgow Chinese Badminton Club and with players and coaches from throughout the City and from across Scotland ensuring as many people as possible had the opportunity to learn from her world-class coaching.

Coach Song led demonstrations at Bellahouston Academy and Hillhead High School, a Confucius hub. Over 200 pupils had the opportunity to observe her coaching Scotland’s best young badminton players from Glasgow School of Sport. These demonstrations were preceded by traditional Chinese dance performed by pupils of Hillhead High School, a lone piper and Scottish dancers from the Glasgow Gaelic Centre providing a celebration of sport and culture.

Calum Stevenson (far right)		Stewart Dyce - Photograph by Jonathan Faulds

Senior badminton pupil Calum Stevenson was inspired. “We had an amazing experience with Coach Song. I was picked for the demonstration and she put us through our paces. I learned so much from her. I hope I’ll get the chance to spend time in Dalian playing alongside the best players and coaches in the world. That would be brilliant!”

The exchange programme between Glasgow and Dalian provided the opportunity for coaches, players and officials to gain an insight into badminton in China, their training methods, mental approach and coaching styles. It is a valuable international education opportunity for all involved extending not only their knowledge of badminton in China, but its people, their traditions, culture and language. With the support of translators, each day the young players would learn key words in the Chinese language. All resources were provided in English and Chinese to ensure integration and understanding. First year pupil Stewart Dyce said “Coach Song was brilliant! She worked us really, really hard. My legs and lungs were burning! She’s a legend, the players she’s coached everyone knows.”

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Medal Success for School of Sport at Commonwealth Youth Games

September 2011

Glasgow School of Sport pupils selected to represent Youth Team Scotland at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man have returned with two medals after a string of outstanding performances.

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Pupils Take Part in Fair Trade Awareness Raising

March 2011

Our S1 pupils had great fun promoting fair trade and learning about its benefits. Here's some information they would like to share with you.

Fair Trade is a simple way each one of us can make a difference through our everyday choices. It's about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

The Fair Trade mark means that:

• A minimum price is paid to fair trade producers covering their costs of production.
• The producers receive an additional Fair Trade premium, an extra amount of money to invest in their communities on economic, social or environmental projects.
• Workers on farms also get rights under Fairtrade like decent wages and they are allowed to join unions.
• Producers in Fair Trade co-operatives always get a democratic say in decisions, women included.

What can we do?

• Wherever you see the little mark with the big story, choose Fairtade ! Shops cafes, cinemas railway stations you'll be surprised where you can find it.
• If you can't see it just ask nicely. It's amazing what a simple '"Fair Trade please" can do.
• Be chatty. Tell friends and family about the difference Fair Trade makes.
• Fair Trade coffee is only the start. There are thousands of things to buy that are Fair Trade: cotton clothes, gorgeous bouquets and juicy fruit all year round.
  

Toni making a dash with the Fair Trade banana		Pupil leaping over the Fair Trade Cuppa

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School of Sport Showcase Spectacular

February 2011

Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy brought together almost 300 guests from the sport, education and business community to showcase its talent and to celebrate its success at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.

This event hosted by Councillor Archie Graham, Depute Leader of the Council and Executive Member of the Commonwealth Games was opened by the Rt. Hon., the Lord Provost Councillor Bob Winter.

The School of Sport were delighted to welcome a number of other distinguished and high profile guests including Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Louise Martin - Chairperson SportScotland, Michael Cavanagh - Chair Commonwealth Games Scotland and Maureen McKenna - Executive Director of Education, Glasgow City Council and Dr Bridget McConnell - Chief Executive Glasgow Life.

The audience was treated to an action packed programme which included breathtaking sports' performances, inspiring speeches from pupils and graduates and the launch of the School of Sport’s updated promotional video and Journey to Excellence video podcast.

Breathtaking Tumbling

The gymnastics display kicked off the first of the sporting demonstrations with an incredible sports acrobatic display performed by duo Craig Downie - 4th year and Mitchell Smith, currently at Kirkhill Primary School. This two minute display was packed full of floor elements and pair balances. Both boys are shown performing a straddle lever balance.

Craig and Mitchell		Douglas Ross
Ryan McKee		Scott McCormack

Coach Sandra Walsh then led the gymnasts through a six minute mesmerising, explosion of jumps, backward flic tumbling, forward salto tumbling finishing in a dive roll over a growing line of gymnasts (captured on film with Douglas Ross senior gymnast in full flight) The audience sat open mouthed as the gymnasts performed their display! Pictured are Ryan McKee performing a whip back salto and Scott McCormack first year gymnast and tumbler demonstrating his amazing skills.

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Spectacular Smashes

The badminton display was no less spectacular with fast action performances by 6th year pupil Kirsty Gilmour who had her first taste of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010 and is hotly tipped for selection to Glasgow in 2014. Coach Craig Robertson led a group of badminton pupils through their paces impressing the crowd with their skills. Pictured are 6 th year pupil Gregor McVean, Christopher Grimley, aged 11, who joined the School of Sport in August 2011 with his twin Matthew (also an amazing badminton player) and Josh Neil who was selected on to the Achieve Programme in 2010. The Achieve programme recognises those people with potential for 2014.

Kirsty Gilmour		Gregor McVean, Christopher Grimley and Josh Neil

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Skills and Tricks from Hockey Stars

Next up to wow the crowd were the multi-talented hockey players led by new recruit - coach Harry Dunlop. The audience enjoyed fast action shots on goal, superb defence and attack work and amazing stick control with younger players throwing in some clever skills and tricks.

Clever Skills and Tricks

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"It’s all about the journey” by Danna Sim

The crowd were then treated to the first of three amazing speeches with the youngest presenter of the day Danna Sim - 5th year gymnast - capturing everyone’s attention as she presented “It’s all about the journey."

Danna Sim

Danna Sim blew the audience away with an inspirational speech describing her experience and personal journey so far at the School of Sport. Danna describes her journey to success as important as success itself. Here’s a taste of this truly awesome speech.

“As I have moved my way up through the school, I have come to realise that being at the Glasgow school of sport is not just about training for your sport, it's about training for life. The skills I have acquired from being a pupil here have equipped me with the tools I need for the rest of my life not just how to beat that 5 minutes and 4 seconds time for 1500 metres or how to step onto the beam and perform the medal winning routine. Determination, sacrifice, independence, focus and ambition - these words, to me sum up the Glasgow School of Sport and the things it teaches its pupils.”

The full speech is available for download in PDF format.

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Athletes Wow the Crowd

Joseph Sitting		Joseph Leaping

It was back to the action with yet another impressive display of talent with the School of Sport athletes taking to the floor. The audience was treated to a display of poise and balance as senior girls Jade Barclay and Sophie Byers demonstrated hurdle walk overs. Joseph Amouzou also impressed with his seated jump. This exercise involves the athlete moving immediately from a seated position to leaping over a 3 feet 3 inches hurdle. This is a great exercise for sprinters. The athletics showcase ended with a race off between the two fastest school boys in Scotland - 5th year pupils James Higgins and Mahad Ahmed (GL110). James (left) won!

James and Mahad		Kareena Marshall

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"Maximising My Potential" by Kareena Marshall

Graduate Kareena Marshall was next up to the stage to share her story of “Maximising My Potential”.

Kareena is multi-talented. She graduated from the School of Sport as a badminton player who had represented her country - no mean feat. Kareena then went on to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 as a hockey player! Kareena believes the skills she picked up at the school enabled her to transfer that talent from badminton to hockey. She had a message for current pupils:

“I think the biggest thing I want to emphasise, is that the School of Sport is a legacy you’re left with. Not only do you leave a very skilled performer and athlete but also a well-rounded, confident and capable individual ready to tackle whatever life throws at you. So, work hard and if you have the right approach and attitude let the school help maximise your potential and you could all achieve some of your biggest goals!  My goal now is to play in front of a home crowd at 2014 – how awesome would that be?”
 
The full speech is available for download in PDF format.

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Rhuaridh MacArthur Lifts Twice His Body Weight!

The last of the sports' displays followed with yet another crowd pleasing performance – this time the strength and conditioning team piled on the weight, the pupils raised the bar and the audience raised the roof!

Four key lifts were demonstrated - the snatch with third year athlete Joseph Amouzou lifting, the clean shown by third year athlete Anna Catchpole, the split jerk (from racks) demonstrated by senior gymnast Janice Buchanan and the dead lift by third year hockey player Rhuaridh MacArthur.

Janice		Rhuaridh

Rhuaridh attempted to lift the equivalent weight of each member of the Strength and Conditioning team starting with a 50kg deadlift which is roughly the weight of Assistant Coach Katrina Gibbon. He then went on to lift 70kg (intern Jonny Stevenson), 90kg (Assistant Coach John McEwan) culminating in a massive lift of 115kg (Kevin Watson - High Performance Strength and Conditioning Coach). Cheered on by the crowd, Rhuaridh successfully lifted all the weights breaking all School of Sport records. An amazing performance, made all the more spectacular as he only weighs 9 stone! 115 kg is almost 18 stone – he lifted twice his body weight and still managed to smile!

Anna		Joseph

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The Magnificent 7

It was then time to meet six of the magnificent seven - hockey players: Kareena Marshall, William Marshall and Amy Gibson, gymnast Ryan McKee, badminton player Kirsty Gilmour and swimmer Michael Jamieson. Kenny Bain (hockey player) was unfortunately unable to make the event as he was in Spain playing with Dutch Team HDM for whom he signed for at the start of the season. The audience then watched the first screening of "A Journey to Excellence" podcast which highlights the role the Curriculum for Excellence played in preparing our pupils for the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and in which our pupils share their hopes for 2014.

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Chasing the Dream

To end what was a highly successful showcase event Commonwealth Games medal winner Michael Jamieson undoubtedly inspired and motivated the audience as he presented “Chasing the Dream.”

Michael Jamieson		Commonwealth athletes from left to right Ryan, Amy, Kareena, William, Michael and Kirsty

Michael won silver in the 200 metres breaststroke at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi - Scotland’s first medal in this event since David Wilkie won gold 36 years ago. He graduated from the School of Sport in 2006 and is currently studying at the High Performance Centre at Bath University and focussing on qualifying for the 2012 Olympics.

Michael acknowledged the role the School of Sport played in nurturing his talent and contributing towards his success. “All the skills that I learned at such a young age - time management, self-discipline and managing a school schedule with a training schedule - I still use to this day. There’s no way I would be where I am without the support of everyone at the School of Sport.”

Michael shared his tips for success with the audience and urged all young athletes to regard their journey to excellence as a marathon and not a sprint. He is driven by a desire and hunger to be the best and urges aspiring athletes to “Believe in yourself ….Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re probably right!”

To enjoy the rest of this inspiring presentation including Michael’s schedule download “Chasing the Dream."

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Showcase Podcast on YouTube Channel

If you want to see some of the showcase action, visit our YouTube Channel. You can find out what some of our guests thought by listening to our roving reporters Jock Breckenridge (S4), Natalie Mathers (S6) and Lee Wilson (S7) as they interviewed Nicola Sturgeon Deputy First Minister and many others.

Dr Bridget McConnell, Cheif Executive of Glasgow Life, sums up the showcase event by confirming “It’s lovely to be reminded what an incredible place this is!”

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