Newsletter 2007 - 2010

The Achieve Programme for the 2010 Commonwealth Games

October 2010

During the October week I was away in India for the 19th Commonwealth Games. I was selected by Badminton Scotland to participate in the Achieve 2014 Programme which is a programme that allowed me, along with other athletes from different sports, to travel to India for a week to experience the Commonwealth Games without the pressure of actually competing. The experience was unforgettable and I was really fortunate to be selected to go. Josh Neil (in 4th year at the School of Sport) was also selected to join the programme as an athlete and Rita Gao (who used to coach at Glasgow School of Sport) was selected to go as a coach.

Josh on the right and Rita on my left. I’m the one with the Scotland flag!

We left for Delhi on Sunday, the 11th of October 2010 and got there the next day. We were staying in a five star hotel called Le Meridien and I was sharing a room with a netball girl and Josh shared with a triathlete.

Caitlin outside Team Scotland's HQ in Delhi		Caitlin in action

We were up early the next morning to go and watch the Rugby Sevens. It was boiling hot at the rugby and you weren’t allowed water into any of the stadis which was unexpected so you had to keep leaving the stadium to get water to stay hydrated. The rugby was really enjoyable as I had never watched rugby before so it was a new experience for me.

That evening we went to watch the badminton semi-finals which were amazing. The atmosphere in the arena was brilliant especially whenever the Indian players were on. The home crowd really helped the players and hopefully if I make it to Glasgow 2014 the atmosphere will be even better! I really enjoyed watching all the games but especially the women’s doubles as we could see the different styles of play from the different countries and there was a lot I picked up that could improve my game. I also saw how well some of the players were able to switch off from the crowd and just focus on their own game and not feel so much pressure which is something that I need to be able to do better.

On Wednesday morning (14/10/2010) we were up early again to go and watch the women’s hockey bronze play-off and final. I really enjoyed the hockey as it was exciting to watch. At the break we went outside to get water and we were surrounded by Indian people who wanted pictures and just to talk to us. It was quite a strange experience to see how they reacted to people that were different from them but they were all really friendly people and really helpful.

That night we had a chance to go and visit the athletes' village. I really enjoyed the visit as we got to see the accommodation, the training facilities and food hall. The accommodation was lovely and seeing the Team Scotland house was really inspiring and it made me hope that I am part of the team in 2014. The athletes' village was lovely and it was good to see what it is like from an athlete’s point of view when you are competing in the Games. We had the chance to chat with David Carry who is a swimmer who has a total of five medals from all of his Commonwealth Games. He gave us a really inspiring chat and some interesting ideas and opinions. He seemed really focused and professional as an athlete which is something that I can learn from and focus on achieving. An interesting point that David Carry talked about was the importance of minor gains which was how important all the small things are to your performance especially when you are competing in a major multi-sport event.

The next day we were up to watch the badminton finals which I was really looking forward to. Unlike the semi-finals we had amazing seats right at the back of the court and you could really feel the atmosphere on the court. My favourite game was the women’s doubles as it was really exciting and I learnt a lot from the Indian couple who were left and right handed like me and my partner Emma Cook. I also thoroughly enjoyed watching Lee Chong Wei, the world number one. He easily won all of his games through to the final and was just as comfortable playing the final against Rajiv Ouseph from England. He is so talented and at ease when he is playing and I saw just how relaxed he was even if he made a mistake.

Picture of Kirsty Gilmour, one of my training partners at the School of Sport, and Imogen Bankier in their doubles match. It was amazing to watch Kirsty play and we are all so proud of her.		Caitlin and Josh with a mascot

That evening we went to the closing ceremony which was a really memorable experience. The Scottish performance was really impressive and I enjoyed all the Indian dancing. The Scotland party that night was held in our hotel and we got the chance to be with all the athletes and coaches for the first time. It was really enjoyable and good to chat to all the badminton players and other athletes.

That Friday (16/10/2010) we got to go sightseeing which was really interesting. We learnt a lot about the Indian ways of life and got to see many places of worship and understand more about their culture.

We then had to wait up to leave the hotel at 12 am that night to head for the airport as our flight was at 4.15am. On the flight home everyone was exhausted and we slept most of the way. When we got off the plane and got our bags we were going out to leave and their was so many photographers and people waiting for us and the bagpipes were being played so that was really nice to see and it was good to see how many people back home had been watching the games.

Overall my experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity and completely unforgettable. It has really made me determined to be part of team Scotland in Glasgow 2014 and I was so lucky to get the chance!

Report by Caitlin Pringle - Sixth Year Badminton pupil at Glasgow School of Sport

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The Handover Ceremony - An Experience I Will Never Forget!

October 2010

How did you get involved?
I received a phone call from my local council saying there was a chance that I may be selected to go to Delhi to take part in a Hand-over ceremony. I didn’t know anything about the ceremony but knew Glasgow is the next host for the games in 2014 and I love anything to do with sport so I was thrilled at the thought. However I got a phone call saying I wasn’t going and I was really disappointed! The phone rang later that night and guess what I was told I was going.

Lee Wilson at the airport		The Piper and Performers at the Handover Ceremony

How did you prepare?
The first thing that happened was an orientation day when we met a lot of the other people involved in the event and Steve Boyd the creative director. There were about 50 of us. I learned some basic choreography and how to use a grid. That was brilliant and the excitement began to build from then on. We then had a boot camp and there were 352 of us. The age range was between 18 and 25, I was one of the younger ones. I think most of us had a sport or dance background.

Did you keep what you were doing a secret?
Too right! I wasn’t letting anything go at all. My mum and sister kept asking what we were doing. It was really important that it was a surprise and it was way to important to be sharing with anyone – even family!

What was the best part of the whole experience?
Everything was amazing, the performance, visiting India, the culture – which was completely different! It’s a different world! Everyone was so enthusiastic and hyper – it was great. I’d love to go back.

Describe what happened at the closing ceremony
We arrived in the morning of the closing ceremony and we had our one rehearsal. We couldn’t rehearse before the day as all the areas were being used by the athletes. All 352 of us were crammed into one tiny room. I’m not kidding we were like stuffed into this room. Once we got our costumes on and everyone was ready, the atmosphere began to build and build. We had ear pieces in and then the voice came through; “This is it” The stage manager told us to give it everything. We head out in to one of the big tunnels at the corners of the stadium and waited while the athletes paraded around. As the athletes passed by we saw the Scotland Team and we all erupted and cheered each other. The hairs on my arms were standing up!

Scottish Performers at the Handover Ceremony		The Armadillo at the Handover Ceremony

We were waiting in the tunnel poised to go on. I was nervous before going out but it exceeded all my expectations. We were told to take a few deep breaths to calm ourselves. We were then given the marching step, left - right - left. I saw the crowd and then everything went in to autopilot.

There is a moment in the routine that you pull out the Scottish flag and stand with your hands on your hips. At that moment I took in the crowd for the first time. I’m wearing the full highland dress and I just felt a huge sense of pride at being Scottish and that the games are coming to Glasgow. Standing in front of 60,000 people who were all cheering for you and your country is a moment I will never forget in my life.

We had a lot of time off to prepare and I know I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to experience this. I’d like to thank Glasgow School of Sport and Bellahouston Academy for giving me the time off for rehearsals. I am working hard to catch up with the missed schoolwork and training. Thanks to my mum for helping me through the crazy times getting me organised and being there for me. I’m so grateful to my local council for that phone call and for picking me and to the Glasgow handover team for putting on a spectacular event that I am so proud to be part of. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did! THANK YOU!

Report by Lee Wilson - Athletics pupil at Glasgow School of Sport

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The Magnificent Seven: Seven Glasgow School of Sport Pupils Represent Team Scotland at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games

October 2010

The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi was a resounding success for the Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy. Seven current and former pupils represented Team Scotland including swimmer Michael Jamieson who had an incredible performance bringing back a silver medal in the 200 metres breaststroke, Scotland’s first medal in this event since David Wilkie won gold 36 years ago. Michael, who graduated from the School of Sport in 2006 and is currently studying at Bath University, missed out on gold by just 0.12 seconds.

Michael Jamieson (left) - Silver medal winner

“I was almost willing myself to be happier with the result but it took me a good few days to get over the disappointment. The result in the 100 metres earlier in the week really made me believe I could win it. Nevertheless, it’s my first major medal and I’m delighted. I have something to show for all the hard work, not just for me but for everyone who has helped and supported me over the years, including the School. There’s no way I would be where I am without the support of everyone at the School of Sport.”

In addition to Michael, making up the Magnificent Seven are badminton player Kirsty Gilmour, gymnast Ryan McKee and hockey players, Amy Gibson, Kareena Marshall, William Marshall and Kenny Bain.

Ryan McKee graduated from the School of Sport in June 2010 and is currently studying sports coaching at Reid Kerr College. Ryan finished in seventeenth position in the all round Men’s Artistic Gymnastics competition scoring a personal best of 77.500.

“My lasting memory of the Commonwealth Games is walking out at the finals and seeing the crowd. I could hear my family and friends cheering and I thought, this is it! What’s my advice to other School of Sport pupils? Stick in, listen to the coaches, train your hardest and you’ll get the best outcome.”

Ryan McKee

Kirsty Gilmour is in her sixth year at the Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy and she was the youngest member of Team Scotland’s badminton team. Kirsty had the experience of a lifetime and did herself and her country proud. She partnered Jillie Cooper against Barbados winning their doubles tie as Scotland swept to a 5-0 victory.  Kirsty then went on to play singles against Kenya and again won her match in two sets. 

Kirsty aged 17, is now back at school catching up on classwork. “Being a pupil at the School of Sport is a huge help as the coaches and teachers are supportive. They also have high expectations of me and that’s good. There’s no slacking just because I was at the Commonwealth Games! Delhi was awesome! I will never forget walking out into a packed stadium for the closing ceremony, knowing that everything was over and that I had did everything I could. With Glasgow hosting the next games it made it even more special.”

KIrsty Gilmour

Hockey – Men’s

Scotland’s Men’s Hockey Team put in a fantastic performance at the Games, playing against teams ranked much higher in the world rankings including the mighty India and Australia. The team finished ninth achieving their performance target. The Men’s team included two former pupils, Kenny Bain and Willie Marshall. School of Sport coach Derek Forsyth was Assistant Coach to the team.

Kenny Bain who graduated from the School of Sport in 2009 is playing hockey full-time for Club HDM in Holland. Kenny gained his fiftieth cap during the Games in Delhi. This is a remarkable achievement for Kenny given that he is only 20. Kenny, a forward, who is known for his goal scoring prowess scored two goals against Trinidad and Tobago, a game that Scotland went on to win 7-0.

“My most exciting experience was playing against India in front of about 20,000 people but then again, in the Trinidad game I bagged two goals, sweet!"

Did the School of Sport help me? Yeah it made me the player and person I am today. I always let people know that my heart will always be with the School of Sport.”

Kenny Bain pictured in action against India

William Marshall has represented Scotland for a number of years and gained his fiftieth cap in the build up to the Games. William scored against Trinidad and Tobago, a moment made all the more memorable as his family were cheering him on in the stadium.

William, aged 25, who graduated from the School in 2004, said "The School of Sport made me realise my potential which gave me the drive to get to where I am. The hours of individual hockey training, strength and conditioning and the trips abroad to see international level matches was brilliant. I learned that I am more than capable of competing with the best.”

William and Kareena Marshall		William Marshall in action

William’s sister Kareena, also a School of Sport graduate, was competing for the Women’s Team in Delhi. 

Hockey – Women’s

Scotland’s Women’s Hockey Team put in a fantastic performance at the Games, playing against India, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia and Wales. The team finished seventh achieving their performance target. The Women’s team included two former pupils, Kareena Marshall and Amy Gibson.

Kareena Marshall

The multi-talented Kareena, now aged 23 and a qualified physiotherapist, specialised in badminton while at the School of Sport. She chose to focus on hockey and had a spell playing hockey in New Zealand.

Kareena had a successful games experience making a huge impact on the goal scoring. She set up Scotland’s goal against South Africa (when a team-mate scored from her rebounded shot) calmly passed the ball to Ailsa Robertson to score against Australia and finally she scored a penalty against Wales.

“ The School of Sport gave me the opportunity to develop my skills and fitness at a young age but most importantly it gave me the discipline and understanding about what it takes to make it to the top level. What is my lasting memory of the games? It was the first Commonwealth Games for my brother and I and we got to go together. Singing the National Anthem for the first game with my Mum standing behind me in the crowd singing it with me! Oh and the penalty I scored against Wales! So that's three memories - is that allowed?”

Kareena Marshall, wearing number 14, warming up

Amy Gibson who graduated from the School of Sport in 2006 is aged 21 and currently studying photography. Amy is no stranger to international success, competing in the Youth Olympics in Australia and winning a gold medal. Amy who is a Goal Keeper was a travelling reserve to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Although she didn’t play, this experience will drive her on to gain selection for Glasgow 2014.

“It was amazing to be in Delhi and experience the buzz of the crowd. I’m even more determined to be in Glasgow in 2014 playing in front of a home crowd. Pupils should take every opportunity that the School of Sport brings you. Train hard and be patient, it will only help you reach your potential when you’re older.”

Amy Gibson in Delhi

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School Exhibition Closes

November 2009

The Glasgow School of Sport Exhibition at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery has now come to an end.

This hugely popular exhibition showcased the lives and stories of the people of the School and featured memorabilia spanning the last ten years.

Ryan and Mahad at the 2009 School of Sport Exhibition

Pupil Mahad Ahmed, the fastest schoolboy in Great Britain had his running spikes on display alongside hockey graduate Kenny Bain's medal from the Youth Olympics. Badminton coach Craig Robertson proudly displayed his bronze medal from the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Sponsor Andy Sim, of Sim Ltd., shared his Formula 5 sporting past with us and explained why this drove him to invest in our future.

Visitors were treated to sporting tricks and skills with a preview of our coaching and performance podcasts due to be launched via our website very soon.

School of Sport pupils at the 2009 Exhibition

Graduates Kimi Bright, Steven Percy and Kenny Bain inspired visitors with their sporting and career successes and Rebecca Hillis currently on swimming scholarship at the University of Texas shared her secrets on how she became the third fastest swimmer in the world in her event.

This exhibition captured the essence of what we do and I’d like to thank all the pupils, graduates, coaches, staff and partners for their continued support that has made us what we are today.

Roll on the next ten years!

Who is the fastest?	Head teacher Ian Anderson opens the exhibition

Graduate Steven Percy (left) Youth Development Officer at Scottish Hockey shares his career and sporting successes and Kenny Bain (right) displays his Youth Olympic Medals

A huge thank you to Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery for hosting this exhibition and their enthusiasm and skill in bringing together our collection of objects and stories and producing an inspiring exhibition.

The photographs are courtesy of Jim Galloway of the Glasgow Herald.

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Scotstoun Stadium Keys Handover

November 2009

School of Sport athletes were invited to join Glasgow North West MP John Robertson, Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy and UK Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe at Scotstoun Leisure Centre for the keys handover to the new athletics stadium. The athletes thought the facility looked amazing and there was a hard fought race to be first to run on the new track.

The new Scotstoun Stadium with School of Sport athletes Amy, Lee, Claire, Mahad and Jock and watching on John Robertson, Jim Murphy and Gerry Sutcliffe

Newspaper coverage

Short video

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UK Games 2008

The UK School Games, held in Bath and Bristol from 28-31 August 2008, brought together 1500 top athletes from all over the United Kingdom to compete in nine sports. More than 250 competitors were from Scotland, which included nine Glasgow School of Sport pupils. Congratulations to the following pupils on their selection:

Scottish Selection

• Badminton players: Kirsty Gilmour (S4), Fiona Archibald (S5), Robyn Glen (S4), Gregor McVean (S4)
• Hockey players: Seoras Gaughin (S5) and Josh Cairns (S6)
• Swimmer: Rachel Tedeschi (S4)
• Athletes: Jade Barclay (S4) and Sean Dimeo (S6)

Medal Scoop

The School of Sport pupils won an impressive seven medals, the majority coming in the sport of badminton.

Kirsty Gilmour won gold in the girls’ doubles and a silver medal in the singles. Fiona Archibald won bronze in the doubles while Robyn Glen and Caitlin Pringle, daughter of School of Sport coach Iain Pringle, finished second in their group and narrowly missed out qualifying for the knock out stages. Gregor McVean, Fiona and Robyn all finished second in their respective groups.

Swimmer Rachel Tedeschi added to the School of Sport medal tally winning bronze in the 800 metres freestyle.

School of Sport pupils are pictured before the event on a FirstGroup bus (Photograph courtesy of First Travel)

FirstGroup were the transport partner for this year’s Games and it was their job to make sure athletes got safely to and from the event and had a fantastic time. It was a job well done.

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Open Day Sets New Record - 24 November 2007

The School of Sport held its Annual Open Day on Saturday 24th November 2007 for entry to the School of Sport in 2008. Over 250 people came along to Bellahouston Academy from all over Scotland including the Isle of Lewis, Inverness, Mauchline and Stirling. It was the busiest School Open Day in history!

Senior pupil Calum and Coach Iain Pringle leading the way at the Open Day

Visitors had the opportunity to look around Bellahouston Academy and the School of Sport.

Hockey and badminton pupils display their skills

Badminton and hockey pupils put on a fantastic display of skills and there were several presentations explaining how the Glasgow School of Sport works and the curriculum sports pupils follow. High Performance Swim coach Andrena Hammond provided a coach's perspective and Roselind Hall, with two children currently at the School of Sport, provided a parents view. Bellahouston Academy's Head Teacher, Depute, sports pupils, coaches and staff were on hand to answer any questions.

The School of Sport would like to thank everyone who attended and we look forward to getting to know you at the forthcoming trials. Don't worry if you missed the Open Day as applications are still open and do not close until the 23rd December 2007.

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2007

What a fantastic year 2007 has been for the Glasgow School of Sport.

There have been many highlights including winning titles at District, National, British and International Level.

This academic year alone, the 5 sports represented at the School of Sport have amassed in excess of 200 medals at various championships and we currently have seventy Scottish Champions and eleven British champions.

In the sport of athletics, pupils won seven Scottish and one British Title. Matthew Turner and Sean Fontana are two of the title winners both nominated for the prestigious Glasgow School of Sport Annual Awards for Outstanding Achievement and Most Improved Performer.

Kenny Bain with his silver Olympic Medal and Outstanding Achievement Trophy 2006/2007	School of Sport's Kenny Bain and club buddies the Morton brothers

In Hockey, Kenny Bain has had an outstanding year of which the main highlight is his selection to compete at the Youth Olympics in Australia and winning a silver medal for his country. This year the hockey programme has fifteen players who are in Scottish Squads and five who have represented Great Britain in their age group. This is a phenomenal achievement not just for the Glasgow School of Sport but also for Scottish Hockey.

The other sports have also had a hugely successful year with Badminton players winning 11 Scottish School titles and gaining 14 places in Scottish Squads. Four pupils are now British Champions. Senior pupil Kenny Young has had a brilliant year picking up two European Circuit Titles.

In swimming there are six Scottish Titles winners and 1 British gold medal winner. Rebecca Hillis is in great form winning various titles including the 100 and 200 metre Breaststroke at the UK Games and gold at the British Championships. Rebecca is ranked 1st in Great Britain and Scotland in her discipline.

The gymnastics programme continues to celebrate success with six pupils in the Scottish National Squad. Emma Coyle with her trio is the current Scottish Champion.

Pupils have been successful academically and several awards were collected at Bellahouston Academy’s Annual Prize Giving.

These include:
S1 General Excellence - Umer Ansari, Rhona Stewart and Ben Torrance
S2 General Excellence - Megan Donnelly and Kirsty Gilmour
S3 Geography - Amy Liu, Maths and Modern Studies-Craig Morton
S4 Biology and Geography equal - Caitlin Ross, Mathematics -Danny Leinster
S5 and S6 Administration - Melanie Rankin, English - Rebecca Hillis, Human Biology -Wei Adams, Physical Education - Kristine Ayling

2007 prize winners

Sudirman Cup

The Glasgow School of Sport pupils enjoyed some supported leave from school to soak up the atmosphere at the Sudirman Cup and to learn from the world’s top badminton players, including the schools own coaches Rita Gao and Gordon Thompson, part of the successful Scottish Team.

Rita and Gordon are pictured below relaxing on drums between games!	Goddard and Hughes show GSOS up and coming stars just how the sport can be played!

The School of Sport is backing the bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and with its continuing record of success looks forward to our pupils performing in front of a home crowd!

Live Window Display

Pupils have been out and about supporting the bid including GSOS Gymnasts performing a live window display at John Lewis with Olympic Gymnast Steve Frew.

Live Window display for the 2014 bid

This is an exciting time at the Glasgow School of Sport. Glasgow's bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 is gaining momentum and pupils and staff at the school eagerly await the announcement in November 2007 as to whether or not the City has been successful.

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