Tuesday 5th November 2024

Students from universities and colleges across Glasgow came together for the first ever SSS Parasport Festival, hosted by Strathclyde Sport.

25 students participated in a first of its kind Parasport Festival, held at the University of Strathclyde last week.

The event, run in collaboration with Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), and Glasgow’s colleges and universities, offered students the opportunity to try new parasports, supported by experienced disability sport coaches.

Wheelchair basketball, para canoe, indoor curling and para table tennis were all on offer on the day, allowing students to try a wide range of sports. The group of students with a disability were also joined by Sports students from City of Glasgow College who were able to learn how to deliver accessible sessions.

The afternoon of activities was widely praised from students who participated. Finlay, a student at the University of Glasgow, said “I’ve never really had the opportunity to come along and just try different para sports.

“Before this I’ve mainly just swam or done water polo so it’s been really fun seeing what other sports are out there and how I can get involved.”

Creating an environment for students with a disability to be introduced to parasport was the driver behind SSS organising this event. The current student sporting landscape features limited opportunities for students with a physical disability to participate; often making it difficult to attract new students into sport in the first place.

While we have seen some great improvements in our disability sport offering – seen through a record number of sign ups for our Boccia Festival later this month – this event allowed sports that have a para offering to put that element front and centre for interested students.

Seeing the reaction of those participating was a highlight for the event’s organiser, SSS Inclusion & Culture Coordinator Eilidh Gibson:

“I’ve loved walking around and seeing students falling in love with new sports and activities. There have been a few that have come up to me and said even after a little taster they want to get more involved. It’s moments like that which make this event so worthwhile.”

It is hoped that after this pilot festival in Glasgow we may be able to run similar events in other areas of the country. For the event to work, we need the buy-in from institutions who have the ability to reach students known to have a disability who aren’t currently engaged in student sport.

Running events like this ensures we can provide students with that accessible first step towards being able to participate in sport and activity.

If you’re a member looking to enhance your disability sport offering, or a student who wants to engage with sport on campus but doesn’t know where to start, reach out to our Inclusion & Culture Coordinator Eilidh to find out how we can help.

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