RCCC Sweep up with sportscotland funding
Monday 12 June 2006
The curling season has come to an end, but plans for next year are well in place thanks to today’s announcement of £350,181 in sportscotland funding to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC) by Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson.
“In addition to nurturing those who demonstrate the potential to perform at world-class level we must continue to support the sport’s infrastructure to increase participation at the recreational level for curlers of all ages.”
The annual sportscotland investment into this historic sport, which includes £195,000 from the sportscotland Lottery fund, will give the RCCC the means to continue to deliver across a number of key areas, including strengthening the structure and support to curling clubs, encouraging participation at all levels, and placing more curlers on the world stage.
The announcement comes just two months after David Murdoch’s team won gold at the World Men’s Curling Championships in Massachusetts. This was a fantastic win for the team who narrowly missed out on a medal at the Winter Olympics in Turin.
Ms Ferguson said: “Curling in Scotland is enjoying great success. Scotland played a huge part in Team GB’s success at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and became World Champions not long after. Interest in the sport is growing and this funding will help to ensure that Scotland’s curlers at all levels - inspired by Scotland’s World Champions - have access to the coaching and facilities they need to become champions of the future.”
At elite level, £175,181 of sportscotland’s investment will come from the Athlete Support Programme. The focus of this funding will be to support identified Scottish Institute athletes, Area Institute athletes, Scotland’s National Junior Squad and the coaches working with them. The award from sportscotland also includes funding towards a full-time performance development coach.
The RCCC’s 2006/07 plan focuses on embedding its newly elected board, which is making significant advances in developing improved services to its members. The governing body has undertaken a programme of modernisation over the last two years and has been successful in appointing, in addition to the performance development coach, a coach education officer. These roles complement the two full-time appointments within the Institute of high performance coach and assistant coach and have significantly strengthened and further developed the professional staffing and coaching structure within the sport. sportscotland’s backing also supports the area curling development officer network. The development officers work closely with local authorities, ice rinks, schools and clubs to increase participation.
Continuing its modernisation, the RCCC has highlighted the need for a dedicated communications and marketing resource. This will underpin the focus on meeting the needs of their membership and provide an opportunity to build upon the increased interest in curling following the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, in which Frank Duffy’s squad took home silver, and April’s World Championships.
Colin Grahamslaw, Chief Executive, RCCC, said: “The Royal Club is delighted to receive such significant support from sportscotland again this year. It has been an exciting twelve months for the sport with the Olympics, Frank Duffy’s team’s Paralympic success and Dave Murdoch’s team’s victory at the World Championships.
“ The support from sportscotland will help us to continue building on these successes through our Area Development Officer network, increased coaching and club development activity and, thanks to the support for marketing and communications, through increased activity in this area too.”
Julia Bracewell, Chair, sportscotland, said: “Curling plays a significant role in Scotland’s sporting heritage and has enjoyed extensive international success. Long may this carry on, and with an investment of £350,181, this will make a significant contribution to this goal.
“In addition to nurturing those who demonstrate the potential to perform at world-class level we must continue to support the sport’s infrastructure to increase participation at the recreational level for curlers of all ages.”
- In terms of winning medals, the sport of curling, one of the key core sports within the Scottish Institute of Sport, has established itself as the most successful UK winter sport.
- A list of the athletes benefiting from the Athlete Support Programme is detailed below. Athlete Support is now largely administered through the governing body.
- All athletes who receive Athlete Support are supported by the sportscotland medical scheme.
Identified athletes receiving Athlete Support
Scottish Institute of Sport
Team Gray
Logan Gray, STIRLING, G63
Alasdair Guthrie, ERSKINE, PA8
Glen Muirhead, PERTHSHIRE, PH18
Gordon McDougall, DRYMEN, G63
Team Murdoch
Dave Murdoch, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Ewan MacDonald, INVERNESS, IV2
Euan Byers, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Team Martin
Rhona Martin MBE, AYR, KA7
Debbie Knox MBE, LOCHGELLY, KY5
Claire Milne, PERTH, PH1
Lynn Cameron, PERTH, PH2
Team Wood
Kelly Wood, STIRLING, FK8
Jackie Lockhart, ABERDEEN, AB39
Lorna Vevers, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Lindsay Wood, EDINBURGH, EH12
Area Institute Network
East of Scotland Institute of Sport
Kerry Barr, EDINBURGH, EH14
Colin Campbell, EDINBURGH, EH14
Keith Duncan Miller, PERTHSHIRE, PH15
Sandy Gilmour, EDINBURGH, EH3
Jamie Dick, MIDLOTHIAN, EH14
Colin Dick, MIDLOTHIAN, EH14
Andrew Noble, PITLOCHRY, PH16p
Paul Westwood, Penicuik, EH26
West of Scotland Institute of Sport
Victoria Adams, LOCHANS, DG9
Karen Addison, BUSBY, G76
Scott Andrews, AYRSHIRE, KA9
Alison Black, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Andrew Craigie, CAWDOR, NAIRNSHIRE IV12
Scott Hamilton, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Laura Kirkpatrick, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Jennifer Morrison, BISHOPTON, RENFREWSHIRE PA7
Nicola Munro, BEITH, KA15
Ross Paterson, GLASGOW, G69
Sarah Reid, BEITH, KA15
Craig Reid, BEITH, KA15
David Reid, BEITH, KA15
Vicki Sloan, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Alan Smith, KILMARNOCK, KA3
Katie Stevenson, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Jennifer Priestley, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Central Scotland Institute of Sport
Kay Adams, LOCHANS, DG9
James Dunn, STIRLING, FK7
Barbara McFarlane, DUBLANE, FK15
Eve Ferrier, WHINS OF MILTON
Lauren Johnston, STIRLING, FK8
Tayside & Fife Institute of Sport
Ron Brewster, PERTHSHIRE, PH15
Greg Drummond, FORFAR, DD8
Kerr Drummond, FORFAR, DD8
Eve Muirhead, PERTHSHIRE, PH18
Peter Loudon, PERTHSHIRE, PH1
Rachel Speedie, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Sandy Reid, ANGUS, DD7
Andrew Williamson, PERTHSHIRE, PH16
Grampian Institute of Sport
Lynsey Spence, LOCKERBIE, DG11
Kim Brewster, ABERDEEN, AB23
David Edwards, ABERDEEN, AB24
Tom Brewster, ABERDEEN, AB23
Highland Institute of Sport
Robert Craigie, NAIRNSHIRE, IV12
Ross McDonald, INVERNESS, IV2
Neil McArthur, NAIRN, IV12
Sarah MacIntyre, DINGWALL, IV7
Thomas Pendreigh, INVERNESS, IV5
Nicola MacDonald INVERNESS, IV2