British Curling is excited to launch ‘Its Time To Deliver – Push Yourself,’ Paralympic Pathway Recruitment Campaign to boost its newly established pathway programme. A duo of introductory events will be held north and south of the border, with these preliminary ‘wheelchair specific Try Curling events’ aimed at setting a standard.
The first event, scheduled for Thursday 26th October in Stirling and organised by British Curling’s Paralympic Pathway Manager Cheryl Lappin, is being supported by UK Sport, the British Paralympic Association, Active Stirling, Scottish Curling, Scottish Wheelchair Curling Association and Scottish Disability Sport, as well as British Curling’s off-ice partner FloorCurl.
The aim will be to give wheelchair users 16+ an ideal on-ice taster session, as well as off-ice coaching in a games hall setting, utilising the FloorCurl equipment throughout the day.
The preliminary recruitment event south of the border will take place at the Flower Bowl, Preston on 3rd November, with the English Curling Association and the England Wheelchair Squad supporting its delivery.
The campaign fits into a long term Paralympic Pathway strategy enabling newcomers to the game the opportunity to progress as far as their potential and ambition may take them, with the target of producing greater strength in depth in the Paralympic squad in the build up to Milan Cortina and beyond.
“These recruitment events are the perfect building block for any individual aged 16+ who is keen to try wheelchair curling in a relaxed, supportive and inclusive environment,” said Lappin. 
“No experience is required, only a drive to be committed, passionate and to develop their talent within the sport of wheelchair curling. Follow up will include signposting opportunities onto Wheelchair Curling Clubs across the UK and for those who show talent, an opportunity to progress onto the next stage of the British Curling Paralympic Performance Pathway. I would urge anyone who is interested to get in touch.
“Hosting a number of Paralympic Talent ID days here in Stirling at the National Curling Academy recently has been extremely positive, for both Talent Transfer athletes and newcomers who have all enjoyed the welcoming and accessible team environment we champion here at British Curling. We are keen, through the new campaign, to provide more opportunities for individuals with performance mindsets to experience what we can offer.”
Just last month Lappin was delivering off-ice wheelchair Try Curling sessions at Wheelpower’s Inter Spinal Unit Games hosted at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, having identified the need to maximise entry level opportunities as part of an ambitious strategic plan to attract more athletes onto the Paralympic programme.
Keith Gray, a Talent Transfer individual has already graduated to the newly-formed Paralympic Performance Foundation Squad after his taster sessions and Talent ID event earlier this year. He now enjoys on-ice sessions every Friday at the National Curling Academy with Head Paralympic Coach Sheila Swan and classroom based sessions on Nutrition and Psychology, as well as Physiotherapy and High Performance physical preparation sessions delivered by sportscotland Institute of Sport. He is also benefitting from being mentored by members of the current Paralympic GB wheelchair squad. 
“The team spirit and social aspect of the game is so different to other sports I have experienced in the past. It really surpassed my expectations,” said the 35 year old.
Gray won the Edinburgh Half Marathon wheelchair event earlier this year and the Forth Valley Flyers athlete is keen to continue juggling his sporting commitments with his work as a support accountant for Freeagent, an accounting software company based in Edinburgh who fully support Gray’s sporting ambitions. 
“My background may not be similar to most newcomers but I hope others will find the game as appealing and exciting as I do and there is so much more to curling than I envisaged,” he said.
“I have to say curling for me was love at first sight. I love how well I am being supported via Cheryl and the wider team, getting to grips with the tactical and technical elements of the game in a great team environment. I am really keen to see how far I can progress through the new Paralympic Pathway.
“My dream is already to get to a Paralympics and I’m sure there are others out there with similar ambitions, so I would encourage anyone interested to give this a go as there is so much more to this sport than meets the eye.”
Push Yourself - Be inspired.
To register your interest in the new Paralympic Recruitment Campaign and to sign up for our events please scan the QR code and complete your details or follow the link here.
For more information on our Paralympic Programme and opportunities please email: Cheryl.lappin@britishcurling.org.uk
Special thanks to Off kilter, our Graphic Design partner: Graphic Design Stirling | Studio Off Kilter
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