Following a successful two years, the Angus Development Squad is now aiming to provide a positive long term development training programme for Tayside players of any age or ability with physical, sensory or learning disabilities.
The squad will include players of local, regional and national standard in the form of:
• Recreational Players
• Angus Disability Sport Footballers
• Tayside Special Olympics Footballers
• SOGB Footballers
The Angus Development Squad was formed after an Angus Disability Sport Football Festival at Montrose Football Club in 2007. The idea was to give selected athletes the opportunity to take part in regular developmental football coaching in a squad environment.
Since 2007 this squad has trained and competed at annual Scottish Disability Sport Championships', and in 2008 the squad won the gold medal in the C band competition.
This squad has grown since then to incorporate athletes who were selected to compete for Tayside Special Olympics at the Special Olympics National Games in Leicester in July 2009.
The athletes who were selected competed at the SDS Championships in April this year and achieved a silver medal in the B Band Division.
The squad then went on to the Special Olympics National Games, where they were placed in Division 1 – the highest ability banding. Tayside 1 returned home with a Division 1 Bronze.
For more information, contact Laura Smith, Development Officer – Disabilities, on 01307 475367 or smithlap@angus.gov.uk