Sports Scotland

I was playing football last night out at Inverleith Park and a bit like Hearts these days, I find myself having to make introductions to my team mates each week as it’s a different group of guys every time we play. My lazy small talk approach tends to involve the standard questions but a certain team mate’s response to the “Did you get up to much at the weekend?” was anything but standard. “Mountain boarding” was the answer and I have to admit I was verbally wrong-footed, which to be honest doesn’t usually take much as I have the eloquence of George W Bush at the best of times. I believe I spluttered a few times, said a rather weak “wow” and then asked in all seriousness if that was like snowboarding without the snow. Apparently yes, it is.

This got me thinking. If Edinburgh can be the Athens of the North, why can’t Scotland be the adventure playground of Europe? It’s all there, though we’d probably have to challenge those hardy Scandinavians for the title. We have mountain ranges that are rugged but not austere, challenging bike tracks, world-class surfing locations, countless freeflowing rivers and canals for watersports, sufficient snow in the winters, plenty of wind for anything from hang-gliding to sailing and of course scenery and wildlife that can only enhance any outdoor pursuit.

When I was at school, not so many years ago I like to think, Physical Education involved the girls handing in their forged sick notes and then settling down to watch the boys play football. Great fun at the time, but I had zero idea what else was out there so of course I was content with the footy. Then I moved on to university and I suddenly realised that guys who don’t play soccer don’t actually deserve ridicule, they’ll probably be ace at archery, rugby or table tennis. Three sports I did not a single second of in my 13 years at school. I believe we had one class of hockey, one class of cricket and a few games of rounders sprinkled in with the cross country running and, of course, the constant football.

And I can’t help but think a trick is being missed in Scotland. What an investment in the next generation to have them running, jumping, diving as much as they can if we can do it without threatening grades. Let’s stop testing kids so much and get them out exercising and trying new sports, and that basis of knowing the basics will no doubt have them well placed to join those crazy enough to surf in the North Sea and slide down mountains on a tea tray later on in life. Even if they fall short of that, a healthier Scotland will mean saving money in the long run anyway, and more Tom McKeans and Yvonne Murrays to cheer on when the Olympics come around.

I believe the SNP are backing more sport in schools though it was the Lib Dems who were pushing it quite hard during the election, so between the two I daresay they can come up with some new initiative. I have to admit I don’t really know where we are with regard passing white papers etc in this area but we grown-ups should be leading the charge anyway, trying new things and lifting the lid on what adventure companies there are out there who for £40 will happily nail us to a plank of wood and push us down a mountain.

As for the result of last night’s football for me and my new friends, let’s just say it’s not the winning but the taking part that counts.