Dundee Sports Awards – previous winner profile
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club won the Club of the Year Award at the 22/23 Dundee Sports Awards in May 2023. This recognition for the club came during its 10-year anniversary of delivering a range of sporting opportunities including wheelchair badminton, basketball, cycling and rugby to participants in the city.
Since winning the Club of the Year Award, the club has expanded its adaptive cycling programme. The cycling programme runs at Dawson Park on a Saturday and has had the addition of hand cycling sessions from Dundee Cycle Hub on a Thursday afternoon. The club has also promoted cycling by taking part in several cycling events including The Dundee Cycle Fest and Ride the Worlds. It has also provided access to adaptive bikes as part of the Gran Fondo time trial from Dundee to Arbroath in the lead up to the World Cycling Championships in Glasgow in August 2023.
The club's cycling programme's impact is demonstrated through participant John Sapeluk's feedback who said
"Had my annual review with my doctor yesterday, blood pressure excellent, twenty-five kilogram weight loss since last year. Dundee Dragons Limitless Cycling has been a big contributor to this. Thank you for making this exercise session available. Very proud to be part of this activity."
The club has also been recognised UK-wide, winning The Community and Clubs Achievement Award at the Variety Club Disability Sports Awards in October. The Dragons' success in competition has continued with the Dragons Rugby League team crowned the first ever Scotland Rugby League Premiership Wheelchair Champions, completing the competition with seven victories from eight matches, with the team's single defeat coming in their final match.
Badminton has also grown in popularity within the club over the past year, with several club members participating in several tournaments. On the international stage Gregor Anderson has had an incredible year competing all over Europe and winning 2 silver medals in an event in Finland, 2 silver medals at the UK Championships and a gold medal at the Scottish Championships.
Collaboration is vital to the club, and the Dragons have worked with a range of partners providing wheelchair sports at several events across Dundee over the past year including Caird Park Community Sports Hub Summer Holiday Multi Sport Camp and High-Performance Camp, Scottish Disability Sport ParaSports Festival, School Events, NHS FITT summer camp and the High School of Dundee Sports Day.
Reflecting on winning the Club of the Year Award at the 22/23 Dundee Sports Awards, Chairperson of Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Dr Elizabeth Ferris commented
"Facing such strong competition meant it was a real honour to be recognised as Dundee's Club of the Year last year. Our members constantly tell us just how vital our work is to their daily lives, giving us the impetus to continue providing those opportunities whilst highlighting the benefits of all types of physical activity to children and adults with disabilities. 2023 saw us celebrate our 10th anniversary, culminating in a wonderful charity ball and was topped off by being selected by the Variety Club of Great Britain as their Disability Community Club of the Year. Going into 2024 we're excited to build on our first decade, with a firm focus on ensuring that Disability Sport is at the forefront of sports development in Dundee"
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club is based at Gardyne Sports Centre. New participants and volunteers are always welcome. If you would like to get involved, please contact the club via their website www.dundeedragons.net
This year's Dundee Sports Awards will take place on Saturday 11th May with nominations now open via the Leisure & Culture Dundee website www.leisureandculturedundee.com/leisure/dundee-sports-awards
Photo: Lesley Scott from Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club accepting the 22/23 Club of the Year Award from Les Maclean from award sponsor Doe Sport.