This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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FM toasts Scottish sport's role models
10/06/2002
The cream of Scotland's winter sportsmen and women were honoured today by First Minister Jack McConnnell.
Speaking at a reception at Stirling Castle to mark the success of the country's recent winter Olympians and World Championship curlers, Mr McConnell said the they were excellent role models for future Scottish athletes.
Mr McConnell added:
"The enthusiasm and interest generated just a few months ago by the talents of these superb athletes should be harnessed to encourage future Scots to achieve such success.
"Their dedication and hard work makes them ideal role models for other athletes hoping to compete at the very top level and I am delighted to be able to honour them today."
The First Minister also used the reception to formally mark the move of the headquarters for high performance Scottish sports to Stirling.
The Scottish Institute of Sport is based on a model regarded internationally as the best way for developing high performance athletes. The "Hub" will be a centre for strategic thinking and innovation, to ensure Scottish athletes achieve international success.
Mr McConnell said:
"The development of a Scottish Institute of Sport was one of the four key challenges set out in Sport 21, the strategy for sports development in Scotland. Scottish Ministers are committed to ensuring that our top and emerging athletes have the continued coaching and support services they need to succeed on a world stage.
"The Institute's recent move to the new facility in Stirling is a great example of how much it has developed since its formation in 1998. It is clear that the aim to increase success at the next summer and winter Olympic Games and the 2006 Commonwealth Games, while challenging, is realistic."
Alistair Gray, Chairman of the Scottish Institute of Sport said:
"The move to the Institute building represents a great opportunity to build on the early progress enhancing the skills and capabilities of Scotland's high performance athletes and coaches. It will provide a unique environment and a special home where the Institute and its Coaches can prepare plans for our athletes to achieve even greater levels of performance in their chosen sports.
"We are grateful to the Stirling Partnership for their support in enabling us to create this excellent facility and to sportscotland for their accommodation over the first 3 years of the Institute's existence."
The Scottish Institute of Sports was formed in 1998 as a wholly owned subsidiary of sportscotland and was officially launched in October 1998. The Institute was awarded a budget of some £20m over 4-5 years (£8m capital and £12m revenue) from the Lottery Sports Fund.
The Institute relocated from its temporary accommodation at the Gyle, Edinburgh to its new hub in Stirling on 9 May 2002.. The new premises are on the edge of the University of Stirling's campus and consist of an old baronial style house and former student residence which involved part refurbishment and part new build. To avoid any confusion with the drug rehabilitation centre known as the 'health hub' already in Stirling, the Institute's new hub will be known simply as "the Institute".
The Institute's new purpose built facility aims to provide an inspirational environment which will promote interaction, harness energy to develop a culture of shared knowledge and winning. It will act as an operational nerve centre to promote excellence in Scottish sport and will become a focus for high performance coach development and learning.