​Getting youth into sport can enliven communities says Scott Greig

Garthamlock’s Sporting Chance is shamelessly cashing in on this year’s Commonwealth Games by creating our own two-week mini version with young people.

The organisation, in Glasgow, was set-up about 20 years ago originally as Lowmoss amateur football club but has evolved to incorporate a host of different sports.

With a bit of council funding we’ve managed to branch out. We’re now primarily a running club with a remit to get more young people involved in the sport, but with the games upon us, we decided to have our own two week version in July.

We’ll be staging a 100 metre sprint, 400m hurdles, and 5,000m race. We’ll have a swimming relay race, as well as cycling, mountain biking, long jump and, believe it or not, pole vault.

We encourage all abilities and anyone from eight years to 16 can get involved. We’ll stage the events in age groups to give everyone a sporting chance.

There was much written about how the Olympics held so much potential but in the end failed to deliver the sporting legacy it promised.

Here in Garthamlock there’s a lot of deprivation so I hope the legacy we can cash in on will be one where young people become more sporting, fitter and their confidence is boosted to the extent they feel they can achieve what they want in life.

We’re pretty happy doing what we do. More money would be good but it means more hassle, to be honest.

I’ve been playing sport all my life. I played football for Queen of the South, Alloa and Partick Thistle in my younger years, then took to distance running.

Our club is purely voluntary. No-one gets paid and we rely totally on volunteers. That’s the way it should be. When you start paying staff, it gets complicated. I’m a firm believer that if it’s voluntary there’s a different kind of ethos. There’s a satisfaction to be gained just from the fact that no-one’s here for the money.

Kids love sport and it’s fully inclusive. We take everyone; you’re not judged. There’s a number of asylum seeker families in this area and we actively reach out to them to make them part of the community.

I’m often asked why we don’t go for more funding but, to be honest, I don’t really feel comfortable doing so. We’re pretty happy doing what we do. More money would be good but it means more hassle, to be honest.

Sport is all about fun: that’s the message I want to get across. And working with young people rubs off on you. Their attitude and zest for life is an inspiration. That’s what keeps me doing what I do. And no amount of money can buy that.