DSA Virtual Highland Games

This is a blog post I've written for the DSAuk newsletter, only thing added here are my photos and the video clip. Head to their website for more information on the charity HERE.

This year has of course seen many events and plans changed. I am sure we're all tired of reading stories that start like this and yet by now it's slowly becoming normality to us all. Sadly for DSA members across the four nations it has meant that much needed get togethers haven't happened. In Scotland we rely heavily on the work that Hailey does through the DSA as it is for many the main way we can meet others with dwarfism. It means it's important not just for the physical and mental benefits of allowing everyone a chance to do sports. It is so much more than that as there are many purely social events and a lot of support offered and knowledge shared between members that we simply don't get elsewhere. We are fortunate that this is the case but it's also made all the cancelled events feel even more noticeable. 

Draw something braw

One of the major highlights of the Scottish calendar are the traditional, and very popular, Highland games that are held up and down the country through the summer months. Again something that unfortunately saw every planned event cancelled due to covid-19. This spurred Hailey to come up with an idea of how to connect remotely while participating in fun activities, some active some less so, most of them very silly. She came up with a long list of events inspired by the traditional games. She gave them all a bit of a twist which allowed both those with dwarfism conditions and their average height loved ones to partake. Her fun takes on the sporting events meant all the games were flexible enough to accomplish at home, indoors or out, with very few props. 

Hailey gave us all a few weeks during the kids' summer holidays to set about completing our tasks; sending her videos and photographs as proof. Some we shared with the entire group which helped the feeling of unity despite the distance between us. I can only speak for myself, but I feel the photos the others sent in back me up when I say we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Many of us were definitely hitting a mental wall by that time after a long and strict lockdown in Scotland and these virtual games were a very welcome lift to many of us.

We weren't under any obligation to complete everything, just what we wanted to/managed. Teams named by the colours blue, green, orange and purple were established. Our own household (there's 5 of us but my husband was too caught up in work so really it was myself, our son Elis who is 2.5 and has achondroplasia and his two older sisters) was divided into two of the teams and other households were split up as well. This was a great idea as it helped spur on the competitiveness among us when we couldn't meet our other team members. We were sent a score sheet and asked to fill in any scores we achieved as well as send proof to Hailey where possible. We weren't marked on our actual scores, while we were of course competing it was all really just meant to be a bit of harmless fun. With such varying abilities taking part and few common standards of how tasks were completed it was so much more about the participation than the achievement in itself. So for each task that a team member completed we were awarded 5 points for our team. This also encouraged everyone to try to participate in as many events as possible.

I won't talk you through every single event but I thought I'd cover a few to give you a vague idea of the variety of things we did. Some things weren't remotely sporty; like the requests to make our own braw (good) wee Haggis and name it, draw something Scottish or see how long we could "haud oor wheesht" (be quiet). Others were Scottish only in their name but were designed to get us moving; "bounce the haggis" involved bouncing an object on a racket or something similar as many times as possible and "haud on tae yer hot haggis" requested that you move between two markers as many times as possible while not dropping a haggis (i.e. socks/ball) held between your legs. And of course there was the "caber toss bru", inspired by one of the main events at a true Highland game where the challenge is to throw a caber (a large, heavy tapered pole). Hailey's version, with a shout out to Scotland's favourite beverage: Irn Bru, called for us to throw a large empty plastic bottle as far as we could. I am eternally grateful it wasn't attempting anything as heavy as the real deal. There were many more events and the mix was just right while suiting all ages and abilities. 

A few weeks ago all Scottish members received beautiful medals with tartan thistles in the post. They were in no way necessary because of the wonderful lift we all got from partaking but we all are delighted with our keepsakes from this bizarre and fun summer event. It was a celebration of the DSA, of all the people involved regardless of height as well as a celebration of the beautiful country we live in. I'd be lying if I said we didn't want to see more of these virtual events pop up in the future, no pressure Hailey! 

What joy that we have the internet and that it has allowed people, not just here, but globally to get creative about the way they come together. It has been fantastic to see all the online events that the DSA has managed to set up to make sure that people of all ages still can connect and don't feel alone in a time that will no doubt  have been lonely for many. With the national games cancelled this year I think I speak for us all when I say how nice it's been so see the delighted faces of those who still earned medals. As always, thank you for the wonderful work the DSA does from all of us up here in Scotland.

Below is a video with a selection of our tasks: