Local boy Douglas Locke sponsored by Merkinch Partnership helped the Highland Wildcats American Football team to their first victory on Sunday 25th April as they sent shock waves through the UK American Football league defeating the much fancied Edinburgh Wolves by 20 -14.
Merkinch Youth League team reversed their fortunes in their second game of season running out easy winners over Nairn Stags by 5 goals to 2 on Tuesday 27th April.
Unfortunately the Soccer Sevens Primary school team were not so lucky on Thursday 29th April when they fell at home to a highly skilled Cauldeen team 5-4.
Monday 26th April: Free Runners take to the air at the Inverness Royal Academy. The free running group Freevolution received some special air time thanks to Merkinch Partnership organising some trampoline training to help the group work on their aerial techniques. The group based at Inverness High School have been supported by Merkinch Partnership from their start back in January.
And finally rounding off events with some sunshine and exciting downhill racing and jumps was Mountain biking on Saturday 3rd May at Red Rock on the Black Isle.
Youth Team chase down every ball
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The first mountainbike excursion of the year took place a month later than normal because of the chaos caused by the snow. With 2 new cross country bikes the group hit the trails at Craig Dunain, next Mountain bike trip is set for Saturday 6th March 9am.
Dodgeball - 3 teams from Inverness High School played Charleston Academy and once again returned without a win, they did however manage to draw 2 games. Plans are being put in place to enter a High School team into the Charleston Academy league.
Soccer Sevens - the winter snow continued to play havoc with the Soccer Sevens schedule, With the only game being played this year going Merkinch's way with a 4 to 2 victory, however the indoor football event went ahead as scheduled at Inverness Leisure on Saturday 6th February, with Merkinch entering a P4/5 and a P6/7 team.
It was a successful day on the whole for Merkinch, particularly for the older group who managed to avoid defeat and for young John MacKenzie who was our top scorer on the day with 5 goals.
Special mention once again to goalie Daniel Hoban who was top class on the day, only conceded 3 goals (one of which was from a cruel deflection) and was without doubt the keeper of the tournament.
Street League and Youth League- training for both these teams starts Saturday 20th March. The Street League team is open to anyone born on or after 1st January 1996 and the Youth league open to anyone born on or after 1st January 1994.
Mountain Bike leader Steve Morgan explains the route
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Merkinch Partnership held a meeting on 18th January. Annie Marrs, Arts Worker, presented an update on the arts activities in the area – she informed the meeting that the 2009 pantomime was the most successful to date and all members agreed that the Theatre Group is a very positive development for the Merkinch area. The Bike Shed arts facility in Grant Street would capitalise on the Artist in Residency work already done in the area through “The Other Side of Air Project” in 2008.
Updates were also circulated on the sports programme and the work of the Partnership Officer.
Members approved Fairer Scotland Funding of £2000 for the Street Pastor project – Respect Merkinch.
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The Merkinch Sports Awards Night took place on Wednesday 11th November in the Merkinch Community Centre,with over 100 people in attendance. The event kicked off in style with one of the worlds premier football freestylers,Daniel Cutting,delivering a fantastic display of football skills.
Peter Corbett presented the event which this year spotlighted Football, Karate and Mountain biking. Top moments from each sport were screened before the award winners came down to receive their trophy and the audience were then treated to some of the winners best moments captured on video.
Check out the Merkinch Sports Bebo for video and pictures from the event.
First up was Merkinch Karate Club with awards in four categories.
Best Female Fighter: Chloe Connell
Best Male Fighter: Josh Winning
Best Female Kata: Shannon Stewart
Best Male Kata: Martin Norton
The next category was Merkinch Football Academy
Soccer Sevens Player of the Season: Daniel Hoban
Soccer Sevens Best Attitude: Conner Macphee
Street League Player of the Season: Liam Shewan
Street League Best Attitude: Mikey Wemyss
Youth League Player of the Season: Chris Dickson
Youth League Best Attitude: Steven Bain
Leisure League Player of the Season: Paul Stewart
Leisure League Best Attitude: Tonji Reid
The final featured sport was the Merkinch Mountain Bike Club
Best Mountain Bike Rider: Bart Rakowski
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Merkinch Partnership held a meeting on 2nd November, where members heard an update from the Project Officer and reports on the sports and arts programmes.
A priority for the Partnership at this time is to ensure that Highland Council continues to fund local projects currently being funded by Fairer Scotland. Members feel that these projects have been very successful and have made a real difference to the community.
Members also discussed the future remit of the Partnership, looking at various issues:
• sharing good ideas and practices with other communities
• The Partnership has played an important role in bringing projects forward
• The Partnership acts as a steering group for the Project Officer, arts and sports programmes.
• As part of the Project Officer post, the Partnership could apply for a small discretionary budget which could then be allocated to local projects or groups.
• It’s important to look at accessing other sources of funding
• Future meetings will take place every 2 months
The next Partnership meeting will take place in Merkinch Community Centre on 18th January.
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The sports programme continues to be a great success, offering activities and opportunities to young people from the Inverness High School catchment area. At the Partnership meeting on 28th September David Paulin, the Partnership Sports Co-ordinator, gave an update on the programme:
Football - Merkinch Partnership took over the running of the Street League teams. The Street League had a very successful season playing off in a very close game for the 2nd division title.
The youth league team failed to enter this year until Merkinch Partnership stepped in. Although not achieving many victories on the field the team kept together and morale remained high.
The Leisure League adult 6-a side team qualified for finals day but were unable to attend.
Summer Programme 2009 - events run by Merkinch Partnership included American Flag Football, basketball, boxing, football, jogging, mountain biking and Street Football.
Programmes running for Autumn 2009 include football,completion of the Youth and Street Leagues,Primary School football(soccer sevens)and the Leisure league 6 a-side league continuing and improving.
Other activities offered by the sports programme include Dodgeball, American Flag Football (with pathways to Blitz for national competition),Merkinch Jogging Club, Merkinch Mounntain Bike Club and Primary School cross country training.
A rowing machine has been purchased for Merkinch primary school to encourage those who might not previously have taken part in sport, Merkinch Karate Club has been supported with equipment and the development of new age groups and disciplines.
Merkinch Street League take a corner kick
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A steering group has been formed to look at the proposal for a Community Radio project in Merkinch. Merkinch Community Centre has been carrying out research into the idea, which would involve members of the local community being trained in radio programming skills. Steering group members are particularly keen to get local young people involved. A one-off radio production workshop was held in the Grant Street Bike Shed in June and 3 podcasts have been recorded and uploaded (see the Podcast link on the right)- interviews with Merkinch Partnership Officer Anne Sutherland, Arts Worker Annie Marrs and Dawn Beaton, Chair of Glendoe Terrace Residents Association.
Moray Firth Media Trust (who is represented on the steering group)is currently delivering a 4 day podcast course for young people, we hope that after completing the course participants will get involved in the website podcasting.
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