City needs its good sports

In Alastair Campbell’s new book about successful people – Winners – he applauds Arsene Wenger’s success in turning around the drinking and bad eating habits of English footballers. Paid handsomely to be athletes, Wenger was appalled at the diet and alcohol consumption of the players and changed this culture in football.

Reading this in the newspaper, I was reminded of similar tales of Jim McLean and how he built up the 1980s Dundee United team into a real professional squad with the habits of athletes.

It paid off. I remember how high my dad jumped when United beat Barcelona in that memorable game at the Nou Camp in 1987.

Since I was elected four years ago I have campaigned for better sports facilities for Dundee.

I am utterly convinced that sport is one of the answers to better opportunities in our city. Sport and exercise improves health, confidence and opens up social opportunities for children and adults alike.

Along the main west corridor in Ninewells Hospital there is a full-length mirror hanging on the wall.

Above the mirror is a small sign saying “This is the person in Tayside who is responsible for your health”. An arrow points down to the reflection in the mirror.

Sport and exercise is critical in the management of our own health.

I don’t think it is a bad aspiration for Dundee to be a real leader on this in Scotland.

Sport and exercise could be a driver of improved health for our citizens but also of sporting excellence and a hotbed of aspiring sporting talent being supported in our schools, community centres and playing fields across the city.

Last week, 10 Dundee children returned from the European Karate Championships with five medals, including a European champion. However, we don’t have adequate facilities in Dundee to host such a tournament in our city.

Being a sporting city could also lead to great economic advantages and better infrastructure and facilities.

This week Dundee City Council approved an application from Sports Direct to build a gym in the Stack Leisure Park in Lochee.

Despite very legitimate concerns about that company’s employment practices, I think the council took the right decision.

I would now urge it to enter into very serious talks with Sports Direct about the contracts and wages local employees can expect but that investment is welcome for Lochee, where more business is badly needed.

The fact that this business is coming in the shape of exercise is encouraging and points another way forward in the development of exercise and health.

A year ago, following the campaign I led for the National Performance Centre for Sport to be located in Dundee, Shona Robison announced we were to get a Regional Performance Centre after she located the National Centre in Edinburgh.

I understand plans have been drawn up by Dundee City Council for the centre to be located next to the Ronnie McIntosh Stadium in Caird Park.

However, we still await any word of work starting and we still don’t know what sports will be accommodated or what the new centre will contain.

I have written to Sportscotland and Dundee City Council this week to ask when we can expect plans to be approved and for the work to start.

With better facilities like these, we can really make sport and exercise our springboard to a better future for our health and economy in Dundee.

Recognising community initiatives like Parkrun at Camperdown and Jog Scotland’s meet at Caird Park gives our local clubs a real profile in the city.

And the facilities they need to attract new members will also make it easier for clubs to use school facilities.

Listening to the needs of sports that are really taking off, like girls’ football, and trying to meet their needs for training facilities are all grass roots efforts that are crucial to supporting community sport.

The more accessible we can make sport and exercise opportunities in the city, the more we can make it a focus for our economic growth and the betterment of our own health.

Empowering the person in the mirror to take responsibility for our own health is a great goal, with multiple benefits for Dundee.

Sporting inspiration: Jim McLean built up the Dundee United team of the 1980s into a squad of athletes. Now, we need more facilities to create more healthy people, Jenny says.