A celebration of sport and activity saw more than 1,600 participants and more than 1,000 supporters enjoy the first ever East Lothian Community Sport Hub Games over the weekend.

The Games kicked off with the East Lothian Athletics Open last Saturday (June 14) and came to a close late on Sunday, eight days later, with a hotly contested mixed seven-a-side hockey tournament at Meadowmill Sports Centre.

Thirteen sports were included in the event, with 60 community clubs involved – catering all the way from early years to adults, able-bodied and disability athletes, men, women, boys and girls from around the county, all competing and participating together.

Organised by the six community sport hubs, the games were a series of competitions and fun events designed to capture the imagination of people across East Lothian as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow nears.

It celebrated and thanked all the participants and volunteers who run the county’s sports clubs all year round, whilst also giving the opportunity for retired coaches and parents to get involved.

Eamon John, sport and countryside and leisure manager at East Lothian Council, said: “It was a very successful and substantial event.

“It was really pleasing to see both a junior and adult competition across the county taking place in multiple sports and I am delighted see the community sports hubs working together and delivering such an enjoyable event.” One of the most exciting things about the games for organisers and participants was the diversity of the events.

The swimming gala, held at the Aubigny Centre in Haddington, combined East Lothian’s competitive swimming and non-competitive swimming clubs in an event for the first time, along with the integration of East Lothian’s disability swim club, whose participants competed alongside able-bodied clubs.

For many this was their first competitive experience and having it in a fun atmosphere left many asking for similar events in the future.

The CSH Games, as with Glasgow 2014, were about bringing the community together in celebration of similarities and differences through sport and community. Funded by Celebrate, the games aimed to offer up opportunities to demonstrate the meaning of celebration and the power of sport.

Ed Hendrikson, East Lothian Council’s sports development teams principal officer, commented: “I walked into the sports hall to be faced with a badminton game involving one of our PAiS (Performance Athletes in Schools) athletes playing with an athlete in a wheelchair against a double amputee and one of our senior club members. That is what sport and community is all about.” Bengy Barsanti, Community Sport Hubs development officer, said: “This coming together made the badminton event one of the highlights of the weekend but it was impossible to single one sport out.

“It reflected a number of the other sports that brought people together and sparked a passion that very easily gets hidden.

“A room full of table tennis players of all ages and abilities playing together in one tournament is something to behold, judo throws from 60 kids simultaneously warming up made the spine shiver and the under-12 racketball tournament would have brought a smile to anybody’s face.” Mark Lucas, a coach at Gullane hockey who joined in the senior mixed hockey tournament said: “This three-times retired hockey player really enjoyed himself.

“I can’t believe I could get so out of shape that I couldn’t play an hour’s hockey without lying down between games! Hopefully it will be a slightly fitter Mark for next year!” The games concentrated on participation, fun and healthy competition, helping bring the Commonwealth Games and its legacy to East Lothian – aiming to increase participation in sport to create strong, sustainable clubs through the Community Sport Hubs, providing more opportunities for East Lothian residents to be involved in as many sports as possible.

Lisa John, who was also involved in the hockey tournament, said: “Following the adults afternoon session I reckon the passion and spirit has been ignited in a number of players and as such I’m looking to try and organise mixed summer hockey.” There were plenty of other success stories during the games, including a basketball club picking up seven new members, cricket signing up a number of new players and two new coaches, and the football tournament in the morning catering for 290 kids, followed by an adult seven-a-side competition.

Barsanti said: “Thanks must go to Celebrate it Scotland for their funding to make the event happen, sportscotland for their continued support of our Community Sport Hubs, enjoyleisure as the major sponsor of the CSH Games, East Lothian Council’s sports development department for their support and, most importantly, to all the community clubs through their Community Sport Hubs who played the major role in organising their respective sports with enthusiasm and passion.

“Without these local clubs and their volunteers, sport in our community would not happen.

“A big thank you to East Coast FM for their huge effort during the day creating a great atmosphere and really adding to the event.” For more information and the games and on how to get involved in sport in the county, visit www.activeeastlothian.co.uk