FOUR ANGUS secondary schools are to pilot a youth programme for angling being arranged by the Scottish National Angling Programme (SNAP), writes Ken Bell, angling correspondent.

SNAP, which is funded by the Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust, has produced the first sports development programme designed specifically for angling.

In charge is Ian Robertson (pictured), a life-long angler, who has just completed 15 years on the SRU rugby development programme, so has an expertise in working with clubs.

SNAP is made up of four complementary projects and hopes within 10 years to have introduced 50,000 newcomers to the sport.

The first project is the setting up of a Scottish Youth Angling Association for, and to be run by, the young anglers with its own website.

Already Tony Sellars, of Forfar Academy, has agreed to help with establishing the website, and interest in the project has also been indicated by Forfar Academy, Webster’s High, Monifieth High and Brechin High. It is planned to launch the youth side of the programme at Kingennie Fishery within the next few months.

The website is aimed at providing information and an on-line club for young people coming into the sport. It is hoped that membership will also provide discounted access for the youngsters,

“Although we are calling it the Scottish Youth Angling Association this is subject to the members’ decision. They might come up with a snappier title,” said Ian.

“We want youngsters up to the age of 18 to be involved in every aspect of the club, and the name and logo competition is the best way to start things off.”

Ian has written to secondary schools throughout Scotland inviting pupils to design a logo for the website, and come up with a snappy name.

The winning entry in the competition, which is being sponsored by the Glasgow Angling Centre, will receive a prize of fishing equipment to the value of £250.

SNAP’s other aims include inducting a new generation of anglers to the sport by developing a sustainable provision of coaches who would train people in all aspects of the sport— game, sea and coarse angling.

This would lead to the setting up of induction centres throughout Scotland—at fisheries, tackle dealers, or even tourist information centres— through which anglers, would- be anglers and tourists could obtain information on all matters angling, from coaching availability to the nearest fisheries.

Ian hopes to encourage more Scottish anglers, through their clubs and associations, to gain UK recognised coaching certificates.

It’s hoped that once the training of coaches was under way, they and volunteer assistants from their angling clubs would be able to introduce up to 50,000 newcomers to the several branches of angling over the next decade.

Ian admitted that if he is successful and the training programme becomes self-sustaining he will in effect be working himself out of a job!

There will also be access to certified courses in angling and other subjects to broaden horizons and provide young anglers with career opportunities.

SNAP will also be operating a social inclusion project. Already youngsters from Arbroath’s Cafe Project have taken part in a programme at Kingennie Fishery outside Dundee.

SNAP has been set up in association with existing national bodies.