KINGLASSIE MSP, Jenny Gilruth and her Kirkcaldy counterpart David Torrance, teamed up at a visit to the Fife Olympiad volleyball team at a training session in Kirkcaldy, ahead of the Olympiad tournament in

Boblingen later this month.

The Fife Olympiad team heads to one of Boblingen’s twin towns every three years for the Olympiad tournament and a Lochgelly High School pupil is involved along with others from the Cowden-Gelly area.

The international sporting contest originates from Glenrothes’ twintown arrangement with Boblingen, and sees local young people compete against others from across the six other twin towns. Around 1,500 are expected to compete in total.

A total of 167 competitors from schools across Fife will be taking part in sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, football, karate, judo, tennis, swimming and volleyball.

The team is supported by local PE teachers and local Fife sports clubs.

Jenny Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife & Glenrothes, and David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, visited the volleyball team at a training session in St Andrews High School on Thursday morning.

The local MSPs spoke to the participants and coaches about the tournament, as well as taking part in some volleyball themselves.

Commenting, Jenny Gilruth said: “The Fife Olympiad volleyball team are a genuinely inspiring group of young people from all across the Kingdom. The talent on display is impressive and if the standard is this high in Germany, then it’s going to be a great year for team Fife!

“I’m delighted that this year’s event will take place in Boblingen. The Olympiad started out from Glenrothes’ twin-town arrangement with Boblingen, so this is a fantastic opportunity to put the spotlight on our twin-town relationship while giving Fife’s young people a chance to shine. I’m wishing the Fife Olympiad teams every success.”

David Torrance MSP said: “I am hugely impressed by the dedication of those volunteers bringing this together. The hours of work put into this cannot be overstated, and it’s a testament to the goodwill of local people that the team can raise the necessary funds for the tournament every three years.

“The team is made up local students, but they’ll be representing all of Scotland abroad. The Olympiad is a great way to promote Fife and Scotland on the international scene.”

Ellen Ranklin, an S4 pupil from Lochgelly High School, and a competitor in the volleyball team,

said: “I’m looking forward to going to the competition and playing in that different kind of setting.

"We’re all friends here and we’re not used to playing against people that we don’t know so it’s going to be fun to go and play against people who are obviously very serious about it.”

In a challenge to the competing teams, she added: “Scotland’s coming for you!”

The competitors will be joined in Germany by 24 coaches, the Olympiad committee, 13 officials including a Doctor and a Paramedic, and representatives from Active Schools - along with Fife Provost Jim Leishman.

The Olympiad event will take place in Boblingen, from July 26 to July 31.