About Southeast Scottish Amateur Athletics, Inc. (SSAA)
In 1995, a group of amateur Scottish Highland Games athletes and Games officials created Southeast Scottish Amateur Athletics, Inc. (SSAA) to improve the quality and consistency of competition in the South. Since its founding, SSAA has been supporting three main ideas:
As part of its effort introduce strength athletes to our sport, Southeast Scottish Amateur Athletics, Inc. offers training clinics for both the novice and the seasoned athlete. We also provide demonstrations for schools, special events and the media to familiarize the public with our ancient sport. Over the past three years the number of athletes discovering the Scottish heptathlon has almost doubled. To ensure that capable athletes are afforded the opportunity to compete, the field of amateurs at SSAA sanctioned Games are often split into divisions of competitors based on strength and experience.
To foster the relationship of the athlete with other aspects of the Games, SSAA helps newcomers find their appropriate clan and encourages active membership. We believe that our heritage is an intergral part of our sport. Southeast Scottish Amateur Athletics, Inc. emphasizes the history and traditions of Scottish heptathlon to the athlete and spectator alike. Even the awards offered to the amateurs at SSAA sanctioned Games chosen for their connection to Celtic culture. It is not uncommon to find the winning competitors receiving claymores, dirks, sghian dhubs, kilt belts, quaich, targe or other Celtic accoutrement.
While the physical activities of Southeast Scottish Amateur Athletics, Inc. are limited to the Southern U.S., our quarterly newsletter, THE HIGHLAND GAMES HERALD reaches athletes and fans across the country.
About THE HIGHLAND GAMES HERALD
THE HIGHLAND GAMES HERALD is the quarterly newsletter of SSAA. During its first year of publication, THGH won the coveted First Place Award in the Ellen Payne Odum Library annual newsletter contest. It has never missed or combined issues and it is always published on time. Each issue includes scores from the previous quarter, a list of clinics and games for the next quarter, Games reviews written by the athletes and news of interest to the Highland Games athlete. THGH also publishes special advisory contributions from professional Highland Games athletes such as Ryan Vierra, Kurt Pauli, George Chiappa, Steve Jeck, Art McDermott, Ron McKee, as well as commentary from officials of the Games such as Ed Holcombe and Herman Ibach.
Although THGH was originally designed to serve the South, the number of subscriptions coming in from the Northeast and Midwest have prompted a change in coverage. The space devoted to Games, scores etc. from each region will be commensurate with the number of subscribers from these areas. It is the goal of THE HIGHLAND GAMES HERALD to provide timely, interesting and accurate information that is useful to its subscribers--everywhere. For more information about THE HIGHLAND GAMES HERALD, Southeast Scottish Amateur Athletics and its activities and/or The Scottish Heavy Heptathlon in general, write to:
On April 10-11, 1999, The Culloden Highland Games will host THE BATTLE FOR THE BLADES in historic Culloden, Georgia. This Scottish Highland Games competition is the biggest amateur competition in the Southeastern region. Last year, 65+ amateur Heavy Athletes from the U.S. and Scotland competed in four divisions. This event is sponsored by SSAA. For details, call: W.K. Cummings 912-836-4267.
© 1997 paige.g.smith@mci2000.com
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