Well, what a great week it has been for anyone who is interested in sport.

Even if you aren’t, I am sure you would have noticed at least some of the headlines in the papers or heard about the sporting successes on radio or television.

We haven’t even had summer yet but one Scottish team has gone in and out of Europe before they even start the season proper, whilst another had to put up with items being thrown onto the pitch.

Motor-racing threw up another win for British driver Lewis Hamilton, while Spanish golfer Rafa Cabrera Bello won the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.

And we had a Scottish winner in the tennis at Wimbledon, where Jamie Murray, along with playing partner Martina Hingis, won the mixed doubles title.

There was also success for wheelchair doubles player Gordon Reid, from Helensburgh. Along with his partner Alfie Hewett, they won their final – just like they did last year and again, just like last year, they did it the hard way by coming from behind to make it over the line.

All in all, it has been an exciting sporting summer so far and I hope all these successes encourage the youth of today to perhaps take up a sport for the first time and see where it takes them.

Locally, we have, in recent years, had an improvement in sporting facilities and so it has to be hoped that we see more young people playing on the football pitches, on the netball and basketball courts and on the tennis and rugby fields.

If you can, encourage them to do so and try to help them take their dreams as far as possible.

Of course, all the local clubs don’t run themselves, so if you have decided you should no longer be on the field of play, don’t walk away from your sport.

Remember, you can help to run a local club and do your bit to encourage those up-and-coming youngsters who are playing for the first time.