A LONG time ago an editor of mine suggested a wizard wheeze – why not go and enter a ‘heavy’ event or two at the local Highland Games and write about what it’s like to toss a caber.

“You’re a big lad,” he opined. “It will be nae bother to you and it can’t be any worse than being a prop forward.” Which I was, though really I should have been a centre – that’s my one great regret in life, especially now I see Mathieu Bastareaud playing at centre for France weighing a stone more than I ever did as a player.

It seemed like a good feature idea at the time, which was 1983 or 84, but then I discovered that if I even competed alongside professionals, never mind taking prize money – I seem to recall the prize for the ‘local’ weight throw was £3 – I would be barred from playing rugby union for life. And I knew that to be a fact because I phoned the venerable Bill Hogg at Murrayfield and he told me so.

Nevertheless I went along to cover the Luss Highland Games as I did for eight years running and enjoyed a terrific day out at what I renamed the Whisky Gathering.

Those were halcyon days for the Highland Games community, and I can recall that while the running and dancing were attractions in themselves, they had nothing on the heavy events which featured prodigious feats of strength that the crowds adored.

My favourite competitor was big Bill Anderson from Bucksburn, a quietly spoken gentleman who set record after record at the various Games round Scotland and elsewhere and was World Highland Games Champion in 1981. He had been Scottish Highland Games champion for 16 years running from 1959 – a world record of single sport domination, I believe, though even now Vladimir Putin’s judo championships’ record is being rewritten – that’s a joke, in case any Russian agents are reading.

I believe Bill’s 22lb hammer throw record – set in 1969 with a wooden shafted hammer thrown from a standing stationary position – was 123ft 5ins or 37.62m in new money, and confirmed him as the greatest ‘standing’ hammer thrower of all time, not least because the same year he threw the 16lb hammer over 150ft, the first man ever to do so.

Bill had two truly great rivals – and both were English. Arthur Rowe had been an outstanding shot putter in the 1960s before turning professional and taking on Bill at Highland Gatherings everywhere. Amazingly, it was only after Rowe appeared that Bill actually started training by lifting weights in the gym.

Another great rival of Bill’s, this time in the 1980s, was none other than Geoff Capes, the Olympic shot putter who had beaten Bill into second place in the Britain’s Strongest Man competition in 1979. The Bill and Geoff show made many a Games very exciting in the early 1980s, though Bill was by then in his late 40s – he kept competing (and winning) until he was 50.

Bill could throw the 56lb weight over a bar set 16ft high, but his record was beaten by Capes who set a world record of 17ft in 1981. It now stands at 19ft 9ins and is owned by Hafthor Bjornsson of Iceland, known to his fans as The Mountain from the Game of Thrones telly series.

The reason for all this reminiscence is the news that the Duke of Rothesay, aka Prince Charles, is backing the introduction of Highland Games sports on to the curriculum for PE in three schools in Cathness and Sutherland.

The Prince, who is chieftain of Caithness’ Mey Games, is using his charity foundation to help encourage more young people to participate in Highland Games.

What an inspired idea – using Scottish traditions and culture to boost the health of young people.

Charlie Murray, chairman of The Scottish Highland Games Association, loves the project. He said: “The participation of athletes in Highland Games has traditionally been through family connections, but, now, that is happening less and less often and we need to take action.

“We’re hoping to roll out a certificated Highland Games programme across Scotland. Piping is taught in just about every school in Scotland now, and I would like to see the Highland Games sports taught in schools to make people aware that there are other sports they can enjoy and compete in.”

I cannot praise this initiative highly enough. Of course adjustments will have to be made, and reduced weights brought in for youngsters at the three high schools in question – Thurso, Wick and Farr.

There will also have to be changes made so that girls can take up the Highland Games, too. And don’t tell me changes can’t be made quickly in the Highland Games community – one year at Luss, the caber was too heavy so a local farmer fetched his chainsaw and I watched as he removed two feet off the top.

Think of the fun those youngsters will have – tossing the sheaf as well as the caber, learning how to throw hammers safely for distance and height, practising tug-of-war, aye, and pillow fights too, which were always a great favourite at various Games I went to.

And why not running and dancing and all the other skills that are needed for a Highland Games?

Why shouldn’t a kid from Castlemilk or Craigmillar get those chances, too? After all, these Games are a Scottish invention and part of our culture, so let’s get our youngsters fit our way.