T his time last year we were just gearing up for Danny Boyle's magnificent Olympic Games opening ceremony, unaware of the euphoria that was about to engulf the nation over the next fortnight.

London 2012 was built around the concept of legacy, encapsulated by the Games motto "inspire a generation". If I had a pound for every time "legacy" had been mentioned between London winning the bid in 2005 and the start of the Games themselves, I'd have, well, a lot more money than I do now.

On the conclusion of London 2012, Glasgow assumed the mantle of creating a sporting legacy. Tuesday marked "One Year To Go" until the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and many of the promises made in the lead-up to London are being echoed.

For me, the most important element of Britain hosting the Olympics was not the Games but in the benefits which would remain. One year on, it is still too early to make a definitive judgment on whether all of the promises made prior to the Olympics will come to fruition. However, early indications suggest that the transformation of the country's sporting landscape has not been quite as dramatic as had been originally hoped/promised.

Of course, one major event was not going to metamorphose Great Britain from a sedentary, junk food-loving nation into a country with a sporting culture to rival Australia's. But assurances were repeatedly made about how Britain's Olympics would inspire a generation of children to take up sports that they had never heard of pre-2012, never mind participated in.

It is hard to find conclusive figures. For every claim that participation levels have risen in the past year, there is a counterclaim suggesting there has been little change. Regardless of the facts surrounding London's legacy, it is indisputable that Scotland would benefit enormously from an upsurge in the number of children regularly taking part in sport as a result of the Commonwealth Games.

I'm not just talking about creating potential world champions; a simple rise in participation would mean a more active population, which brings innumerable health and social benefits.

Improving participation levels is no easy task, however. No Games has ever resulted in a long-term increase in sports participation within the host nation, so is it naïve to think Glasgow 2014 could be any different? Perhaps so, but in hosting the Commonwealth Games, an attempt must be made to make an enduring impact, or else the end result is spending a whopping £543m on nothing more than a 12-day party of elite sport.

The early signs pointing to Glasgow 2014's legacy seem positive. The facilities which have been built, such as the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the Emirates Arena, plus those which have been renovated such as Tollcross International Swimming Centre, look to have a viable, sustainable future.

But bricks and mortar are not enough. Criticism was made in the aftermath of London that children's interest had, indeed, been piqued in sports which almost never grace our television screens. And so, just as had been envisioned, these kids went along to find a club out to try these sports. But many of these clubs were not adequately prepared for this influx of tyros and were unable to absorb the interest.

Toni Minichiello, Jessica Ennis-Hill's coach, claimed that athletics "missed a trick" as the sport struggled to accommodate those who wanted to join clubs.

This inability of a sport to integrate every child who shows an interest is massively disheartening and must not be replicated in Glasgow, because once the 'golden window of opportunity' is gone, it is lost forever.

The velodrome in Glasgow's east end is already one of the most well-used velodromes in Europe and top-class facilities are, of course, a vital component in guaranteeing a legacy for Scotland. But many athletes have succeeded without shiny new facilities at their disposal and so the emphasis must be on accessibility to training sessions and good coaching. I spent my formative years as a badminton player training in a sports hall which was spartan to say the least and made a bat cave look light and airy. However, the environment had little impact on my improvement as an athlete; it was the good coaching that I received which facilitated my development. Top-class sporting amenities are important, but ensuring children have access to good coaching must be the priority.

For all the joy that will sweep the country next summer when Team Scotland begin winning medals, it is the long-term effect of the Games which should be used as the true measure of success or failure.

And if the legacy promises do come to fruition, then it will be £543m very well spent.