Age: 15
Hometown: Lenzie
What sport are you involved in and what is it that you love about it?
I have been really fortunate to try a range of different sports over the years, by attending extra-curricular clubs and taster sessions in school and in my local area. After participating in Run, Jump, Throw sessions, I knew I had a keen interest in athletics. I also really enjoyed netball and swimming. I took up running after being inspired my Dad and older sister who ran for Kirkintilloch Olympians at the time. I also joined my local swimming club, Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth ASC at the age of 8, and immediately fell in love with the sport. Even though I competed in both swimming and athletics for many years, swimming was my favourite and I used to prioritise this over running. However, when the pandemic hit, I couldn’t visit the pool and my love for swimming slowly began to dissipate as I began to run more often. When we could return to the pool, I realised I could still be part of the swimming community, but as a coach rather than a swimmer. That meant I could still be a part of the sport, but I could focus on improving my running ability. Now, I volunteer as a coach at my swimming club and have a squad of junior swimmers who I create sessions for, and I really enjoy this. I love seeing the swimmers that I coach improve and advance through the club. As an Active Schools Young Leader, I also help run clubs at local primary schools for netball and multi-sports. I still train with Kirkintilloch Olympians as a middle distance runner, and compete in track and cross-country events.
What motivated you to be part of the Young People’s Sport Panel?
I have been a part of the Young Ambassador’s programme for the past couple of years, and this has allowed me to see first-hand the positive impact that participation in sport can have on the physical and mental health of young people. I am passionate about helping young people reach their full sporting potential, and ensuring that the future of sport in Scotland is bright for the next generation of athletes to come. The YPSP will allow me to work together with other like-minded individuals to improve the quality of sport in Scotland, and create opportunities that will allow more young people to get involved with sport, whether that be by participating, coaching or through another important role in sport.
What do you think are (some of) the big challenges facing young people in Scotland today?
I think one of the challenges faced by young people in sport are the barriers poor mental health can create, preventing some young people from reaching their full potential. Pre-race anxiety is something that I have experienced from a young age, and there have been times where I haven’t competed to avoid the anxiety and nerves before the race. In sport generally, and in our training, we focus so much on physically training our bodies to perform at our best, but forget about preparing mentally. As my mum always says, ‘Beating your mind is half the battle’, and it’s true. Before competing, we can focus too much on what we feel like we can’t do, instead of getting into a positive mindset that creates self-confidence. I feel more resources and support to overcome mental barriers and strengthen mindset could help many young athletes or aspiring athletes, making the competitive side of sport more positive and more enjoyable. It may also attract and retain more participants into certain sports.
How do you think sport can help support young people in Scotland?
For many young people, sport is a way of clearing our minds from the stress and problems we experience in everyday life. By taking time to exercise in the fresh air, or attend a training session with our friends, we are giving ourselves time to relax and re-gain focus, which benefits young people both physically and mentally. For young people especially, when it comes to exam-stress or balance many different priorities, your mind can wander and you can lose focus. It can be more beneficial taking time away to exercise than it is to persevere and continue studying. This certainly helps me. Sport also allows us to build social skills and create relationships with other young people as well as coaches and other adults. This is an important life skill that will not only benefit us in the sporting world, but also in the future.
Is there a role model who inspires you? What is it about them that you admire?
I am fortunate to be around a lot of inspiring people on an everyday basis, from other athletes to coaches as well as family members. However, someone who’s positivity and bravery is something that will always continue to inspire me. One of my closest friends, Sarah, was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at the start of the pandemic, and this has unsurprisingly changed her life. Before being diagnosed, Sarah was a keen cyclist and triathlete with much talent in both areas. When diagnosed, it was difficult news that she would no longer be able to continue participating in sport, but she never let that affect her positive and supportive attitude. Through countless hospital visits, treatments, injections, and medication with names I don’t even try to pronounce, she always has a smile on her face and her bravery is something that I will always admire. Even when in pain, she will always make time for others, and her selfless attitude is something I aspire to have. Sarah still tries to be involved with sport as much as she can, from helping out at local triathlons as well as going runs with her Dad. She even managed to climb the North Berwick Law!