Initially, I was always encouraged to do sport by my parents from a very young age, so that I had a hobby and something to do during the summer whilst I was off school.
Why do you do Sports?
Initially, I was always encouraged to do sport by my parents from a very young age, so that I had a hobby and something to do during the summer whilst I was off school. So playing sport has always been a big part of my life. However, I have chosen to keep playing sport because it is such a huge way of relieving stress from assignments, errands and all those stresses of daily life at university. For me, playing sport is and always has been something that I enjoy massively, it is a part of my life separate from everything else that I can do with my friends to stay active.
What Sports do you do?
Tennis and lacrosse.
What challenges have you faced, being a girl, within sport?
The only challenges I have faced personally that were gender related, whilst playing sport, were mostly at school. A few friends and I always wanted to play football but the boys wouldn’t let us join in because we were girls and we didn’t know how to play football apparently. In high school, however, we were lucky enough to have a women’s football team, but there was not a lot of encouragement from our teachers to get involved, it was more the done thing for the girls to play netball and hockey. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to women in sport. Particularly during the Olympics, the female athletes were commented on for their appearance and who they were in relationships with, whilst you never hear those sort of remarks made about male athletes.
What have you achieved in sport? gained qualifications?
When I was younger I competed at a county level in tennis and achieved county runner up which was probably the biggest achievement I’ve made in sport! I’m not exactly an outstanding athlete but I play sport to have fun and socialize. I gained my sports leaders award during high school, have a level of coaching experience in tennis as I would help out at my local club from a young age and I have recently gained my Level 1 umpiring for women’s lacrosse.
What do you have to say about the girls in Aber who want to get into sport, but are too scared!?
Do not be scared! If there is a sport that you would like to try out but are too scared to go along to training on your own, then ask a flat-mate or friend to go along with you to the first one. You will not regret it! Being part of a club is so enriching, not just at university, but for life in general.