What do you currently do? 

My name is Beth, and I am a student from Glasgow. I am currently studying Sport Development at the University of the West of Scotland. Alongside studying, I work part-time as a barista, and I enjoy coaching girls’ rugby at the high school I went to. It is really amazing to be able to give back to the community that I grew up in! I aspire to work within the Sport Development sector, specifically in developing youth leadership, once I graduate from university.

Tell us about your sporting background.

I have been incredibly fortunate to have a wide sporting background, both in participating and leading in sport. In school, I enjoyed playing netball, but I found my home in rugby as I was a part of our School of Rugby programme. I carried this passion outside of school and played for my local rugby club, where I was grateful to progress through the U18s Scottish Rugby pathway. My passion lies in inclusivity and ensuring every young person gets to find their safe space within sport, just like I did.

I was an avid member of the sports council from a very early stage in my high school career, where I progressed into my role as a Young Ambassador for sport. From there, my passion for mentoring and inspiring others to get involved in sport has grown exponentially as I became a Young Ambassador Conference Delivery Team member and then a Team Leader for the Youth Sport Trust. Through these experiences, I have gained friends for life and created memories that I may not have necessarily had if I had not put myself out there.

What is your area of interest when it comes to accessing sport?

I am particularly interested in empowering young people to take part in sports organised and facilitated by young leaders. I think that sport leadership opportunities that can be accessed through school, such as Girls Active or Young Ambassadors, are so important, not only for the young leaders themselves to develop their skills but for those who feel inspired to take part in sport off the back of these programs.

I have been lucky to hone my leadership skills through my work with the Youth Sport Trust, and I am passionate about giving other young leaders the space to influence and inspire. I truly believe that everyone has a unique space within sport, which is what makes it such a special space to be a part of. My mission is to ensure that every young person finds their home in sport.

Why did you want to become a member of the Youth Board?

I wanted to become a member of the Youth Board to meet a group of like-minded individuals who share a similar passion to me. This is what I find so incredible about the Youth Sport Trust, as everyone is unique and comes from such diverse backgrounds, but we all share the common aim of improving youth sport.

Through my Team Leader role, I was making change silently in sport at youth leadership camps, facilitating conversations and the leadership growth of the young people at camp. Now, I want to use my voice to become a real changemaker, to share my experiences with the Board and beyond on how sport can be made more inclusive for every young person.

If you could change one thing about sport or physical activity for young people, what would that be?

I want to reinforce the key message that you do not have to be the sportiest person in the room to find a home in sport. In a world full of competition and, quite frankly, stress, sport is a release and is somewhere that I always turned to if I ever needed a break from reality!

I want to use my voice and create opportunities to facilitate play and fun for every young person up and down the country, as this is such a vital component of life for everyone.

Tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself.

Even though rugby is my main sport, I love to spend any free time that I have in the Scottish countryside. When the weather permits, I love to take my paddleboard and my dogs out on the loch, as this is where I feel like I can truly relax. My favourite place to take my board is on Loch Katrine and, of course, a post-paddle coffee date with the dogs is always a bonus to the day!