Kirsty Law has watched the march of women’s football in Scotland with a keen interest and sense of pride but refuses to look back in regret at what might have been.
The Scottish and British women’s discus champion was a goalkeeper and midfielder in her youth and was trained by Duncan Shearer in an Inverness Ladies team which featured twins Suzanne and Shelley Grant, both of whom went on to play for Scotland.
Law even won two call-ups to the Scotland Under-18s before throwing in the towel to give full focus to throwing something else altogether.
“I played football, basketball, hockey and swimming when I was growing up – I just loved sport,” reflected Law in a special interview with Scottish Athletics. “But at 17 or 18 I had to make a decision about football and athletics.
“I’d been playing in the Inverness Ladies team and had two call-ups for Scotland U18s around that time. I was a goalkeeper but I kept breaking my arm or finger or going over on my ankle in the football and obviously that wasn’t ideal as a thrower.
“I love football but the team aspect maybe wasn’t quite for me whereas athletics was individual. I could not blame someone else, or the team, if it went wrong. I was better at discus, too, and I was chosen for Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia around that period, as well. So I quit football and put my full focus into throwing.
“And when the Scotland team made the Women’s World Cup and went over to France last summer, I did have a wee thought that it might have been me if I had stuck at it – but I’ve had great experiences in athletics, too, representing Scotland and GB and NI.”
Law may not have been able to turn out at Hampden as a footballer, but that didn’t stop the 33-year-old achieving her lifelong dream of representing her country at its national stadium.
“Glasgow 2014 and the Commonwealth Games was a big thing for me. I’ve said before it was the best experience of my life and I still say that,” Law added.
“As a big football fan and member of the Tartan Army, I’d been to Hampden so often for internationals. So for me to get the chance to compete there was really special.”
Watch the full interview with Kirsty Law on www.scottishathletics.org.uk
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