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1 November 2021
Scotland’s sporting icon Judy Murray visited St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen on Wednesday (27 October) as part of Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2021.
Judy’s visit was organised as part of Active Scotland’s annual initiative, to increase the visibility and participation of women and girls in sport and physical activity.
Throughout her morning at the school, Judy held three interactive sessions with pupils, including Higher PE students and sports captains, before heading a Q&A session with 65 girls from Primary 7 and fifth year. Questions focussed around the challenges of coaching, practice, ability, and being Mum to Andy and Jamie, and Judy responded with a focus on positive attitude, commitment and a memorable quote “It is a Talent to be able to work hard” in a bid to inspire a legacy of participation and offer the older pupils an insight into women in leadership roles within sport.
In an interview with the Scotsman, 17-year-old Camille, captain of the basketball team, said that moving from a mixed school, to an all girls school, allowed her confidence in sport to develop. “I feel more empowered here. In my mixed team, the girls were outnumbered,” she said. “I have more fun here and would love to take my basketball further to university.”
Anna Tomlinson, Head Teacher for St Margaret’s School for Girls, added:
“This is a fantastic and timely opportunity for everyone at St Margaret’s and it is my hope that Judy Murray’s visit will inspire our girls to reach for the stars in everything they do.
“The ongoing pandemic has undoubtedly created a shift in thinking and more than ever we are focused on how we lead healthier and active lifestyles. We have seen a real increase in the number of our girls taking part in sport and activities since St Margaret’s reopened, which is so great to see.
“Being given the opportunity to take part in sport and being encouraged to do so is vital for so many reasons. Not only are we focused on addressing historical gender inequalities, but taking part in sport can have far-reaching benefits for young people. We believe that the confidence and skills gained from taking part in sport and activities can be hugely beneficial in so many aspects of life.”
