Leading Ladies: Elaine and Kirsty first women in key roles at their clubs

Monday 30th September 2024

By Morven Bruce

It’s Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week and we are shining a light on some of the amazing women leading the way in our sport.

Our clubs would be nothing without strong leaders pushing them forward, and Elaine MacKay and Kirsty O’Brien are breaking ceilings at their respective clubs by being the first women to hold key leadership positions.

Elaine is the first female President of Shettleston Harriers in 120 years of the club.

The club celebrated their centenary in 2004 and until then was a male-only club. Elaine was one of the first women to join 20 years ago when they opened to female athletes for the first time.

Before this, she was a member of sister club, although very separate, Shettleston Harriers Ladies. She joined age 10 in 1975 and competed for them up to age 25, starting out in shot put and high jump before moving to hurdles, pentathlon and finally middle distance running.

She first travelled as part of a team aged 13, and has had many team managers over the years who helped her. This is partly what inspired her to get involved in team managing herself, and she has gone on to manage teams for Scottish Schools and London Mini Marathon.

‘I love almost all aspects,’ said Elaine.

‘Training and competing but mostly introducing new people to our wonderful sport. Where a child first running round a track or an adult working towards couch to 5k but most of all team managing.

‘Highlights are so many but travelling with the boys team, including my son, to the young athletes final at Birmingham in 2004 is a great memory, as well as a trip to Gothenburg.’

Elaine’s career highlight was a PB at the Glasgow half marathon (77:52) and being first Scottish woman home. She then had her second child and stepped away from the sport for many years. Elaine returned to running after being encouraged by her daughter:

‘She encouraged me to do 5k a day in May 2022 after I retired from work. I now enjoy racing 10ks again and ran under 50 minutes at 59 years!’

Speaking about why she thinks it’s important that there are female leaders in sport, she said: ‘We need to let youngsters know that there are no limits.

‘We need to have competence then confidence then compete. This applies to running in a race and running a club.

‘Sometimes I don’t have confidence and thankfully other days I do and then I can be vocal.’

Elaine and Kirsty feature in the new edition of PB

Another historic club, Cambuslang Harriers, celebrated their 75th anniversary last year. Having traditionally been a predominantly male club, the women’s section has grown in recent years. Kirsty O’Brien was appointed Club Captain, the first female in the role.

Kirsty got into running aged 21, during her year out between undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. She joined the club in 2013 on the suggestion of a friend.

Reflecting on being named Club Captain, she said: ‘I am always looking for ways to give back to the sport, and I feel that this has been a great opportunity for me to do so,

‘Over the years I have been in the club I have seen it grow, in terms of membership, aim and ambition. This has been great to witness.’

She also spoke about being inspired by others from within the club, be that winning international, national or district medals, coming back from injury, completing personal challenges, ultra running, or just getting out a few times a week with the club.

However, seeing the growth in the women’s section has been a particular highlight during her time at the club: ‘When I first started to run with Cambuslang, we would struggle to put one women’s team out at races.

‘Now, we are able to put out multiple, and the women are winning individual and team medals. That has been incredible to watch.’

Reflecting on why she thinks there are fewer women in leadership positions in sport, she thinks it stems from there being fewer women in sport to begin with. This means you are often going for leadership roles in what is a male dominated environment.

‘I am very lucky at Cambuslang, as they have made this very easy for me. I have always felt that I am treated as a runner, rather than as a female runner,

‘This is an important distinction, as it meant that that I was more confident putting my name forward to be captain as I didn’t feel like I was doing it in a predominantly male runner club – I was applying to be a captain of the running club.’

Sociological factors, such as caring responsibilities, types of occupation and the socialisation of female gender roles, can also create barriers for women.

Kirsty believes it’s important that there are female leaders in sport as it is easier to identify people you feel are more like you and have shared experiences.

‘In sport, the more women involved in both competing and leadership roles, the more it will become the norm and help to break some of these barriers.’