The next player in our MOWI Marvels series, which shines a spotlight on some of the incredible women and girls playing our sport, is Badenoch goal grabber, Zoe Reid.
Zoe, another 2 goals on Sunday, that takes you top of the scoring charts in the MOWI WCA National Division – how does that feel?
It obviously feels great to be top of the scoring chart but Sunday was very much a team effort with several players getting their name on the score sheet. The mission now is to beat my lovely fellow friend Kirsty deans (highly unlikely) so there will be no passing the ball to her from now on!
What are some of the things you do to stay sharp and focused during the games?
Nothing in particular to be honest. Our coaches Scott and Iain always keep us calm and focused before every game. We’re also a very close team and spend a lot of time together out with the sport, which definitely helps on the pitch when it comes to encouraging each other and staying focused.
Sunday’s win has you top of the league by 3 points with a game in hand on 2nd place, do you think the girls are really coming into a bit of form now?
Definitely. Pre season was primarily focused on getting our fitness up to stretch, but now we’re able to train outdoors again the focus is very much on game like drills and skills. We have some competitive games coming up with the likes of GMA, however, we’re feeling positive and ready to fight for points every game.
Who are some of the players or athletes that you look up to and draw inspiration from?
There’s a lot of players I admire from both women and men’s teams, it’s hard to pick only a few. Having Kirsty Deans playing alongside me in the forward line has always been a massive benefit to my development and knowledge of the game. She reads each game so well and always ensures she encourages and motivates every team member.
Defeats are pretty few and far between for Badenoch, how did the team rally after that loss against Lochaber earlier in the season?
Losing the first game of the season was not the most promising start for us, however, I actually see it as a slight positive. The pressure was absolutely on us after winning the double last year, losing that game took the pressure of us slightly. We were gutted to drop points so early on in the season however the feelings we felt after that game are feelings we don’t want to feel again so it has certainly motivated us to work extra hard to ensure we retain that double!
The 2nds are going well in North 2 this year too sitting in 3rd with a game in hand, how is the club adapting to fielding 2 teams every week?
The second team has proven to be a great opportunity for many members of the club. It’s great that we have so many girls coming along to training and showing a great interest in playing games. Luckily everyone at our club is committed and hard working therefore fielding 2 teams each week hasn’t been an issue so far!
Dare I say it, are we on course for a “Double-Double”?
That’s the ultimate aim and would prove to be a massive achievement for our club. At the moment we’re focusing on each game as it comes, ensuring we work hard, stay motivated and work well together as a team.
