GCU Law student and Falkirk FC player shares experience of balancing coursework with football career

A GCU Law student has shared her experience of balancing coursework with her football career as a player for the Falkirk FC women’s team.

Fourth year LLB Law student Kirsty McLeod has been playing football since she was five years old, from competing in the USA to making her move back home to the first team she ever played for – Falkirk FC.

Now about to graduate, Kirsty has shared her thoughts on the reality of balancing her football commitments with studying law – commenting on how supportive her team have been when it comes to the demands of university life:

Could you tell us a bit about your football journey – how did it all start and how did it lead to you playing for Falkirk FC?

“I started playing football when I was aged five at Falkirk FC. As I got older, I moved to a different team – which led to lots of exciting opportunities such as being able to play football in Florida as part of the Disney International Cup against other countries over the world. I made my move back to Falkirk FC over a year ago, back to where I started and where I belong. My team currently compete in the SWFL Central/South East league for the 2022 season.”

Training and studying at the same time must be pretty intensive – how do you find the balance?

“Finding the balance of being able to attend training and games whilst completing coursework and class work was a difficult task. However, with the patience of my coaches allowing me to miss days of training so I could focus on my university work, I managed to find a good balance between the two. Around the time of writing my dissertation, my coaches were very understanding that I might not be able to attend training as much, but was still fully committed to the team!”

Do you find that playing football helps take your mind off the challenges of university?

“Football definitely helps take my mind of the challenges that university brings. Writing coursework or attending classes all day can be tough, so getting some fresh air, building my fitness, and seeing my team at training makes a massive difference. The law degree involves a lot of reading and researching which can be draining at times, so going to football gives me the break I need so I can go back to my university work with a fresh mindset.”

Now about to graduate, what are your plans for after university?

“Now that I am coming to the end of my final year at university, my plans are to complete my diploma in Legal Practice and to eventually join the police force in a few years’ time - following in the footsteps of both my mum and dad.”

By Rachael McAlonan

Got a SCEBE or GSBS story? Email me at Rachael.McAlonan@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on social media  here