Euro dream is on for Rebecca
Saints’Rebecca McGowan is in Scots squad The PA has teamed up with Live Active to shine a light on their Talented Athlete scheme and those reaping the rewards of it.
This week it was announced that St Johnstone footballer Rebecca McGowan has been selected to play for Scotland at the 2019 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship, being held in Scotland.
Rebecca (17) was selected for a training camp held in Largs last August, following which she was successfully selected to train in Belgium where she went on to compete in friendly matches against the host nation.
In the past year she has played multiple matches against a number of European nations in the elite rounds, and along with her team-mates she’s hopeful that this will have set them in good stead for the challenge ahead.
“In the past 18 months I’ve played against Slovakia, Latvia and England in qualifying rounds, France, Finland and Sweden in the elite rounds, and China, Holland and Switzerland in a tournament out in La Manga,”Rebecca said.
“There have been mixed results, but at every stage I’ve embraced the experience and as a team we’ve competed well and taken huge steps forward in our development.”
It has been Rebecca’s dream to represent her country at European level.
“Joining Raith Rovers was my first taste of being in a real team but it was my move to St Johnstone that proved crucial for my development,”she said.
“I started to get selected for Scotland squads and training camps and it has all gone from there. I’ve been so focused on being selected for the Euro finals this year and I’m thrilled all my hard work has paid off.”
That hard work involves training with the Perth side two nights a week as well as two nights of training with Gil Stevenson as part of the Live Active Leisure performance strength and conditioning athlete squad.
“When I’m not playing football I’m the Modern Apprentice with the Live Active Leisure sport team so I’m lucky to have access to all of LAL’s facilities.
“In March this year I was one of the new athletes to join the performance squad sponsored by the Gannochy Trust – just in time to enjoy the upgraded strength and conditioning gym in Bell’s Sports Centre.
“I’ve benefited hugely from Gil’s experience since starting and there’s no doubt it has played a part in securing my place in the Scottish squad for the Euros.
“Part of the buzz is competing at the highest level, and challenging myself against top players in the country. To do that I need to be in peak condition which is where the strength training comes in.”