That sometimes unbridgeable gap between wanting to play and being within reach of a team sums up the patchiness of the provision which is one of the sport's main obstacles compared with the boys' version. There is now someone to work with schools and there are development officers in various parts of Scotland, whose number the SFA women's department is set to increase. Girls can start to play football at any age and there are opportunities in any of the soccer sevens, which are open to all. Up to the age of 12 they can play in mixed teams. One stumbling block is a lack of volunteers.
People are very busy.
If people come to us and say they want to set up women's football in their area, we can support them through it. The confidence which comes from knowledge can be gained from skills and coaching courses, which help to break down some of what she sees as the false perceptions of being a woman in a man's world.