‘Natural sporting talent’ – a phrase which often ricochets off the walls in a PE teacher’s staffroom or in meetings on the topic of youth sport, but how is it defined?

Someone who can kick a football with both feet? Perhaps they can play an immaculate drop shot followed by an accurate smash on the badminton court?  Might they even have the ability to bat, bowl and field on the cricket pitch?

Considering that by 17 years of age, Nuala Deans had represented Scotland in cricket and football, and captained her club football team to a league and cup double success – she could definitely answer “yes” to all of these questions.

However, natural talent can only get an athlete so far. As InTheWinningZone found out when we sat down with the 19 year old in her Edinburgh home, success and participation in elite sport is often moulded around decisions made and opportunities seized.

But where did it all start for the sport aficionado from Edinburgh?  “I started playing football when I was in primary school,” says the young star. 

“I always remember you couldn’t play until you were in primary 3 – so I was desperate to be in primary 3!”

Nuala began her football career in the same location as most youngsters in this country: “My brother and my mum both played football so we would always play in the back garden”

From a very young age, she was sure that she wanted to play football. However, her passion for sport didn’t stop there by any means “My mum played at Grange Hockey club so we were members there. My brother played too so I decided to go along and they started a women’s team. I played with the women when I was 11 even though the rest of the team were in their late twenties.”

At 13, Nuala was invited to trial for the Scottish women’s under-21 cricket squad and she was successful. Usually an athlete has to stop playing a specific sport because of injury or retirement, but Nuala’s decision to stop playing cricket was because of her drive to be successful in her favoured sport.

“I went to Ireland and England to play in tournaments with the under-21’s but by this time cricket training was beginning to clash with football training [with Hibs Girls] so I decided to continue with football”

The decision worked in her favour. In her four years at Hibs Girls under-17s, Nuala experienced a remarkable amount of success. Four league titles, two league cup victories and a Scottish cup winners medal.

In what was her final season of club football in Scotland, Nuala was sweeper and the captain of Hibs Girls under-17. “It was pretty big because I felt that it was my little team,” she smiles, “I was the oldest and I was the captain. At that age group at club level that is the biggest thing you can win so it was a really big achievement.”

Would she consider her success as club captain to be the highlight of her career so far? There are a few other achievements which may contend. Throughout her time at Hibs, Nuala’s performance in the heart defence earned her the reward of playing for her country.

Aged only 13, she experienced success with the Scottish Schools under-15s outfit. She then progressed to pull on the navy blue jersey for the Scotland under-15 and under-17 girls’ teams. “I would love to play for Scotland again, it is the proudest feeling.”

A further crossroad came in her football career at the end of high school. “When I went to high school I had to decide whether I wanted to play football – which I did – then I had to find a club. It’s the same thing in the transition between high school and further education. I could have gone to a ladies team but it would have meant a lot of travelling”

Instead, she applied for a scholarship to universities across the Atlantic and was successful. In travelling thousands of miles from home to improve in her sport, she took a risk - an attribute of many leading sportspeople on their road to success.

“I decided to take the gamble because the USA offered the opportunity to play sport at a high level while gaining an education,”

Now in her second year in the USA, Nuala is attending The University of Tennessee at Martin. Once again, the risk worked in her favour. Relishing a new adventure, Nuala remembers her first day on the training field in the States.

“We did a lot of tests on the first morning of training, at 7am. Sprint tests over and over again to test fitness. Each team also do a fitness test, which was at 9am – it was getting hotter and hotter. We then went on to train 2-3 times per day – I was exhausted after day one!” she exclaims. “Most of my memories come from pre-season. Even though it is the toughest thing you’ll ever do, it’s still really fun at the same time”

Clearly Nuala is grasping a golden opportunity in the chance to play football (or soccer) in the United States, but are there any sacrifices she needs to make?

“You have to sacrifice British chocolate,” she jokes.  “It’s a bit of a sacrifice on family and friends because I can’t really go home and visit them at the weekend. I also had to get a job this year which meant I was literally either playing soccer, at work, or in class. I would go to class from 8-11, work from 12-2, go to practice from 2.30 – 5.30, eat dinner and then work from 6.30-9.30, then I would go home and start homework. It was only 3 days a week but it was still a big commitment.”

A girl who has experienced success in a number of different events, Nuala argues that an athlete much must build up a collection of attributes to call themselves a winner. “I think success is always about being happy as well,” she comments.

“If your team has won and you have not played very well and you are not very happy with your performance then it’s not been a success. If you win a tournament by beating teams who aren’t up to your standards then I don’t think that’s a success. It has to be the accomplishment and material reward of the trophy along with gaining other people’s respect and being happy and content”

With just a quick glance at her sporting CV so far, it is clear that Nuala is destined to participate in sport at some level for years to come. “I can’t really imagine not playing sport,” she ponders.

“If I wasn’t playing competitively then I would need to keep playing recreationally. A lot of people like to go to the gym to keep fit – I would much rather go for a run then play a game of badminton, a game of tennis and then go for a swim.”

Her passion and love of sport is unequivocal. She is has the ability to compete at the highest levels in the country, and treasures taking to the turf for Scotland. When playing games in the States she wears a Saltire sweatband, and you can be sure she is dreaming of the day she pulls on the Scottish jersey again.

Julie Fleeting returned from the USA and went on to become one of Britain’s most prolific women footballers of modern times – perhaps Nuala will follow in her footsteps. Indeed, if her future is anything similar to her past, Nuala Deans will pave her own path into the highest level of Scottish Football.

IC
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