My earliest sporting memory didn’t come from a football or rugby match or a golf course, although I do have fond recollections of hacking round Carnwath golf course with my shortened seven iron.

No, it came at my gran’s house, her living room to be precise. I was about four or five years old and as my mum and I paid her a visit, there she was perched on the edge of her favourite armchair screaming at the horse racing on the telly.

Football didn’t play a massive part in my life until later. I do remember kicking an empty plastic bottle around in the back garden with my brothers, Stuart and Alistair, but they were more into golf as was my dad, so I duly followed. As well as the forementioned Carnwath, many happy summers were spent in St Andrews where golf played a big part of our holidays.

Unfortunately, golf doesn’t feature in my life at the moment, two children and work see to that, but I’m determined to get back to it.

Due to my dad’s job – he worked for British Steel overseas services – our family lived abroad at times. Aged six, I spent nine months in Mexico. School would start at 7.30am but finish by midday, so we’d all head straight to the swimming pool in our complex. I was in the water from lunchtime to dinnertime.

The school in Mexico consisted of two classrooms, one for lower primary the other for upper. I can’t remember how many pupils were in my class, but I do remember one name, Sean Dyche. Yes, I went to school (for nine months) with the Burnley manager. It’s my big claim to fame. He now looks and sounds exactly how I remember his dad!

My extended pool time meant I was

a confident swimmer from a young age and

I remember when I was in Primary Five being asked if I fancied competing in a swimming gala. Apparently my potential was spotted during a school trip to the baths.

I went along to the meeting, but was

literally out of my depth. I was surrounded by members of actual swimming clubs, all looking the part in their pristine swimsuits and swim caps to match. I came last in the 25 metres breaststroke.

An official from one of the clubs suggested to my mum that I join a club as I came close to other girls who’d been training properly for a while. However, before my swimming career took off, we as a family were off again. This time we ended up in Cairo, where I continued to swim and play golf, the pyramids a back drop to one of the courses! While at school there (minus any future football managers)

I also tried my hand at tennis and volleyball.

My early introduction to the latter, led me to being selected for the Scottish Schools volleyball team when I returned to school in Scotland. My parents decided it was better for my education if I went to school back home, so I was sent to boarding school. But at 11 years old, my volleyball adventure was cut short courtesy of a broken wrist.

My school years also saw me play in the hockey and lacrosse teams. I absolutely loved the sporting start to my Saturdays. I was fiercely competitive and loved playing as part of a team. However, from being active as a school girl, the opposite was true while studying for my degree in London, I went from playing sport to watching it, and my passion for sports broadcasting was born.

Watching “Saint and Greavsie” and live football games on the telly on a Sunday became a regular and an enjoyable habit. I quickly fell in love with football, and as I was born in Motherwell, they were my chosen team. Although following Scottish football in England was not an easy task.

At the same time I also became involved in hospital radio and was soon bitten by the broadcasting bug.

From BBC local radio, Sky News, STV and now back at the BBC, I’ve been fortunate to cover some huge events, in some amazing places.

Being in Seville to cover Celtic in the UEFA Cup final is one highlight, so too the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, but covering the Rio Olympics for BBC Scotland, wins.

Working overseas has become so much easier with improving technologies. An interview conducted hundreds of miles away can land in Glasgow a short time later.

But of course current technology doesn’t always live up to its hype.

The media buses in Rio had Wi-Fi so, in principle, being live in quality on Radio Scotland should have been plain sailing. On one occasion as I was bragging about our ability to do this, I was cut off as the Wi-Fi went down. Technology – it’s great when it works!

Sport also plays a part in my personal life. My husband Ian ran for Scotland, specialising in the 400 metres, and he got me into running. We also both ski, something we now all do as a family.

Aside from being faster than me on the slopes, Emily and Erin enjoy a variety of sports. I look forward to cheering them on from the touchlines in the future. I just hope for their sake I don’t possess the same vocal talents as my old gran.