Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week: Emma MacLeod

Winning a national title was a dream come true for Emma MacLeod. Winning it while pregnant in 2025, then returning to defend it as a mum in 2026, made those achievements even more special.

For the Dumbarton bowler, the sport has brought much more than success on the green. It is where she met her husband, Grant, and now their son, Harris, is sharing in those memorable moments too.

To mark Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week, Emma reflects on motherhood, her ambitions within bowls and the support that helps her continue competing.

You won your first national singles title while pregnant and defended it this year as a mum. What did lifting the trophy mean to you this time around?

“Having played bowls from a young age, winning a national title was a dream come true. Doing it the second time round was amazing, but also a real sense of achievement and something I’m proud of.

“Having Harris is the best thing to ever happen to me, but having a baby is also one of the most physically and mentally challenging things I’ve ever done. I’m delighted to have bounced back and proven to myself more than anything that I could do it, pregnant or not.”

We have lovely photographs of you celebrating with your baby and the trophy. When you look at those pictures, what do they represent to you?

“Bowls is a huge part of my life. I met my husband Grant through bowls, and we’ve welcomed Harris into the world. It’s amazing to have him here to share these special moments with me and photos for us to look back on for years to come.”

How has becoming a mum changed your approach to training, competing and your ambitions within bowls?

“There’s definitely been a shift. It isn’t quite as easy to simply go down to the green for a practice, but I feel when I do play it’s with a greater focus — something like quality over quantity.

“Understandably, Harris is my biggest priority. However, I do still have many ambitions and goals within the game, and I’d love for him to see me achieve more within the game and share more special moments with me.”

What support has helped you continue playing, and what could the sport do better to support women balancing bowls with work and family life?

“I have an amazing husband and family who support me 100%, and I couldn’t continue to play the game to the same level since becoming a mum without them and all they do.

“The women’s game has certainly come a long way since I first started, but I think there are still further improvements to be made, especially with a lot more younger people taking up the sport.

“I’d love to see more competitive evening games for women in my area, i.e. mixed leagues, county games and county knockouts, as in my opinion competitive bowls is the best way to improve your game.”

What would you say to a woman who wants to return to sport after having a baby but feels unsure about taking that first step?

“My advice would be to go for it! But most importantly, at your own pace. Even if this means just popping down to the club for a catch-up with friends or clubmates.

“Everybody’s different. I didn’t play for six weeks after having Harris, but luckily had a lot of support from teammates and club members, who were always checking in on us in that time.

“In my opinion, bowls is a great sport to ease yourself back into becoming active again, even if it is only a few ends here or there and gradually building yourself up.”

Why do you think Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week is important?

“My sport, bowls, has given me so much. I’ve been so many different places and made so many amazing friendships — memories that will last a lifetime — all through sport.

“I think it’s important to try and inspire women and girls at all levels to participate in our sport.

“As I said above, our sport has come a long way over the years and made many improvements to make the sport more inclusive, so there’s no better way to advertise our game than share some of its brilliant achievements.”

Thank you to Emma for sharing her experiences and highlighting the importance of support, opportunity and finding your own pace in sport.

If you would like to give bowls a go, visit the Club Finder on the Bowls Scotland website to find a club near you.