Katie Golder has joined Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), as Engagement Officer, where she will be arriving with a wealth of knowledge, personal experience, and desire to make sport and physical activity more inclusive.
Having participated in and worked in sport for most of her life, Katie understands the importance of being physically active. Her own experiences, combined with having seen family members face barriers to inclusion, have shaped the commitment Katie has to ensuring more individuals gain the benefits of physical activity,
Explaining what attracted her to the position with SDS, Katie said: “I have a couple of family members who have disabilities, and I know how hard it’s been for them getting into sport.”
“I think sport and physical activity are some of the best things in the world, I’ve grown up around sport, and been actively involved in sport. So, being able to bring sport to people who maybe don’t think they can do it, or have faced barriers, and if we are able to do something about it for them, then that would be great.”
“Even for myself, knowing how much sport had an impact on me growing up, and how it’s shaped me, it’s nice to see the distances people are willing to go to make sport and physical activity accessible to everyone.”
Katie grew up taking part in a wide range of sports, before finding her calling as a competitive swimmer. She went on to compete at a regional and national level, developing a deeper understanding of the psychological and physiological benefits of physical activity, further strengthening her passion for sport.
Another reason why Katie is excited to have joined the SDS team, is the opportunity to continuing advocating for women and girls in sport, a cause that Katie feels strongly about. She said: “It just fills me with so much pride to be a Scottish woman, who is part of the sporting industry, who is able to push other women and girls into sport.”
An area that Katie has seen develop throughout her time participating in and working within sport, has been the continued growth and visibility of female role models in sport. She believes this progress is particularly important when looking to inspire the next generation of Scottish female athletes.
Following a summer in which Hope Gordon, Toni Shaw, Faye Rodgers, Mary Stevenson, Astrid Carroll, Melanie Woods, Joanna Robertson, Mary Wilson, and Pauline Wilson competed at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games for Team Scotland, Katie reflected on the importance of celebrating females in sport, commenting: “I think it is just amazing that we have all of these strong women now. People are now able to see that women are doing the most incredible things.”
“In the past, if you weren’t watching the World Championships, European Championships, the Commonwealth Games, Olympics and Paralympics, you wouldn’t have always heard of some of the individuals. However, now it is all becoming that bit more visible.”
“If you see and hear about these people that are like you, it really does open up that door, and makes you realise what you are able to achieve.”
To find out how you can get started on your pathway in sport, reach out to Scottish Disability Sport at admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or contact your local SDS Branch.
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