From Curling to Squash: A Journey of Self Discovery

20th August 2025

Get Out Glasgow is a project that utilises physical activity to improve mental wellbeing for the LGBTIQ+ adults in Greater Glasgow. From May to June 2025 we ran an introduction to squash programme with Scottish Squash Rackets Club which included a taster session, followed by a 4 week course. Joy was a participant in the squash programme.

Joy grew up in the Philippines. She enjoyed sport at school but when she started University she didn’t have time.

‘At High School, I didn’t like studying but I liked playing sport. Sports has always been my comfort. I played a lot of volleyball, volleyball was my main sport. I played softball and a bit of basketball. So, I was very active, until high school stopped and I didn’t have time. When I started college (University) I didn’t have time to pursue any sports and I gained a lot of weight. That was back home, in the Philippines.’

She was inactive until she joined Glasgow Sunflowers baseball team in 2023.

‘Baseball with the Sunflowers was my first foray into sports as an adult. I saw an advert on Instagram and I’d always wanted to try baseball and the way they promoted it, it looked really accepting and open so I thought oh! At that time it appealed to me because I was actually questioning my sexuality so I thought what better way than to join. It sounded like a safe space. I didn’t tell them then, I said I just want to play baseball and it said women and LGBTQ, so that’s how I joined.’

She also began playing volleyball with an LGBT club, which was where she heard about Get Out Glasgow and joined a curling taster session in December 2023:

‘I heard about the curling sessions through, one of your volunteers who I played volleyball with. He told me a space had opened up, so I thought okay I’ll try it. I’ve always watched curling on telly, but I’d never tried it.’

‘It was completely new to me so I had to learn everything! Like how to move on the ice without skates, that was odd.’

‘I felt very supported. I didn’t feel out of place, it was friendly and all the instructors and coaches in that club were very nice. So when they said oh, ‘we’ve got a course coming up’. I said, ‘oh I’ll join.’’

Joy went on to try tap dancing, weightlifting, archery, golf, badminton, orienteering, squash and cricket with Get Out Glasgow. She also joined a pickleball club through LEAP Sports. She appreciates that the sessions are non-competitive and aimed at beginners:

‘I’ve always felt like with you guys, with Get Out Glasgow, everytime I arrive somewhere new and I try a new sport I don’t feel any anxiety. I know this is going to be safe. No-one is going to judge me here. This is a completely new sport, if anyone tries to judge me I’ll just tell them I’m new, so this is recreational, this is for fun, this is for me to increase my physical activity and keep joining stuff. I know that if it gets too competitive, someone will say something.’

Engaging with Get Out Glasgow and LEAP Sports club network has enabled Joy to become more active. After attending an archery taster session with Get Out Glasgow she went on to do a beginners course and is now a member of the club which meets every Tuesday.

‘I’m really more active now. I walk a lot, I also play pickleball, archery. I did the archery taster with Get Out Glasgow and then I did the beginners course, so now I’m a member. I go on Tuesdays. That’s it for now but really, my day to day physical activity has increased.’

She also attended a tennis taster session with Weegie Whackers as part of Festival Fortnight:

‘I went to Weegie Whackers tennis taster which was part of Festival Fortnight last year. I attended twice but it’s just sad because a lot of clubs run their sessions on Tuesdays: badminton, tennis, archery are all on Tuesdays.’

In May 2025, Joy joined a Get Out Glasgow squash taster session and 4 week course run in partnership with Scottish Squash Rackets Club.

‘I joined the squash course after seeing it in the Get Out Glasgow newsletter. As soon as I received it, I go: ‘I really want to try squash.’’

She appreciated that the coaching was tailored to each individual:

‘One of the other participants has a lot of technical skills because he plays tennis and badminton. Whereas I’ve never played racquet sports before. So Vivek (the coach) was able to work with us individually. He showed us how to approach the ball, and how to hit the ball in detail. So now I think I can play recreational squash, not competitive squash! I feel more confident. I can enter the squash court and I know a little bit, so if someone wants to play with me, as long as they don’t play hard, then I think I can play.’

Get Out Glasgow helped her discover the club and gain confidence attending it. It felt easy for her to continue after the sessions ended as information about how to join the club was clear:

‘I wouldn’t ever have seen inside the club if it wasn’t for Get Out Glasgow. I wouldn’t be able to see or access any of these places. The four week course was amazing, that’s more than enough. I think the squash venue is great. I really am contemplating becoming a member. I just need more time to think about it.’

Joy appreciates feeling part of an LGBTIQ+ sporting community:

‘In High School it was just sports, you turn up and you play, but with LEAP and the sports clubs, there’s community. You talk to people and I’ve met a lot of people who I am now friends with, I would never have done that. I stuck with my friends, that was it.’

Joining Glasgow Sunflowers baseball team helped Joy to meet queer people and begin to question her sexuality:

‘I just needed to surround myself with people in the community because before then I was only in contact with hetero/straight people but I needed to join the Sunflowers to be able to say… yeah I think so. People from the Sunflowers, they are so funny, they were the ones saying (whispers) ‘oh you’re not straight.’’

Feeling part of an LGBTIQ+ sporting community has increased Joy’s confidence, social connections and physical activity:

‘I find myself more willing to talk to strangers. I used to be so like, ‘don’t talk to me’, but now I approach people more. I’m now less self conscious. I used to always think, ‘what do I look like, running around, why am I running around. I’m a middle aged woman running around.’ I was so self conscious and as I joined these clubs I continued to lose weight because I increased my physical activity and I’m not huffing and puffing anymore. It has improved my self confidence and lessened my self consciousness about moving around in this body.’

‘And it helps that everyone is so open and they don’t really focus on what you look like, that’s great. I think the community is great. Ever since, even in Sunflowers, there’s no mention of anyone’s body. It’s all about your sexuality, what gender are you, that’s the important thing. I really feel welcome in the community.’

Joy is looking forward to the cricket course starting next week which she’s been requesting for sometime. She’d also like to try padel, football and tennis for beginners.

She appreciates Get and Glasgow and believes access to our sessions changes lives:

‘I’m very grateful you guys exist. If I had a lot of money I’d give it to you. I don’t know, maybe a legacy? You should be proud. If you interview a lot of people, even informally, they’ll tell you how your sessions, even your taster sessions, have changed lives.’