Student Lorna Husband, 25, is coming towards the end of one of the most remarkable sporting years.
As part of a post graduate course at Napier University Lorna decided she would immerse herself in a different pursuit every week.
This tied in with an Edinburgh Leisure campaign to get more people active through sport entitled “Next Big Thing” and the pair are very much on the same wavelength.
“The message I have wanted to put out from the start is that sport is for everyone; there is definitely something there for you.”
By trying everything from fly fishing – “so relaxing” – to boxing – “exhausting” – to parkour – “a little bit harder to understand” – she has been able to outline her experiences so far on a website entitled www.sport-port.co.uk.
How straightforward has it been to get assistance from the various sports clubs, coaches etc – or finding inspiration given many would struggle to name 52 sports never mind participate in them?
“It can be a quite intimidating walking into a club people have been going to for years but I have overcome that and I am at the stage where people are recommending sports for me to try; I haven’t even been able to get round to more mainstream pursuits such as squash, badminton etc yet!
“Overall I have learned so much that I can pass on including the difference between participating individually or in a team environment.
“I’ve even come to terms with heights through a diving class!”
At the outset one of the ambitions for Lorna, who has a degree in PR and marketing, was to get into broadcasting.
As a step in that direction she has recently taken up a job providing social media content at Scottish Rugby – as well as assisting the Edinburgh Leisure campaign.
To read about “Next Big Thing” see:
www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/coaching-activities
Q&A with Lorna
Lorna Husband, a 25-year-old freelance sports journalist from Edinburgh set herself an ambitious challenge in 2025: to try a new sport every week. From diving off 10m platforms to climbing at Europe’s largest indoor arena, Lorna’s journey has been one of courage, curiosity, and a whole lot of fun.
Q: What inspired you to take on this challenge?
Lorna: It started as part of my post-graduate sports journalism course at Napier University. I wanted to showcase my skills and create something unique – so I came up with the idea of trying a new sport every week. It quickly became more than just a course project; it turned into a personal mission to show that sport is for everyone.
Q: How did you choose which sports to try?
Lorna: I made a list of sports I’d never done before – some I’d always been curious about, others I’d never even heard of! I reached out to clubs and organisations and was amazed by how welcoming and enthusiastic they were. Everyone was happy to help me give it a go.
Q: What were some of the standout experiences?
Lorna: Diving at the Royal Commonwealth Pool was unforgettable. I went from the 1m board all the way up to the 10m platform – not for the faint-hearted! My coach Matthew was brilliant, really patient and encouraging. I hadn’t realised how much leg and core strength diving requires.
Climbing at EICA: Ratho was another highlight. It’s Europe’s largest indoor climbing arena and absolutely breathtaking. It was physically demanding but so rewarding. My boyfriend came along and helped film the experience, but he also had a go himself – and having him there made it even more special.
Q: What other sports have you tried?
Lorna: Over the last 42 weeks, I’ve tried everything from fly fishing, lacrosse, duathlon, white water rafting, netball, beach volleyball, tennis, cricket, land yachting, parkour, fencing, Pilates, kickboxing, pickleball, table tennis, quad ball, rugby, jiu-jitsu, scooting, skateboarding, weightlifting, surfing, paddleboarding, flamenco, gymnastics, horse riding, road cycling, and velodrome cycling and even had the pleasure of meeting Sir Chris Hoy a few days after at an event in Dundee. .
Q: What’s been the biggest takeaway from this challenge?
Lorna: That there’s a sport out there for everyone. You don’t have to be an expert – just give it a go. I’ve discovered so much joy each week and met incredible people along the way. It’s been a journey of stepping out of my comfort zone and finding happiness through being physically active.
Q: You’ve also created a website – tell us about that.
Lorna: Yes! It’s called www.sport-port.co.uk. It’s designed to help people explore different sports and find clubs they can join. I wanted to make it easier for others to start their own journey – whether they’re looking for something fun, social, or competitive.
Q: What’s next for you?
Lorna: I’m still going! I’ve got a few more sports lined up before the year ends. After that, I’d love to turn this into a bigger project – maybe a podcast or a book. But for now, I’m just enjoying the ride.
