Every sponsor that gets behind a player and helps them throughout the season is important, but for East Kilbride’s Olivia Greig her player sponsor this year is particularly special.
That is because the 31-year-old prop is being sponsored by her Nana in 2026/27 in memory of her late Papa Jack Barr.
Every time she takes to the pitch, she has them both on her mind anyway, but this means that they are both part of the EK matchdays too.
“My Nana and Papa have always been my biggest supporters and, without a doubt, two of the most precious people in my life,” Olivia said.
“I was always my Papa’s ‘superstar’ and he would constantly remind me that whatever the boys could do I could do too.
“Sadly, Papa passed away in 2017 and never got the chance to see me play rugby, but I just know if he could have he would have been there on the sidelines, proudly wearing his EK scarf and probably handing out his favourite biscuits at half-time!
“He was truly one of a kind, and I miss him every single day. It means so much to me that, whenever I get to talk about being an EK player, I also get to talk about him.
“I’m so proud to carry his name with me this season, and even prouder that my Nana – EK’s biggest social media fan! – is sponsoring me in his memory. I know they’ll both be cheering me on along every step of the way.
“Both my parents worked incredibly hard when I was growing up and we never went without, but in order to do so I was essentially raised by my Nana and Papa.
“Those with similar experiences will know how unique yet special that type of relationship is and how much is really moulds the person you are going to become.
“To this day my Nana is truly my best friend and my team mates at the club love here, I’m so blessed to have her.
“Sadly, she had some health issues recently and coming to games has been a challenge, but she is a force to be reckoned with and hopefully we will get her down to a game again soon.
“She is always keeping an eye out on our scores and I’m so lucky to have her support and I am honoured to have my Papa’s name with me this year.”
Olivia grew up in Sandyhills in the east end of Glasgow and went to school in Shettleston.
“It was a typical working class area where football was king, I only knew of two boys who played rugby and at 14 I started looking for my own team close by, but nothing came of it,” she recounts.
“At 18 I looked into trying to find a women’s team in Glasgow, but at this point I couldn’t fit it into my life.
“Then, when I was 29, I saw an advert for East Kilbride women’s rugby team. I’d been living in my husband’s hometown for about five years and my in-laws were members of the sports club through tennis and cricket, but this was the first I had heard of rugby.
“Suddenly I was that wee girl again so full of curiosity and excitement and wanted to try this sport.
“I joined East Kilbride to get fit and to meet new friends and I never realised how much I would fall in love with this sport and, of course, my team mates.
“They instantly make my bad days better and we are a competitive bunch but win or lose we will always have a good time. I think that’s what makes us stand out and why I’m so happy at the club. This season we are hungrier than we are all enjoying pushing ourselves.
“My team mates at East Kilbride truly feel like my family, we are a sisterhood and I love training and matchdays with them all.”
Olivia Greig and her Papa and Nana are pictured
It is shaping up to be an exciting 2026/27 season for women’s rugby in Scotland and GH Media will be covering it in detail – if any companies are keen to support this content please send an email to gary@gh-media.co.uk