Hailing from Edinburgh, Tyler has had a lifetime of challenges thrown at her however after representing Scotland at the Homeless World Cup in Mexico in 2018, she has a whole new outlook on what life can be like for her. Tyler said: “When I first came to Street Soccer Scotland, I don’t think I’d ever kicked a football. I don’t ever remember being into football and I didn’t know what the off-side rule was.
But I’m football mad now. I live for it and that’s a lot to do with what Scotland has done for me. “They’ve given me a lot to live and hope for. For the first time in a long time I think things will get better and that maybe I won’t be in this situation forever.”
Tyler says that the support and comradery she gets from Street Soccer Scotland staff and players is what drives her to give it her all. “I feel part of a family and get support and encouragement from all the guys. I’ve started to believe in myself and my ability to do anything I set my mind to. I’m at college now and want to get a job, earn some money and just be a regular 18-year-old.”
Despite still being a teenager, Tyler has words of advice to anyone facing homelessness: “The only way to get through it is to believe that things will get better and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If the guys at Street Soccer Scotland have shown me one thing it’s that there are people out there who care about me and don’t expect a thing in return. They’re proud of me no matter what and that makes me proud of myself.”
