We are delighted that Emma has joined our BRIT Ambassador family and is championing the annual BRIT Challenge to support and improve young adult and student mental health and fitness throughout the UK. Emma is former Great Britain and Scottish Tennis Player who is now keen to influence girls to become more active.
“As a former student, I am only too aware of the mental health challenges and issues faced by students and young adults. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all our lives, however it has also impacted on those with existing mental health issues. It is vital that students and young adults who need help, receive the appropriate support and services when they need it. BRIT are striving to support and improve the mental health, wellbeing and fitness of all young adults and students in the UK through the delivery of the annual BRIT Challenge. They have forged successful partnerships and special relationships with a wealth of education and sport governing bodies including sportscotland, Colleges Scotland, Universities Scotland (through Universities UK) and Scottish Student Sport. BRIT have also visited every Scottish university, and many colleges, and are doing everything they can to ensure all Scottish Students’ Unions and students in Scotland have the opportunity to enter teams and take part in the annual BRIT Challenge. BRIT are inviting Olympians, Paralympians and sports personalities to unite and join their BRIT Ambassador family in order to support universities, colleges and students as they take on the BRIT Challenge, destigmatise mental health and champion equality, diversity and inclusion. I will be inviting as many of my fellow current and retired Tennis Players to join me as BRIT Ambassadors and support a university or college of their choice in order to encourage their students and staff to enter teams and take on the BRIT Challenge. I am delighted to be a BRIT Ambassador and look forward to supporting students and staff at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh College as they take on the BRIT Challenge.” Emma Devine Former Scottish Tennis Player and Influencer for girls to become more active
Emma’s love of tennis began at school where she was team captain. She left St Thomas of Aquins School in 2008, and her skills were honed in Craiglockhart, however it became clear that her talent required specialist coaching.
In 2008, Emma was supported in her move to the Justine Henin academy in Belgium by Judy Murray who advised and guided Emma’s family. While at the academy, Emma was undergoing intensive training with the former world number one's coach, Carlos Rodriguez. Sadly, in 2009, Emma had to be withdrawn from the academy. The setback came as she prepared for the Wimbledon stage, where she was due to appear in a showcase display with former British ace Tim Henman. Tim had praised Emma after watching her win the HSBC Road to Wimbledon Under 14s Tournament.
She earned her first cap for Scotland and Great Britain in 2010, when she was No. 1 in Great Britain and National Doubles Champion.
Emma was an International student athlete at the University of Oklahoma between 2012 and 2016, where she completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Relations and competed on the Women’s Tennis team. She lived in Oklahoma for four years after being recruited from her hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland. In her four years at the University of Oklahoma, Emma learned how to balance her time between the demands of practice, competing at the D1 level and managing her education. She earned Big 12 Conference Academic All-Conference Honors twice and made the President’s and Dean’s Role list. The skills Emma has honed while being a sponsored athlete (Babolat, Fred Perry, Jaguar) at the Justin Henin tennis academy; playing and competing on a culturally diverse D1 tennis team; and generally spending the majority of her life in situations that called for teamwork, compassion and decisiveness are the same skills that she now brings to the workplace. Between 2016 and 2018, Emma was an Administration/Database specialist at Snowsport Scotland and between November 2016 and February 2017, Emma was an intern P.A. for the Director of Sport Development at Scottish Student Sport. In 2019, Emma joined Leonardo as a Project Planner and in 2021, Emma became a Commercial Director at Leonardo, based in Edinburgh.
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