Scottish star was heroin addict at 18 - before father's death turned life around

Hamilton Academical's Sarah Rhind has spoken openly about her past battle with drugs and how it was the tragic death of her father that pushed her to turn her life around for good

Hamilton Academical's Sarah Rhind beat her drug addiction to play in the highest level of women's football in Scotland following the tragic passing of her father.

The Accies No.1 fell back in love with football during her quest to get clean following years of uncertainty, and found Street Soccer Scotland after working with Phoenix Futures.

After earning her place at the 2015 Homeless World Cup, she is now playing in the Scottish Women's Premier League 1 and hopes her story can inspire others who might be in a similar position.

Sarah credits playing football with giving her a purpose and helping her focus her mind, and her hard work has taken her to the top of Scottish football.

Sarah told BBC Sport: "I was 18 and I was a heroin addict. My life was spiralling and falling apart - but the one constant was football. It got me through some really dark years.

"Football is everything to me. It's literally saved my life on so many levels.

"I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you if I didn't have football to turn to."

Sarah spoke honestly about her struggles fitting in as a child, detailing how she was desperate to find a way to escape her thoughts in her early teens.

After turning to drink and drugs, Sarah became a heroin addict during her late teenage years, and now admits that the one constant positive during that period was playing football.

When she became unable to do the thing she loved the most with her health declining, Sarah says that he knew she needed to get clean with the support of her family after fearing over her life.

After struggling to stay off the drugs, Sarah was hit with the tragic news back in 2013 that her father had been killed during a car accident.

She said of the tragic news: "That was it. That absolutely ripped by world apart. I knew that I can't drift from my family anymore, I couldn't keep putting them through it anymore."

Sarah then found out about Phoenix Futures, the rehab centre with whom she would get clean and fall back in love with football after being encouraged to find something to do in the community.

From there she discovered Street Soccer Scotland, an organisation that brings football to socially disadvantaged groups across the county.

Sarah says that the sense of routine and purpose was the biggest takeaway for her, and went on to represent Scotland at the 2015 Homeless World Cup.

She now works with that organisation, while playing for Hamilton Academical Women in the Scottish Women's Premier League 1, the highest level of women's football in Scotland.

She adds: "I still sometimes can't believe it that I'm playing in Prem 1 with these incredible people and these great players around me that make me want to kick on and be the best that I can be."

For more information and support on addiction visit the NHS website.