Rangers Women Under-17 academy goalkeeper Alex Reid is beginning to make her mark not only on the pitch, but also in the wider development of girls football across Scotland.
Currently in the final stages of her academy journey at Rangers, Reid trains weekly with the first team under manager Leanne Crichton while representing the club’s U17 NextGen side.
She has also gained valuable experience at clubs such as Hibernian, helping to shape her understanding of elite-level football.
Now, she is using that experience to support young female goalkeepers through her work with Canning Coaching Girls Academy, where she has been announced as the head of their new goalkeeping department.
The academy confirmed the move on social media, praising Reid’s impact and outlining her new role.
“Alex has been with us a while, not working with our outfielders, passing on her experience in elite academies and now professional first team to help support our girls,” the post read.
While the academy had always welcomed goalkeepers into sessions, this marks the first time they have introduced dedicated goalkeeper training.
Reid will now lead specialised sessions on Sundays, welcoming girls of all ages and experience levels.
The initiative will also open doors to competitive opportunities, with standout goalkeepers invited to face professional NextGen academies, national youth teams such as Australia and Northern Ireland, and clubs from outside Scotland.
For Reid, the opportunity reflects her passion for both the position and the development of the women’s game.
Her journey has also been strongly influenced by Rangers Women goalkeeper Megan Cunningham, who has worked closely with Reid within the club’s academy setup.
Reid previously spoke about the impact Cunningham has had on her game, particularly on the mental side of goalkeeping.
“She has got really good confidence, and it is more confidence in games that she has definitely helped me on,” Reid said.
“It is an inspiration to be where she is and her determination, especially to the younger girls in the academy.”
Cunningham herself has praised Reid’s ability, highlighting her natural shot-stopping talent.
“Technically, she makes unbelievable saves,” Cunningham said.
“Sometimes I look at her and think, I don’t know how you have saved that.”
The experienced keeper has also helped Reid improve her composure in possession, an increasingly important part of modern goalkeeping at Rangers.
“It was just about learning to relax a little bit,” Cunningham explained.
“Understanding that you’ve got more time than you think.”
That message now carries into Reid’s own coaching approach. By working with younger players, she is helping to ensure the next generation of goalkeepers receive specialist guidance much earlier than many players previously experienced.
Cunningham has often spoken about how limited goalkeeper coaching was when she was younger, sometimes not receiving proper instruction until her mid-teens.
“For these girls to get that level of coaching at this age is unbelievable,” she said.
“To give back to the sport and try to encourage the next generation of girls coming through.”
Reid is now doing exactly that.
With sessions set to begin in February, she will be working with aspiring goalkeepers from across Scotland, providing technical support, confidence-building, and pathways into high-level competition.
Her role is another positive step in the growth of girls’ football, showing how academy players can become role models even before reaching the senior game.
For Rangers, Reid represents both the present and the future – a talented young goalkeeper developing at elite level, while also helping to strengthen the foundations of the women’s game across the country.