RETURN on Investment or ROI is an important factor in every business and the business of sport is no different.

This week one sport definitely got its ROI, and that was the Scottish Football Association. They appointed Shelley Kerr as the next national coach to the women’s team and she will take on this role after the Euros, this year.

Shelley was one of the first women to be awarded her pro-licence, while working with the U19’s national squad, and the support she received from the SFA with her own personal development, went a long way to ensuring she passed with flying colours.

Her appointment was announced by the Scottish FA on Monday and the timing of this is vital given that there will be cross-over between the draw for the World Cup and the Euros themselves.

It is important that the coach who will be taking the team forward into the World Cup campaign is in the mix when the countries meet to decide on fixture dates.

Getting this right is crucial, succeeding in getting the fixture dates you want to ensure that you play the team of your choice at a time of your choice, is a skill, and the outcome of that meeting and dates agreed will be one of the crucial of field factors dealt with, to help ensure success.

Shelley has been involved in every level of the game and is respected by all quarters, not an easy thing in the world of football, where tempers can run high and friendships can be made and broken in an instant.

Her pedigree comes from playing at the highest level, coaching at the highest level and breaking down barriers by being the first women to be appointed to the position of head coach of a men’s team, who play within the hallowed halls of the Scottish FA Lowland league.

Her presence through that media frenzy has equipped her well for what is yet to come.

I have been privileged to know Shelley from her playing days right through to this appointment and there is no doubt in my mind, or those that she has come into contact throughout her time in football, that she is the right fit for the job at the right time.

She has the best wishes and support from all at Scottish Women in Sport.

There was more good news for womens’ sport this week, this time from the Scottish Government.

Aileen Campbell, The Minister of Sport announced that the government would invest £2 million through sportscotland to be fed into National Governing Bodies.

The aim is to cushion the blow from the withdrawal of Lottery Funding which was announced several weeks ago and which affected several sports.

However, there are conditions attached to this and the main thrust of this investment is to assist in the Scottish Governments priority on reducing inequality in sports participation and creating a 50/50 balance on board representation.

This is a very welcome investment with a good focus on parity and diversity and fits in well with the focus and aims of SWiS.

However, resolving the issues in these two areas in isolation, will not resolve all of the problem’s surrounding women in sport, and I believe that there is much more joined up thinking and innovation required to ensure that we engage young women and girls into sport as a way of life.

We need to make sport an everyday activity, a habit that they will pass onto their children, friends, even parents. We need to make it fun for all and ensure that we create a safe environment where those who traditionally shy away from sport, feel welcome and valued.

We also need to look at the language of sport and how that’s sits with those who we have failed to engage with in the past.

So whilst we are moving in the right direction, and yes we are picking up momentum, we cannot become complacent and we have to continually challenge and change attitudes throughout sport to make sure it is inclusive to all.

Only then will we begin to see a difference in the health of our nation, changing the dreadful statistics that we hear about on a regular basis, on the health of Scotland’s people.