Cowie was born in Florida to parents from the West of Scotland. She was inspired to take up freestyle football after observing a demonstration by John Farnworth.[5] In 2012 male footballer Lionel Messi picked Cowie as the winner of a global freestyle football competition tied in with the FIFA Street video game.[6] As of 2014, Cowie practices her skills for one to three hours per day.[7] In 2015, Cowie became the first woman to do a three revolution - three full circles around the soccer ball with the foot while it is still in the air.[8]