_Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at the Sobha Realty Training Centre._
_Cecily Wellesley-Smith spoke to us recently, and here's how the young defender reflected on falling in love with football, arriving at Arsenal and representing the young Lionesses._
I grew up with my parents and older brother in Cheltenham before we all moved to Oxford ten years ago. It was my brother who properly introduced me to football for the first time. He played for a team and I’d always come along with my parents to watch him on the sidelines. One day, when I must have been about five, I decided to get involved. Kicking a football immediately felt right.
From then on, I started going to my own weekly training sessions and playing at school too. My primary school coach had such a positive impact on me because even though we were just playing for fun, it really made me love the game. I then joined my very first grassroots team at about nine, started by one of my friends’ dads and a few years later, I’d signed for Oxford United.
I’ve loved how my coaching has become more and more detailed the older I’ve got and as the women’s game has grown too. I’ve noticed that a lot as I’ve gone through the age groups with England, because the way they focus on the technical, practical side of football as well as the personal side is very important. We have different game plans according to how each opposition plays and that allows us all to become very versatile.
If I had to describe myself as a centre-back, I’d say I'm good at 1v1 defending and I like to stay calm and composed on the ball. I’m also always scanning for forward passes to build the play up from the back. Luckily, I've not had any major injuries so far in my career, aside from the odd setback. I still need still work on my left foot, because I often get played as a left centre-back. But that’s a skill I’ve been working on away from club football too.
Joining Arsenal just last summer felt fantastic. I’d just come home after the U19 European Championships where we’d lost to Spain in the final, so it was such a mixture of emotions. To have signed here a couple of months later was just what I needed. Arsenal reached out to me as the academy manager had come to watch one of my England games and seen something in me.
Ever since then, I’ve loved being here. As I’m dual-signed with Oxford United, I don’t come in to train as often as the other girls but everyone has been so welcoming. I’ve known quite a few of the team for years thanks to England but it’s been great getting to know everyone else too.
> "We came from behind twice to beat Japan on penalties in the U17 World Cup quarter-final!"
I’ve been lucky enough to train up at Sobha Realty Training Centre around the senior team a few times, but I can’t wait to do it more in the future hopefully. It was an amazing experience because the quality they have and the speed of their play is such a step up from academy football. You have to get used to that environment quickly, but it helps you get better quickly too.
It also feels different when I’m playing for the Lionesses. At major tournaments, we’re playing the best players our age in the world, so the competition is extremely high. There’s also the added pressure of tournament football because you need to win every single game to progress. That’s not to say we don’t try to win every match in academy football! But our primary focus there is long-term development as an individual and as a unit, where the journey is more important than the milestones,
I’d say definitely the U17 World Cup quarter-final was one of the best moments in football that I've ever had. The fact that we had to come back from behind twice against Japan and then to win on penalties in the way that we did - it was unbelievable. We didn’t get the outcome we wanted in the end but reaching a World Cup semi-final was a dream come true for the team.
When it comes to the future, I’m really hoping to sign my first professional contract and just get as much first team experience as possible, whether that’s on loan or here at Arsenal. My main focus will always be to enjoy my football, whatever happens.
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