_Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at Sobha Realty Training Centre._
_Lauren Bowe spoke to us recently, and here's what she had to say about her journey to Arsenal, making the step up to women's football, and more._
Growing up with my parents and three siblings, I’d watch my brother play football but because I was a girl, I’d never really thought about playing the game myself. It wasn't until a year three sports day that my family and teachers saw something in me and encouraged me to play for the school boys’ team. I didn't get much of the ball back then, which I expected as the only girl, but it was still a tough experience. I had to find ways to play outside of school.
I was scouted for Wycombe Wanderers when I was about nine and also joined my local club, Chesham United, where my dad was a coach. He’s always wanted me to play so it was lovely that he was able to coach me too, even if we did squabble occasionally! At that age, you can improve very quickly and towards the end of primary school, I went for a trial at Reading. There were 80 girls who tried out and I was one of two who were signed, which is mad. That is still one of my favourite football moments because it felt such an important step, even then.
My time at Reading was when I properly developed into a footballer. Those five years were such a steep learning curve as I transitioned from right-wing into midfield. As soon as I started playing that role, it just felt right. I’ve evolved into quite an intelligent number 10 in terms of movement on and off the ball, and I’m always trying to get myself into pockets. The area where I noticed the most growth is my technical ability, which I now consider a real strength of my game. I have a lot of coaches to thank for that. One of those coaches was Lionesses legend, Fara Williams! She was still playing at the time so she not only had years of experience to draw from, she could also share what the league was like now. It was amazing to learn from Fara.
When Reading shut down their women’s team last season, it was a lot to take in for everyone. I’d made so many friendships and suddenly, we all had to consider next steps and which clubs to try out for. Arsenal were the first team I trained with and after just the fourth day, they offered me a contract. That was such a surreal moment because I’d played against them a lot at Reading so I knew first-hand how talented everyone was. Two weeks in, I was training at Sobha Realty Training Centre alongside the senior team. It’s been quite the whirlwind!
I felt like a wide-eyed kid, training with players I grew up watching on TV. The rest of the U21s acted all calm and casual, even though I knew they were excited too! It was such a good opportunity to watch how they operate and listen to all the coaches’ advice so you can incorporate into your own game. When I joined the club, what struck me most was the tempo. There’s such an emphasis on how fast you can move the ball around the pitch, whether that’s quick one-twos or clever movements off the ball to stretch the space. It’s exactly how I like to play football.
We kicked off the season really well with a tournament in Valencia, which was a perfect chance to bond with the girls early on. I was a bit nervous stepping into a big team like this because I didn’t know how it would compare, but everyone was so welcoming. Knowing Sophia \[Leonard\] already from Ireland helped me so much and then I bonded with the rest of the girls and staff so quickly. When you build friendships off the pitch, you can communicate so much better on the pitch.
> "When I get matchday opportunities, I want to impress and improve"
It’s been a great start to life at Arsenal but I’ve had to shrug off a small injury. I fractured my wrist only a few days before I was meant to head off for Euro qualifiers. It was draining to immediately suffer a setback but I reframed everything. I recognised how lucky I was to be at such a great club and that I’d be back playing before no time at all. I worked hard and built my fitness up so that when I came back, I’d be able to comfortably play for 90 minutes.
Playing for Ireland is a different challenge because it means facing some incredible international opposition. It’s also helped my versatility as I play a deeper role and at our last tournament, I even played right back! When you switch between club and international football and play with different people, it allows you to constantly vary your game. You have to play according to who you’re with on the pitch.
For this season and next, I want to keep working hard in training and hopefully, that will pay off in terms of playing time. There are new coaches who have lots to teach me so when I get matchday opportunities, I want to impress and improve. After that, I’m aiming for some kind of first-team experience, whether it’s training with the senior squad or getting some match minutes, so I can understand the level and the physicality to continue to grow as a footballer.
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