_Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at the Sobha Realty Training Centre._
_Abi Conway spoke to us recently about converting her Watford-supporting family to Arsenal, London derbies and learning from our first-team stars._
I grew up in Chesham with a very sporty family. My dad has always been into football and I used to go and watch him play for Kings Langley. That's probably where I got my love for football from. I used to just kick the ball around on the sidelines with any kids who were there.
I started playing for my local team, Chesham United, when I around four. My dad discovered the club and wanted to get me involved, so I've been playing football since I was super-young. I went along every weekend and just played for fun, until I signed properly for under-10s.
I played in the boys' team until Year 9 as well as playing for Arsenal twice a week. It was very technical at the academy and the boys tested my speed and strength, so it brought on different aspects of my game.
I discovered Arsenal because my dad met Tessa Payne, who used to be the head of the academy, and they got chatting about the trials. I remember being so nervous when I went to try out, but I got offered a place.
It must have properly dawned on me when I picked up this huge kit bag and my dad went "you're in it now!" My whole family were Watford fans, so it was an adjustment having so much Arsenal kit in the house!
Now I've been at Arsenal for ten years, it still feels amazing, I love the club; I've learned so much from so many different coaches and every season is different in its own way.
I've grown up with a lot of the same girls, so we've seen each other through a lot, and we have such a great time together.
> "Now I've been at Arsenal for ten years, it still feels amazing, I love the club"
I've been a striker since I was 14, so I always want to find ways to go forward, link up with my teammates and try to score goals. This season, I'm working on finishing inside the box, as well as developing my attacking runs.
I captained the under-16s last season, which I really enjoyed, and this season my focus is with the under-21s. We've got a double-header against Chelsea coming up in the next few weeks, so that's going to be very important for us.
I'm working really hard towards another England call-up. It's a big goal I'm chasing and seeing other teammates receive call-ups only makes me hungrier to join them. In the next couple of years I'd love to push towards training alongside the first team.
Our team did get coached by Beth Mead, Kim Little and Lia Walti last season, when they were with us doing their UEFA coaching badges.
It was lovely to see them and fascinating to hear their opinions on the game and the areas they thought we should focus on. One night they're playing in the Champions League and the next they're coaching us in the cold. It was wild!
From watching the first team, their pace is really noticeable. They're tight with their touches and there are so few mistakes. They all work together as a team, communicate very clearly, and they're so professional with the way they carry themselves and that's something to aspire towards.
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