Lucy Ogden U13’s player at
Leeds United Girls Centre of Excellence
My name is Lucy, I am 11 years old and I have been a part of the Leeds united GCOE since I was eight. It’s a massive part of my life and I really love it.
I go training on a Monday and a Thursday night at Knottingley and Boston spa, we train for two hours per night. On a Monday I dash home from school and usually have some pasta or a sandwich and then we set off about 4.20pm, it takes a bit longer on a Monday night so I usually fall asleep in the car. On a Thursday we can set off at 4.45 so I have a bit more time to have some tea and get my things ready.
At training we work on fitness and lots of drills, we go through the last weeks match and how we did and then we get a treat at the end by having a match. I usually understand training but if I don’t I just ask my coaches Titch and Jenny and they will explain, they are great!!!!. Sometimes it can be cold and dark at training but once we get running around we soon warm up. I always try and put in 100% at training because its important that we learn and then we can put it into our game on the Saturday. I have lots of friends at Leeds and we have a laugh too.
My mum puts me some bits in my bag for on the way home, I usually have snacker jacks and some go ahead biscuits and then when we get home about 9.15pm my mum has some tea ready for me. Then I have to go straight to bed because I have school in the morning.
I have just started secondary school and we get lots of homework so I have to do it on my nights off and on a weekend I get it all done on a Friday night so I can enjoy my match on the Saturday and have a day off on the Sunday.
Saturdays are the best!!!! I jump out of bed at 6am and get ready, home games we don’t set off till 8.15 but sometimes away games we have to set off about 7am, If we have a far away game we go on the coach which is ace we have so much fun.
Before every game I set myself a goal to achieve, sometimes to score or set one of my team mates up for a goal or to try something new but I always say to myself that I will try my hardest. I always try to encourage my team mates because sometimes we loose and its not nice but just sometimes the other teams have it go there way more.
I love to play in a striking position but I have learnt over the last two years to control the wing and play in midfield and to be honest as long as I am on the pitch that’s great.
Since been at Leeds United GCOE my life has been really busy and for my mum and dad too, and I don’t get to play out as much as my mates but I love it and I still have friends at the centre , hopefully I will stay at the centre as long as I keep trying hard and I will become a professional footballer.
