Impington Village College student, Emilie S., has been awarded the prestigious Roy Burrell Sportswoman of the Year Award for her success and impressive achievements in football.
Twice selected for the England U-16s squad, in which she played her first international match at just 14 years old, Emilie has been a keen footballer from a young age and has now been recognised for her hard work, determination and skill in the sport. Owing to her talent, Emilie is also signed to the Arsenal U-16s team, and will shortly move to the Gunners U-21s, allowing the potential to play for the first team.
Speaking about the accolade, Emilie said: “I was shocked when I first found out that I had received the award. I didn’t realise just how prestigious it is; it was incredibly flattering and lovely to be a part of! The teachers at Impington Village College have definitely helped with my budding football career; all of the staff have been incredibly supportive and flexible around my sporting commitments.”
Practicing five days a week, Emilie has had to balance college commitments with a rigorous training schedule. Sharing advice to her peers on how to follow a sporting career, Emilie said: “It takes extreme commitment and hard work, and that has to come from within. It’s important to push through and break any negative stereotypes that you may come up against; a lot of these that I experienced were verbal and from the side-lines, but I always completely ignored it and let my achievements speak for themselves.”
Philippa Mugan, Director of Sport and Assistant Principal at Impington Village College nominated Emilie for the award. Philippa said: “It is fantastic to see Emilie’s determination and hard work be recognised through the Roy Burrell Awards. We’re all immensely proud of her achievements, and know that she will go far in her future career. We have always fully backed Emilie’s choices to pursue football, as we do with all students who decide to follow their ambitions. We can’t wait to see what’s around the corner for Emilie!”
Victoria Hearn, Principal of Impington Village College, said: “Emilie is a shining example of our student cohort and the incredible accolades they can go on to achieve. This award, in addition to her previous achievements, serves as a wonderful inspiration to other students who want to follow this path; she is an amazing role model for everyone at Impington.”
