Last season saw the latest CUFC Women U/18’s finish their ‘youth’ careers. They competed in Division 1 of the Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League ending the season in 3rd place and reaching the later stages of the B&B County Cup defeating Wycombe Wanderers on the way. Whilst many of the girls will now pursue their academic and footballing futures here in the UK, two of the squad have looked further a field.

Striker, Amelia Franklin and midfielder, Grace Kennedy have taken the opportunity to become student athletes in the USA. An exciting combination of being a full time higher education student undertaking studies in their chosen subjects whilst representing their colleges on the soccer field.

Both players proved their worth for CUFC and were selected to play in the Go 2 College Soccer showcase events. Due to their strong showing they had Coaches approach them to discuss opportunities. After much deliberation Amelia chose to be recruited by Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming to represent the Northwest Trappers whilst Grace has settled at St Clair College in Port Huron, Michigan and will pull on the colours of the St Clair Skippers.

Both colleges are affiliated to the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) with Northwest plying their trade in Region 9 and St Clair in Region 12. If both teams do well this year the girls could end up facing each other in the end of season National Finals!

Amelia is looking forward to studying towards an outdoor leadership and teaching degree and Grace has drawn her attention towards becoming a nurse. They will have to maximise their efforts both on and off the field to attain the required grades throughout the academic year to be able to be selected for the soccer team.

Allowing them time to settle in the US, bond with their teammates and getting pre season started, the girls left these shores in late July with the prospect of classes starting late August and the soccer season kicking off in early September. Amelia has the excitement of visiting Utah, Colorado, Washington and Nebraska to play and over on the other side of the States Grace will get to visit New York, Chicago and Niagara Falls for fixtures.

Both girls have settled well with Grace meeting her roomie, Grace from Middlesbrough! Amelia has a room on a floor full of international student athletes also. Grace tells me ‘During this whole experience I’m looking forward to meeting new people and learning a new playing style of football and adding it to my own. Alongside getting in some travel around America and Canada’ whilst Amelia was keen to continue scoring goals for her new team ‘I want to be able to contribute to the team and be successful. I can’t wait to start playing, pre season has been tough in the heat but lots of fun’

They were both complimentary about playing for CUFC and without the coaching and guidance they have had during their time there then the opportunity to play and study in the US may not of been possible. ‘I really enjoyed my time at Chesham- it was the first team I’d ever played with long term and it was really nice to make the move to senior football while I was there’ states Grace, who also played for the U/23’s last term.

Amelia loved her time in claret and blue ‘My Dad and Uncle both played for Chesham Utd U/18’s and reserve team back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s so to get to play for them too and develop how I have has been brilliant. I can only thank the coaches and the club helping me fulfil this ambition’

Here is hoping the girls have a great injury free season and their teams go well in the upcoming season.