Development Day Countdown Part 4 - Q&A with Louise Lee

After weeks of prep, and our own week of countdown articles, the day has finally arrived. If the day is anywhere near as good as the effort put in by those who have organised it, it will surely be a success. Well done to Coach Andrew Gambrill and his team.

The last in our series of Q&A’s is with Louise Lee, captain of the GB Women’s flag team.

1. What was it like playing in the Euro Championships last summer?

The buzz surrounding us created an exciting atmosphere, making it a trip none of us will ever forget. From the build-up beforehand, to the support we received throughout the tournament, everything just made the whole experience extra special.

Getting to play under the Great Britain name, as cheesy as it sounds, is such an exhilarating feeling and is something none of us will ever take for granted. You get so wrapped up in the football bubble for that week that I forgot I had a job or a life back home, it is that intense. And every feeling is magnified so the team went through every possible emotion together. The adrenaline from the games just adds to intensity. It felt great to get out onto the field and just play after all the training, headshots and organising!

2. Despite a slow start the team got better in each game - how and why did that happen?

It is totally obvious what happened in our first game, we all froze. We all got up in the morning and had no idea how to handle playing for Great Britain so we went out onto the field as total rookies, massively under prepared for the nerves that we experienced. It was a good game to get out of the way! As we progressed, we found our comfort zones. We identified what worked and what didn't and just developed a much more fluid game.

Once we started getting points on the board, and defending tough drives, the level of confidence grew exponentially. We certainly ironed out a few creases and we have a solid foundation to move forward from. It is only natural to take some time to gel as a group, players and coaches together.

3. Did you find there was any added pressure being Captain?

Sometimes I actually felt more pressure due to people worrying too much about me. I am the sort of person who likes to keep busy, keep things ticking over and generally oversee everything that is happening, which allows me to keep a track of any issues as they come up. So when I was advised to take some 'me time', I automatically put too much pressure on myself by delving too deep into my game and also felt very disconnected with the group, which was overwhelming when reintegrating.

Obviously, it didn't feel good when we had the big losses at the start, and sometimes I did have to get involved in some tricky issues like substitutions (which is the hardest thing ever!) but I was never disappointed with the team and I was always superbly supported by my team mates throughout. I suppose there were added pressures, but I am actually quite grateful to have had some distractions. Added to which, nothing will beat captaining these ladies!

4. With the game getting bigger (more teams/players) this can only be good for GB in the future. Where do you see the game in 5 years?

Definitely only good things for GB! As a bit of an oldie, who was playing when there were barely women's teams to play against, I can safely say that more involvement has led to brilliant levels of competition and will lead to even better things in the future. I am definitely an advocate for a league system, to complement the current tournament based series we have.

I believe it will lead to more skilled and tactical longer games, more preparation time and some tense league following! Back before the opal series, the Warwick women loved traveling to other locations to meet ladies from other teams, and socialise, as well as play a game or two. If some kind of league could be established, geography dependent, I think it would be beneficial for the game itself, as well as connecting players from around the country.

5. How are you personally preparing for the new season?

I worked very hard for the last Opal Series by working on my cardio fitness and strength training as I wasn't able to train with Warwick very much (having relocated to London). As for this year, well, I have been in Australia since Christmas so training is very difficult. The weather is a big stumbling block for someone like me who isn't used to the heat, but it is good practice for future championships in hot countries!! However, I am trying hard to maintain my fitness, and my partner, who fancies himself as a bit of a coach, has been helping me with my technical skills. Once I am back in the UK, I will be back into regular training to get ready for the new season.

6. What advice would you give for someone new wanting to try the sport?

My advice would be to not panic about any aspect of the game. It can take a while to find your skill, or feel comfortable in a particular role, but there is something for absolutely everyone. And if you're anything like me, you may end up playing a position you had no idea you would love! In addition to that, I would recommend any rookies to get as much game experience as possible. It is the best way to learn, in my opinion.

With the Wolverines, we would always organise rookie games against local teams (Coventry for us) so that new players could experience the game at pace, but without the pressure of an Opal tournament structure. Then we could pause the game when necessary to explain anything that wasn't clear. Theory is a good thing to know to understand the logic of the game, but putting into practice makes it easier to visualise. It won't take you long to fall in love with the game.

7. What are your long term ambitions within the game?

The Great Britain team is a massive priority for me. The men's team has set a good precedent for us and we certainly aspire to follow in their footsteps and really establish ourselves. We have a huge amount of talent here in the UK and I want to make sure we capitalise on that and create the best team in Europe. That means also focusing on the development of the game, which I enjoy being involved with, whether it be at a player or board level.

For me personally, I hope to start my own team so that I can train regularly and locally (as much as I would love to be a Wolverine forever!) and open the game up to a whole new demographic of people. I can't ever imagine not playing football, so I am very much looking forward to seeing how it develops!