Foundation Magazine 2021-2022 | Mount Kelly

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GIRLS’ PERFORMANCE FOOTBALL
GIRLS’ PERFORMANCE
FOOTBALL TEAM:
RUBY BLACKABY-PECK
CALAIS BUTTS
ALICE GUE
EMMA HUNT (C)
MILLY KLINKENBERG
SCARLETT MCMAHON
RUBY MURPHY
ERIN O’SHEA
JESS SMITH
ROSIE TRAIN
What a fantastic first year
for U17 Mount Kelly Girls’
Performance Football
Programme, in association with the
Chelsea FC Foundation. We began in
August with tough pre-season fixtures
against Reading U18G and London
Bees U18G Academy teams to find our
level for the season. The girls acquitted
themselves extremely well in narrow
defeats to two strong academy teams.
The season began well in September
with victories over Millfield School and
Kings College, Taunton, and a loss to
Horrabridge U15B local team. In between
these fixtures we became ISFA National
7s Champions at U18 level, beating a
talented Rossall School in the final.
During September, the girls took part
in the ISFA England trials with 4 players
selected at U18 level, Emma Hunt, Rosie
Train, Calais Butts, and Ruby Murphy.
Ruby Murphy was also given the honour
of being named captain of the ISFA
National team. At U16 level we had
two layers that made the grade in Ruby
Blackaby-Peck and Milly Klinkenberg.
U18
All 6 players were invited to ISFA training
camp in October with both teams playing
Cambridge City.
On 29 and 30 October Jyla Erandio
and Calais Butts were invited to attend
Chelsea U18G Academy training session
at Cobham Training Ground, Chelsea FC
with both players performing admirably
and being invited back during the next
holiday break.
We continued our fixtures against Truro
and Penwith College U19G, Wims 11
U15B and SW Saints U15B during
November, culminating in a very pleasing
performance in the ISFA National Cup
competition beating a strong Millfield
team 6-1 with the girls playing some
outstanding football in front of a large
Mount Kelly home crowd.
In December, our high-performance
squad were invited to Chelsea FC for a
two-day visit. The visit was arranged by
John Dutton, (Chelsea FC Foundation)
and included a superb tour and talk of the
Stamford Bridge Stadium, home of the
World Club Champions, Chelsea FC. The
players were VIP guests of the club for
the women’s Champions League match,
Chelsea WFC versus Juventus WFC
where they spoke with Tanya Oxtoby
(Chelsea WFC Assistant Manager) after
the match. On the second day of the
visit, the girls played a Showcase game
versus Chelsea Satellite Academy,
Blenheim U19G in front of six Chelsea
WFC Academy coaches, including Dean
Steninger (Academy Manager) and
Dan Jacquard (Head of the Chelsea FC
Foundation). The Mount Kelly players
were outstanding in a 4-1 victory, and
as a result the Chelsea staff highlighted
six Mount Kelly players, Calais Butts, Jyla
Erandio, Ruby Murphy, and Rosie Train
at U17 level with Millie Kinkenberg and
Erin O’Shea at U15 level. These players
were invited to train at Cobham Training
Ground for further training with the
Chelsea WFC Academy.
Back at International level, Ruby Murphy
(captain), Rosie Train and Emma Hunt
played for England ISFA U18G versus
TGK U18G Academy and English
Colleges U19G at St. George’s Park.
Whilst at U16G Milly Klinkenberg and
Ruby Blackaby-Peck played TGK U16G
Academy and Oxford FA U16G, also at St.
George’s Park. Our two Canadian players
Jyla Erandio and Calais Butts attended
the Alberta Summer Games Camp in
Reed Deer, Canada to prepare for The
Canada Summer Games Tournament in
August 2022.
On 6 December as part of our highperformance
programme, the players
listened to Graham Kennedy, Head
Coach St. FX University, Halifax, NS,
Canada, who explained the process and
commitment to North American Football
and Education beyond Mount Kelly. The
St. FX University programme is partnered
with Exeter University, which appealed to
our Year 12 players.
On recommencing, after a long
Christmas break the girls embarked
on a mini mid-season strength and
conditioning programme with Josh
Norrie to reach peak fitness towards the
business end of the football season April/
May. We continued our fixtures versus
Bryanston School, Wims 11 U16B and
Coleg Y Cymoedd U19G as part of our
development. Each game brought new
challenges which the players tackled
head on.
Our Tuesday evening analysis sessions
become coach education sessions
through the Chelsea FC Foundation, with
the players completing the BT Playmaker
certificate.
We continued to invite College head
coaches and agents to Mount Kelly to
allow players to keep all options open
and way up the pros and cons of life
after Mount Kelly. First up after Christmas
was Mackenzie Bellows (Head Coach,
Quincy University, Chicago, Illinois, USA)
on a Zoom call with the players and staff.
One or two of the players have followed
up with Mackenzie and received more
information on this particular pathway.
Next, we invited Sophie Reynolds (Soccer
Assist USA Agency) to attend a meeting
in the Mount Kelly Boardroom to explain
the benefits of agents.
During this period, we had lots of
individual success with Scarlet McMahon
playing for Wales U17G in preparation for
this Summer’s U17G Euros in Armenia.
Scarlet played twice versus Scotland
for her country. Ruby Murphy also had
individual success in playing for Plymouth
Argyle WFC first team alongside Rosie
Train. We were also delighted that Alice
Gue and Scarlett McMahon joined our
Captain, Emma Hunt in playing for
Torquay United WFC first team. At such
a young age this is great development for
these young players to be playing at this
level.
During February we invited Sunderland
RTC U18G squad to Mount Kelly in
preparation for their international visit
to Malta. In a tough game, our team
lost 1-0 but came out of the game with
major credit with the Sunderland coach
commenting on our attractive style of
play and mentioning it had been one of
their most difficult games of the year.
Chelsea WFC invited Jyla Erandio, Calais
Butts, Rosie Train, and Ruby Murphy back
to the Cobham training ground at U18G
level to train with their academy after their
performances against Chelsea Blenheim
U19G in December. However, the U16G
will have to wait a little longer for their
training as Chelsea U16G played Arsenal
U16G in the semi-final of the FA Youth
Cup during that week. Milly Klinkenberg
and Erin O’Shea will get another chance
according to the Chelsea coach. All the
U18 players did an excellent job with
Calais Butts being called up to train with
Chelsea Women’s first team before their
cup fixture versus Leicester Womens.
What a fantastic experience for Calais
as she also produced outstanding saves
from world class players Sam Kerr and
Beth England. Well done Calais Butts for
flying the Mount Kelly flag at the very top
level.
On a local level our Year 10 girls Milly
Klinkenberg, Erin O’Shea and Jess
Smith have been developing well under
the Marine Academy Plymouth (MAP)
U16G team. Achieving local and national
finals with their MAP team which indeed
helps their particular pathway. All 3 girls
now play under the Devon FA U16G
banner alongside another Mount Kelly
player, Ruby Blackaby-Peck. We also
had ISFA U16G fixtures versus ESFA
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