Lioness in training

The start

Today was the day Euros call ups, the stress building up. I know it was a long shot I mean I have never played in the WSL or met any of the girls really but I could hope. I mean I thought I played well and people kept telling me that. Was it just them being nice I don't know, was it the sympathy well done just because I was young. I hoped not but, my head tells me so many things it becomes hard to distinguish what the truth is and what I tell myself to not be a nervous wreck who can't even get out of bed.

All I could do was stare at the very boring white wall that suddenly became my favourite thing in the world. I was glued to just staring at it too scared to go on my phone to do anything really. Yet was this all just a pipe dream that I had imagined ,that was never really going to happen. No I had to believe, I had to believe that it could happen cause hope it what gets you though. Even if it blind hope at something that is clearly impossible you have to believe otherwise what is it for. Why am I putting myself through this.

I guess I haven't introduced myself, I'm Ellis, Ellis Griffin. I know the James Bond introduction you must be expecting big things well get ready to be disappointed. I am from Sheffield originally but I have lived in a few places courtesy of my parents, I would be in one place for a few months something would happen and I would be carted of to the next ready to start again try and make friends and get into football. They were never the biggest fans of me playing football but they would just carry on with their lives. Forever being to busy with their jobs to bat an eyelid to what I was doing.

Then it happened the night that will forever be etched into the back of my mind. I was 13 sat at home trying to figure out some maths homework (school was/is never my strong point) when someone knocked on my door. At first I was terrified what if someone was robbing my house, then I figured that they wouldn't knock. It was the exact opposite it was the police to tell me my parents had died in a car crash. Even though I was never that close to them it still hurt it felt like everything I knew had been smashed into a million pieces. The police officer tried to help but I dont think a 13 year old breaking down on the floor in tears was his strong point. I was carted of to my aunt's house and if I thought my parents didn't care this was a whole different level. I barely knew my Aunt having seen her maybe once or twice in my life at large family gatherings. As long as i stayed out of her way she didn't care and that how it was for a few years.

Until I got the opportunity of a lifetime I got scouted for some German football camp when I was 15, first time on a plane, I wont go into details but lets just say flying is not my favourite thing. I played football for a week with some of the most amazing players, it was incredible and if that wasn't enough i got called into a meeting at the end of the week.As can be imagined I was a nervous wreck did I do something wrong, did I say something bad. My brain was going at a million miles an hour, as if you haven't guessed it I have Anxiety I try and hide it the best I can but sometimes it just takes over everything, so I sat down. My knee bouncing up and down like an unstoppable pogo stick, then I was told that would change my life forever. There was a scout for Wolfsburg academy at the camp and they wanted to sign me for the academy, my jaw dropped, I quickly had to manually close it before I embarrassed myself to much. I was at a loss for words this was happening to me, of course I said yes, I mean who said no to something like this.

My Aunt was very quickly on  board as it got me out of her way and she didn't have to do anything. So it was decided I was 15 and going to live with a host family and train for wolfsburg academy in Germany. Then as if it couldn't get any better 3 months after I arrived at 16 I was chosen to train with the first team, then it progressed from there to be included in teams going to matches. Then I made my professional debut the 28th of May 2021 my 16th birthday. Best birthday present ever if you ask me, I came on as a sub in the 70th minute, I dont think anyone could remove a smile from my face that day I was on top of the world. It just kept getting better and that takes us up to today waiting to see if I had made the Euros squad, well first step was the provisional team even then I would be chuffed to bits if I even made that team. To be able to play with some of my heroes to represent my country I cant think of a bigger honour.

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Authors note: Hi this is my first story so please let me know if there are any mistakes or anything you would like me to include or tell me if I going into to much detail in parts I tend to waffle a lot thank you you for reading :)