Impact Stories

After six years in the BHAFC Foundation’s talent pathway, Florence is ready to take her next step towards a career in the game.

Florence, from Worthing, has been playing football for most of her life. She started kicking a ball when she was about four years old and hasn’t stopped since.

Florence has always played as a left winger or an attacking midfielder, and dad Luke says she exudes confidence and calmness on the ball.

“She always seems to have all the time in the world on the ball,” Luke said, “Nothing is ever rushed.

“She covers a lot of ground and is always very creative, and she’s just as happy to assist a goal as she is to score one.”

After she really started to get interested in football at six years old, Florence was looking for somewhere to play regularly and she was signed up to the Foundation’s Pathway Centre in Worthing.

She quickly moved up to the next level of the talent pathway – the Advanced Centre – and has trained with the Foundation ever since, as well as playing in the club academy’s emerging talent centre.

“She’s absolutely loved it,” dad Luke said, “She loves the coaches, she loves playing the fixtures, the girls she was playing with.”

“The coaches are brilliant with her, especially Ben throughout her time here and others like Jimmy and Megan. She’s got on really well with all of them.”

Ben, who coached Florence for a number of years and is now Women & Girls Development Officer, has nothing but praise for the way he’s seen Florence develop over the past six years.

“Florence has been a real pleasure to work with,” Ben said, “her attitude is second to none and she’s always worked incredibly hard.

“As a player she’s so composed on the ball and really demonstrates a lot of the values we try and instil in our players here.”

As an attacker, it’s only natural that some of the players Florence looks up to are full of flair.

She’s a big fan of Albion forwards Madison Haley and Georginio Rutter, but her number one idol in the game is probably Lioness Alessia Russo.

Now 12, Florence has grown as a player over the course of her time in the talent pathway and has developed into a confident young footballer.

“She’s been at the Foundation for six years and it’s been a massive part of her development,” dad Luke said.

“Her style of play has come from the teaching they’ve given her at the Advanced Centre, it’s allowed her to be confident in what she does.

“When she moved to the training ground [after joining the Advanced Centre] that was a really exciting moment for her. It’s an amazing facility and environment, right next to where the first team players train.

“As well as her technical development she’s made so many friends, she’s had opportunities to travel and play in tournaments, so many great experiences.”

Florence has now reached the end of her time in the Foundation’s talent pathway, and has moved to hometown club Worthing FC to pursue her dreams of a career in professional football.

“It’s good for her to have a dream,” Luke said, “She wants to go as far as she can and to keep pushing herself.

“She was really upset to be leaving the Foundation after six years, but she’s ready to take on these new challenges and we’re grateful to the Foundation for giving her the platform to develop into the player she is today.”