2 weeks ago today i was packing getting ready to travel to london on the monday. i had mixed emoitions, i felt both excited and nervous. i had never been abroad before with the england girls and have only ever played home fixtures. The experience i had is one i will never, ever forget! monday i woke up around 5am and set of to london to get to london for half 11. we then said our goodbyes to our parents. we waited in a hotel for about 2 hours and had lunch and stuff. Then later our coach arrived to take us to heathrow airport. we checked in and waited round for our plane. Nerves where kicking in by this time just for the whole 5 days away. When we got to holland we was then aloud to rest till the next day.
Tuesday we woke early and did our pee test and had breakfast. We then set off for our first training session. I stayed with the goalkeepers in this session and did our training. 2 hours was the training duration. We then travelled back to the hotel in Holland that we stayed in and had lunch, refueled then set off for our second training session of the day. Goal keepers joined in with out players in this session. Everyone was nervous because match day was nearly here and we had so little time at training with so much to learn and know about. Our training had finished and we went back the hotel. We had an ice bath and a pool recovery session. Then had a players meeting then headed straight for bed!
Day 3 – wednesday i woke up, most of us where all so nervous. In the morning we went for a players meeting and got told the team line up. ‘Kirstie Levell’ number 1 starting in goal today, i was so excited right now but nervous too! after the player meeting we went back to our rooms to sort our kit and bags out. We then got on the coach and everyone went into a world of there own. We did whatever got us relaxed before a game, talked to our friends or listened to music etc. Walking into the match venue to change into our kits everyone was so nervous. We did our warm up then finally it was time to head out. We was in the tunnel waiting nervously when suddenly we all walked out onto the pitch. Both teams, England and Holland both had to sing their national anthems. The game started. We started of so well, got right into everything, used all our body weight as Holland were very physical. 2 minutes to go of the first half and they scored a goal but we still didn’t let our heads drop. Half time we had our team talk, came back out and they scored another 2. One was at the edge of the box placed into the very corner of my goal and the other was crossed in which they then volleyed in. We did not let our heads drop throughout all this time. We played to our best.
day 4 – thursday we had 1 training sessions today which i could not join in along with 4 others as we all had injuries. We went back to the hotel and got an ice bath and had a pool recovery session. We went to bed early this night to make sure everyone was fully recovered for the game on friday.
day5 – Friday, this was a long day for us as we had a game in the morning then travelled back later on. I did not play in this Friday match but we turned the game around from wednesday night. The England girls stepped up there game tremendously! They lost 1-0 to Holland but holland scored 2 other goals that where off-side and also we should of has a few free kicks and penalties. After this match we then set of for the airport. We checked in and got our plane back to heathrow. Then met our parents and travelled home.
Even now all the England girls want to be back in Holland. Holland 2012 was definitely the best experience i have ever had by far!
