Women’s National Team Will Swap CW5 For Belgium

Our Lioness travel to Belgium on Friday (8th March) ahead of the EAFF Women’s Training Camp in Belgium - the first international women's camp in amputee history. 

The England Women’s National Team came together for the last time on Saturday before heading overseas to Belgium this weekend. Taking part in a variety of technical drills to develop individual athleticism and understanding of the amputee game.

Just a week after making her EAFA IKO League debut for Chelsea (the second woman to actively play in the league), Marni Voak was amongst the goals throughout the day. 

The 17-year-old rejoiced about returning to the Women’s squad after the occasion.

“It’s been really nice to see the progress we’ve made, it’s only our second camp of the year and we’re already so much more confident as a team,” she said.

“We’ve got a new player which is brilliant because building numbers is still so important.

“My goal is up there as one of the best moments of the day but the highlight has been spending time with the girls again and getting to know them some more.

“I think our time spent together off the pitch is really showing on the pitch with our chemistry; we’re trusting each other a lot more and it’s all going in a really positive direction.”

Marni Voak in action - Credit: PDRPhotos

During the camp, the squad engaged with classroom sessions to prepare for international travel this weekend.

This is a first-of-its-kind gathering of female amputee players from around the world, but it is also our first time sending a Women’s national team to participate in an international event.

Voak can’t contain her excitement about the opportunity and knows how important it will be for the squad’s development on the road to the Women’s World Cup in November.

She added: “For most of the girls, this has been their first time trying amputee football. My experience at the Juniors’ camp last year just elevated my football to a whole other level so I’m sure a lot of the girls are going to experience that and I can’t wait for it.

“It’s going to be my first EAFF Women’s camp so I’m really looking forward to seeing what it's going to be like and meeting some of the other female players that I’m friends with from around the world.

“In the women's amputee football community, we are all there for each other and that’s a really nice side of it. At the same time, we get to see how competitive other countries are so we can learn to compete against that.”