When we got the chance to send someone along to train with the England women’s football team, we snapped at the chance. Vauxhall Motors is the sponsor for all four home nations, and they took Katie Hay to Birmingham to test her skills against the England pros for us. 

Walking into the changing room and having to put all of the England gear on was mind-boggling. I was truly about to train with England! I’d normally just put my boots and kit on and be ready, but today felt different. I made sure that everything was done perfectly.

Any pro knows the importance of a good warm-up to avoid injury, as prevention is better than cure. The England warm-up involved running, stretches and games that worked on technique and getting the body ready for what was about to come. It was a gentle introduction to life as a pro, and left me hungry for more.

I felt exhausted after the warm-up. It was clearly a lot more intense than what I was used to, but I feel ready to go and could feel the excitement in every bone.

It felt like it was time for me to get onto the pitch and see what the England team could show me. Along came Hope Powell, the manager, and she didn’t go easy on me!

To begin with we did some simple technique work to get the body used to a football again. At first it was the usual volleys, headers and passes, then Hope stepped up the intensity and we had to have an attackers v defenders game.

I felt like I fitted in, and when Rachel Unitt shouted:”KATIEEE!” I just got a shiver through my body. I was just amazed that England players wanted the ball off me!

Now time for the task I dread… shooting! I’m a defender for a reason, but I wasn’t going to let it put my head down. I was going to kick that ball like I’d never kicked one before. As the ball left my boot I just had a good feeling, and I was watching it the whole way. Everyone high-fived me when it actually went in! The little team talk I had in my head worked – I can shoot!

The session was over and, as much as I didn’t want it to end, I don’t think my legs could move any more.

Still to this day I don’t feel that I actually trained with England. What an opportunity that was! So my advice to any female footballers is: go for it! Guys may laugh, but it’s because they know you’re better than them!