{"id":156,"date":"2016-03-04T09:34:16","date_gmt":"2016-03-04T09:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christchurchsportnews.wordpress.com\/?p=156"},"modified":"2017-03-28T15:10:53","modified_gmt":"2017-03-28T14:10:53","slug":"nicole-pepper-christ-church-sport-scholar-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/christchurchsport\/nicole-pepper-christ-church-sport-scholar-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicole Pepper, Christ Church Sport Scholar – Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"4\"<\/a>It all started for me at the age of 13. \u00a0I finally found a local girls’ football team to play in. During my first season I racked up a solid 55 goals! \u00a0It was only at the end of that season that I thought to myself, ‘this is what I want to do in the future!’ <\/span><\/p>\n

At the age of 15, I was scouted for Charlton. \u00a0The standard was so different which enabled me to develop as a player. By 16\/17 I was in the first team at Gillingham, gaining more experience by the minute. At 17, I was selected for my first ever England Under 19’s camp. I was over the moon! I found myself constantly rereading\u00a0the email I received as I felt I was in a dream. <\/span><\/p>\n

I spent just under two \"image2\"<\/a>years playing for Chelsea’s development squad. I continued to enjoy playing and my game was constantly improving. Whilst at Chelsea, I got to train with some of the best players in the world – training alongside the likes of Eniola Aluko and Katie Chapman. <\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of my second season I decided it was time to move on and push to get first team in an FA WSL 2 side. I began training with Watford Ladies and immediately felt that was the team for me! Shortly after I signed my inaugural\u00a0first team contract and have gone on to feature in all matches since. <\/span><\/p>\n

I’m so determined to continue to improve my game. I am currently pushing myself to be selected for England Under 23’s. The hard work is just beginning. My dream is slowly becoming true!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It all started for me at the age of 13. \u00a0I finally found a local girls’ football team to play in. During my first season I racked up a solid […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116870,"featured_media":164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,37,85,129],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christ-church-sport","category-football","category-scholars","category-women-in-sport"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t