SUPER striker Amber Holt showed the boys how it was done by scoring 23 goals in just 17 games in her debut season for the Durham Women FC Regional Talent Club (RTC) U10s team.
The ten-year-old has been snapped up again for RTC's U11 team which will again compete against the boys in the Russell Foster League, on Wearside.
Amber and her family have just moved Staindrop from Crakehall, near Bedale, and she is due to start classes at the village primary school in September. In the meantime, the family is on the look-out for sponsors to help cover the cost of Amber’s training and match kit, along with training and other fees.
Dad Dave said: “She has always been football mad, with natural ability from a young age. She trained with boys’ team from when she was five.
“She got picked up by Leeds United and then ended up at Durham. Last season was her first at Durham and she really bloomed. She grew so much in confidence and her skill set has gone through the roof.
“She ended up scoring 23 goals in 17 games in the boys’ league. She had a fantastic first season.”
Having played seven-a-side for the U10s, this coming season sees nine-a-side on a bigger pitch with larger goals.
Mr Holt said Amber – who, like her dad, supports Championship strugglers Huddersfield Town – had been keeping busy working on her fitness and skills during the lockdown.
“We only really had the back garden to practice in, but she had lots of technical stuff to work on and Zoom fitness sessions,” he said.
When training resumes, sessions will be held at Durham University.
Mr Holt, who played amateur football to a decent standard until a serious achilles injury, said the facilities were superb.
“It’s like a sports campus – a very high standard.”
Amber is not the only footballer in the family – older sister Lola is also training with the Durham U14s.
Mr Holt said he appreciated it was a difficult time for many businesses trying to get back on their feet in the wake of the Covid-19 alert, but if anyone can help sponsor Amber, he can be contacted on 07971 132444.
