United Ladies Celebrate International Recognition
Oxford United Ladies' remarkable season has resulted in an international call up for Katie Stanley.
The United winger has been called up for the Great Britain squad for the World University Games in Russia this summer. As part of this she has also been selected for the England Women's Under-23 squad for a training camp and friendly fixtures against Norway and Sweden on Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th June.
23-year-old Katie, from Thame, has been part of the Ladies team which won their league and county cup and will compete in the Women's Super League 2 from next season.
She was thrilled with the call up, as she told www.oufc.co.uk:
"I have been doing my level 2 coaching badges and when I got the news saying that I had been called up I was on my course and had to try not to jump around too much! It's the first time I have been involved at this level and I am very honoured to get the call up."
Katie came back to Oxfordshire after a successful spell in America on a scholarship, joining up with The U's in January :
"It has been fantastic. The team played so well, we will be on a bigger stage next season and everyone at the club is working so hard to move things forward. Sahara Osborne-Ricketts, the captain, was one of the first people I phoned with the news, after my family, and she was thrilled for me, just like all the girls now they know. We are a strong team, very together, and I am representing all of us really."
It looks like being a busy summer for Katie:
"We join up with the England squad this month for the training camp and games, then the other girls join us for the GB squad and we get ready for Russia. It is going to be a hard group. We play Brazil, Japan and Estonia in the group stage and Brazil and Japan in particular have very strong ladies' sides.
"It will be a fantastic experience to be involved. The World Games are a massive event and I'm really looking forward to it now."