Little Kicks: Born Kicking with April Udall (age 10)

The magazine’s young-reader slot, this issue visiting footie-mad ten-year-old April Udall in Wolverhampton. She plays for Wolverhampton Olympics and her school team, supports Wolves and England, watches Ireland for her grandad, is two-footed but mainly left, and plays striker for the feeling of being in the box about to score. She would like to meet Messi to learn from his skill, and to play alongside Wolves Women’s Ali Miller, who has also competed for England at trampolining, and Millie Bright. Her heroes are Leo Joyce, who joined Wolves Women at 13, and Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis. She shouts ‘post, people’ at corners, values that everybody is included in her school side, and answers her own extra question: her goal is to play for Wolves and sign an autograph for a young girl.