Former Arsenal striker and Sports Village athlete Kelly Smith has been shortlisted for the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year for the fourth successive year.
The striker, who recently left the Gunners to pursue a lucrative career in the USA with the Boston Breakers, is widely regarded as England’s best female player of her generation having already been voted fourth and fifth (twice) in the prestigious poll.
Kelly’s selection for FIFA World Player of the Year comes off the back of a successful European Championships in Finland where England were runners up to Germany in the final.
The performance team at Hertfordshire Sports Village has been working with Kelly and other members of the England Football Ladies Squads for over 3 years. The programme funded by the FA consists of strength and conditioning session, speed agility sessions and football specific sessions. There are currently 5 athletes selected for the senior squad training at the Sports Village -Kelly Smith, Faye White, Alex Scott, Dunia Susi and Natasha Dowie. They are currently working towards world cup qualification with the next fixture against Turkey on the 26th November.
Find out more about Kelly and view the nominations for the 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year
