Aylesbury Vale Dynamos player Olivia ready for her big day at UEFA Women's Euro 2022

The Aylesbury Vale Dynamos Weetabix Wildcats player will be walking out onto the pitch at the UEFA Women’s Euro and handing the match ball to the referee.

Olivia, 8, has been chosen by Just Eat to be the Official Match Ball Deliverer for Spain’s game with Finland at Stadium MK.

Her successful nomination to the Berks & Bucks FA explained how she has been playing football in the garden ever since she could walk.

A strong runner, she scored nine goals in a Wildcats friendly and wants to be a striker just like her cousin who plays for the Dynamos Youth U13 boys team.

"Olivia said she’s a little bit nervous because there’s going to be hundreds of people in the stadium,” said her mum Katie Brown.

"I had to tell her there’s going to be thousands, but she’s very excited to have been picked and we’re excited and proud for her and can’t wait to see her taking part.”

Olivia’s favourite player is Aylesbury’s Ellen White, England’s all-time top goalscorer.

Football is very much in Olivia’s family. Olivia’s grandad, Ian Brown, was a referee for Berks & Bucks FA for many years and also ran and played for Stocklake FC, which is now home to the Dynamos.

Olivia’s auntie used to play for Aylesbury United Ladies, and Olivia’s mum has volunteered to help coach her new U9s team in the 2022/23 season.

The St Edward’s Junior School pupil was due to take part in the half-time parade to celebrate International Women’s Day during Reading Women’s game against Manchester United Women in March but unfortunately caught Covid the day before and was very disappointed to miss out.

To celebrate the Women’s Euro, Dynamos are offering free girls’ football training until Saturday, July 30, the day before the final. The sessions are open to all abilities, from complete beginners to girls who are already playing football.

Weetabix Wildcats - 5 to 11 years from 9am to 10am and Squad Girls’ Football -12 to 14 years from 10.15am to 11.15am

With over 500 registered players, Dynamos is the largest community football club in Aylesbury. The club is an FA-approved centre to deliver Weetabix Wildcats and Squad Girls’ Football training, and recently created a new committee to oversee the growth of female football in the club.

"It’s an exciting time for girls’ football," said the new Head of Women’s Football, Toby O’Callaghan.

"We’ve seen the number of girls grow week-on-week and we are expecting even more interest due to the Women’s Euros, especially as four of the games are being played locally in Milton Keynes."

The club will be showing the England Women games on the big screen at the Greenfleets Stadium clubhouse in Haywood Way.

"You don’t have to be a member to watch the games," said Toby. "All the family can come down to cheer on the Lionesses."

As well as looking for new players, the club is also looking for volunteer coaches to help grow the new girls’ section and sponsors for the 2022/23 season.

For more information on playing, coaching or sponsoring a team, email: [email protected], call/text: 07517 643152 or search for @avdfcgirls on social media.

Development team: Dynamos’ Head of Football Development, Colin Young, has said he is delighted to announce the new management team for their Development squad, who were league champions in their debut season.

"The crucial job of carrying on the great work falls on the shoulders of joint managers Dave Mellor and Will Dodds, working alongside Dave Percy and Tom Bamford,” he said.

“I have seen first hand the sessions Will put on for the U18s and first team at Winslow United and have no doubt he’ll pass on that same enthusiasm and knowledge to the Dev squad this coming pre-season.”

Dodds is a UEFA C License coach about to embark on his B License.

Mellor is a highly experienced coach with MK Dons, including managing their Ladies team for a number of seasons, taking on the development of their Boys age group sqauds up to U18 and somehow finding time to provide Scouting duties to Peterborough Utd.

He is a UEFA B License holder and about to take on his A License.