Interview from Katie
The Football Player
Katie Chapman , 25 , from Kent , plays for the England Women's Football Team and the Arsenal Ladies team as well as being mum to five year old Harvey.
" Women should be in the kitchen not on a football pitch " , is one of comments I've had to put up with in the past. But they've tended to come from older guys who see football as a man's game. And People's perceptions are changing.
'I started playing football aged 11 and I was lucky growing up because my school has a team I could join. I know that not all girls have the same opportunity. People did think I was a bit of a tomboy but my parents and friends were always really supportive which is what counts. So i didn't take any notice of what people said and didn't let it get me down.
It is hard work and takes determination but like any sport the key to being successful is to enjoy it. Football is quite a physical game so you can get hurt. In that respect women are at a disadvantage compared to men , but on a tactical and technical level , we are more than equal.
It is different for boys , they grow up living and breathing football , so it seems natural for them to get involved.
But now it's becoming much easier for girls , too , as there are lots more teams and with women's football the fastest growing sport in the country , it's more widely acceptable for girls to play. It's sad that because football is such a male dominated sport that there's a stereotype of women footballers being butch and unfeminine.
I'm currently training to be a beautician and I love being girly and getting all glammed up , so it's clearly not true. But I guess it comes with the territory. Most guys think it's pretty cool that I play for England '.
