Diary of an 8-year-old

Stella Rogers, aged 8, attended the 'Equality 4 All' three-day event and kept a short photo diary of her experience...

Tuesday 2 August: 09:50



Arrived at Picton Sports Centre just before 10am in my full Liverpool kit, with Gerrard 8 on the back, and my sandwiches in my LFC lunch box. As I was the first girl to turn up, the Liverpool FC coaches let me sit with them until some of the other girls arrived. Rishi, one of the coaches, was really nice to me and was asking me who my favourite players were. I told him I really like Luis Suarez now. I used to like Fernando Torres but I think he's rubbish now.



Tuesday 2 August: 15:05  

Just finished my first day on the course and it was brilliant. We did loads of skills training and played a match at the end. I didn't score any goals in the match but I scored twice in training. A boy from the year above me in school was on the camp as well but luckily he was in the Under-9 age group which was lucky because at school, me and my friends battle him and his mates on top yard every lunchtime.

Wednesday 3 August: 12:15

We had a penalty shoot-out competition this morning but I didn't do very well. I didn't score any of my penalty kicks which was a bit embarrassing but it wasn't really fair as the goalkeeper we were playing against was too good. I did well when we played 'Cats and Mice' though. I was one of the mice with a bib hanging out of my shorts and the 'cats' had to grab it and if they did, you were out. I was really quick and got through to the last two before I got caught. I thought I was going to win but there were too many people chasing me and I couldn't escape.

Wednesday 3 August: 15:10

Scored a goal in the match this afternoon and Tony, my coach who is very nice, said I played really well because I wasn't afraid to tackle the boys. I used to be scared of tackling but I'm not now. My dad says I'm like Mascherano because I'm so small and like to get stuck in. The only girl smaller than me on the camp is Nicole, my friend from Mosley Hill Under-8s.



Amy, one of the Liverpool coaches, is really nice and very pretty. If I don't get into The Academy and become a footballer, I would like to do her job when I'm older.




Thursday 4 August: 16:00

Had a brilliant day. Made a new friend called Anna. She lives in West Derby and was really nice. There were some boys who supported Everton at the camp but Anna supported Liverpool like me and Nicole. I did a lot better in the penalty shoot-out competition today. I scored four of my penalties but I missed one and got knocked out before I could get to the final.



We played attackers v defenders in the afternoon and I was one of the attackers and managed to score a really good goal. I also scored a goal in the match at the end. The boys were chasing after me but I managed to beat them all and score. I think there were some scouts from The Academy watching because I got invited to go to another LFC summer camp just for girls at Peter Lloyd in West Derby later this month. I can't wait.



At the end I got my picture taken with Ste, my favourite coach there, and was given a signed Steven Gerrard photo and a certificate signed by King Kenny and all the players. I loved all three days and can't wait to go on the next camp. I just want to play for Liverpool.