There’s something special about seeing your name and number on the back of a shirt.
For Princess Ademiluyi, it is a dream that has turned into a reality. The 16-year-old forward has been handed the No60 shirt by Women’s first-team manager Paul Konchesky for the remainder of the 2022/23 WSL campaign.
Having joined the West Ham United Women’s Academy five years ago when she was successful in a trial for the U14 team, Ademiluyi becomes the first-ever player to move through every stage of the pathway.
It is a proud moment for the 16-year-old, but she knows that there is still a lot of work to be done and a long way to go before she establishes herself in east London.
The forward has spent time throughout the season training with the first-team squad, most notably during the February international break, but it is the work that she put in during the different phases of her time during the Academy that she believes will help her most with moving into the first-team setup on a more permanent basis.
“I’m really pleased to be making this step up into the first team,” said Ademiluyi.
“I’ve been with West Ham for a long time, starting out with a trial and then working my way through into the U21 squad and now with a chance in the first team, it’s been a brilliant journey and I’m excited for what’s next.”
“I’ve had incredible support from a number of coaches throughout my time in the Academy throughout all levels, and I wouldn’t be the player that I am today without them. I’d also like to thank Stephen [Opoka] and Paul [Konchesky] for their support – they’ve been huge in helping with my development in such a short space of time.”
It can sometimes be difficult for a young player to integrate themselves into a first-team environment and adapt to the physical and mental demands of the first team, but Ademiluyi has found the senior players to be welcoming.
She also says that knowing that there is a pathway for young players is something that has made the whole experience a lot easier.
“I have to say, the Club have been brilliant with me,” she confirmed.
“I just think knowing that the Club wants young players to do well and are willing to give minutes to their young players is fantastic.
“We’ve had some of the younger players in the senior squad like Halle [Houssein] and Keira [Flannery] come down and play with the U21s this season, and then the next week they’re coming off the bench or starting in the FA Cup.
“You won’t see many other WSL clubs doing that because of the competitiveness of the division and the number of quality players that are coming over to play here.
“All of the team have been brilliant with me – they’ve made me feel so welcome. Even the little things like saying hello in the morning, asking questions and making sure that I’m okay.
“I’m working with international players that have hundreds of appearances, so I’m trying to be like a sponge and take it all in. I’m slowly adapting to the levels that I need to hit, that’s going to take time, but I’m enjoying every moment and learning a lot at the same time.
“Paul and his staff have been great too, they’ve obviously been there, either themselves or have seen other young players step up and come through – so they’ve been really supportive and encouraging with the step up in training and I’d like to thank them for that.”
Though her journey into senior football is barely beginning at just 16 years of age, Ademiluyi speaks with a maturity beyond her tender years.
And whilst she knows that it will take her time to adapt to the new level, she hopes to give every day her all whilst with the first team.
“I know that I need to take each day as it comes and that there will be ups and downs, but I want to come in and make an impact,” she continued.
“I want to be able to help the team if I’m called upon and needed, I need to make sure that I’m ready for that moment if it arrives.
“I know that I’ll gain so much from training with my teammates, and that in itself will be brilliant for my development.”
West Ham United will be celebrating International Women’s Day on Wednesday 8 March 2023 – and Ademiluyi believes that it is important to have role models to look up to at a young age.
Though, she never believed that she would have the opportunity to train with her own role model growing up, Kate Longhurst.
“Kate has been here for a couple of seasons now and she was my idol in women’s football when I was growing up,” she explained. “I used to watch her and think about how amazing it would be to have the opportunity to play and train alongside her.
“She’s a West Ham legend and being able to have conversations with her and be in this environment with her is something that I never thought I would experience.
“The way that the Women’s game has grown means that players are more accessible to fans, and I think that can only be a good thing for the sport – it gives people idols to look up to.
“I think that what makes Women’s football so brilliant, the interactions with fans at the end, being able to speak to players as a supporter is something you don’t often see and long may that continue because it’s inspiring the next generation.”
