ByAnonymous, Anonymous
Team GB have confirmed its Ladies open football squad, completing at the Maccabiah Games for the first time.
GB received more than 35 applications and, following two trial sessions held last summer, a squad of 16 containing players aged between 18 and 39 years was selected.
They have been training together under the watchful eye of manager Brad Solomon since September 2008. The squad have been put through their paces with intensive sessions led by a team of coaches who have experience of working with Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
With three months to go before the big kick-off, the squad is scheduled to take part in weekly training sessions with a set of friendlies lined up between now and the end of May.
Solomon admits that the squad is “strong” but that “with 16 players, we would benefit from having one or possibly two more players to help boost the depth of the squad. He said: “Having only 16 in Israel may disadvantage us if we suffer any injuries.”
Coach Lee Bassin believes that the team have started to gel and “will be competitive and ready when the tournament starts. He said: “The key to our success so far has been the total commitment shown by all the players to learn new skills and how to play as a team, as well as to fundraise effortlessly to ensure the squad get to Israel.”
The squad: Dana Lucas (Brentford FC), Jo Strous (Katabella FC), Dani Bassin (Hampstead WFC), Claire Lewis (Hampstead WFC), Tamar Koch (Katabella FC), Kate Freeman (Hampstead WFC), Tanya Willman (Cambridge University FC), Judith Adelson, Ellie Bard (Hampstead WFC), Sophie Joseph (Bushey FC), Ewa Holander (Katabella FC), Talia Ben Harosh (Birmingham University FC), Aimee Cohen (Hampstead WFC), Jaime Minter Green (Hampstead WFC), Aimee Lindsay (Old Bromlieans FC), Michal (Sheri) Ben Atar (Hampstead WFC). Team manager: Brad Solomon, coach: Lee Bassin, assistant-coach: Elliot Smith