HAYES footballer Jenna Dear became an international captain last week at the age of just 14.
And it was a winning start too as the Harlington Community School pupil skippered England Women's U15s to a 2-1 victory over Republic of Ireland.
Dear, who has been with Reading FC Girls Centre of Excellence since she was six, will always treasure the number eight shirt that she gets to keep for skippering the England side.
But judging by her progress so far, she looks like receiving many more such international honours.
After being called up for a training camp last October, Dear made her international debut against Holland earlier this year and she impressed enough for head coach Kay Cossington to select her as skipper for the match against Ireland at Wellbeck College, Loughborough, last Wednesday.
Dear, who started playing for the now defunct Yiewsley Predators and also played for Hayes & Yeading Youth, has her sight set on gaining a scholarship in America in the future.
“The college game in America is bigger and better over there and it can hopefully lead to a professional career,” said her father Michael.
