Head of Girls' Academy Emma Hunter: Q and A

After a busy start to the season, across various age groups, Hearts' head of girls' academy, Emma Hunter spoke to the Official Hearts Website about the very latest goings on at Oriam, including the introduction of the U20s friendly fixtures programme and an update on the young Jambos currently out on loan in the SWPL.

 

Q: Last time we spoke, we discussed the importance of implementing a strategy, which ensured the players have all the tools that they need and are in an environment in which they can thrive. How would you assess how implementing our strategy is progressing?

 

A: “I think it’s progressing really well. It’s not just myself that is working on the strategy, it’s the wider club, which is fantastic to get the right support and get our objectives over the line. Our main vision within that strategy is to make sure that we have players ready to perform at first-team level.

 

“We knew that there was a gap in that area with the SFA’s transition to next-gen. We knew we had to act really quickly to ensure that we were bridging that gap between the academy and the first team, and we’ve introduced a lot over the past six months.

 

“We’ve managed to get some of our high-performing academy players out on loan. It’s important for us that we retain our young, talented players. Some have gone straight into the women’s first team, which is great, but some need that wee bit more experience, but still remain with the club, so for them to join SWPL clubs on loan is very exciting.”

 

Q: We’ve also introduced an Under 20’s friendlies fixture programme, which will presumably help bridge that gap also?

 

“Yeah, so we’ve created a programme which is being run with the support of the SFA and some of the full-time professional clubs. We’re looking at an under-20’s fixture calendar for the year which will this year consist of five or six fixtures between each other and then some cross-border fixtures.

 

“This means we can have our young players playing against not only some of the best in Scotland, but also in England, where the growth is really strong in the women’s game.

 

“So, for us, it’s about those players going out on loan and getting minutes, but also then coming back into the Hearts environment and being able to play in these under-20’s fixtures, where they’ll be watched by Eva Olid and her first team staff.

 

“The squad will generally consist of those loan players coming back in, some first team players who maybe require top up minutes, but also our high-performing under-17s, so I’m really excited to see that come to fruition this year.”

 

Q: The word pathway is mentioned a lot in academies up and down the country, how would you assess where Hearts is at just now and what are the next steps to making our pathway even better?

 

A: “One of the reasons I came to Hearts was because I saw them as being a club that was progressive in the women’s and girls’ game. It’s all about progression. The pathway right now is really good, but it’s something we’re always looking to improve.

 

“We’re fortunate here that we take a development squad, which is before they get into academy Under-12s. So we look to identify some of the best players in the region and get them to not only play with their grassroots club, but also train with us here at Hearts to give them an extra opportunity.

 

“We have that pathway all the way up to under-17s, but then the hardest thing is that gulf between a 16 or 17-year-old trying to get into the first team and it’s becoming more and more difficult.

 

“We can see that with Hearts Women progressing really, really well, that ultimately makes it harder for our academy players to make it in there, so the under-20s programme is designed to try and help bridge that gap.”

 

Q: Touching on some of our players out on loan at SWPL clubs, we had three at Dundee United who played at Celtic Park on the opening day of the season, these are going to be brilliant experiences for all of our players to learn from?

 

A: All of the players come back in for top-up sessions and it’s something we discuss as a group. It was a tough result for them, but there’s so many things they can learn from that. When you’re in an academy environment, sometimes, there’s only so much you can give them, without the opportunities themselves.

 

“Having that resilience is something they’re going to need to work on, but we’ve put two of our young players into SWPL football, when they’re actually still eligible for under-17s, but we felt that with where they’re at and the ability they have, that they needed to experience that.

 

“So, lots of learning opportunities for them and it’s just great to see them being challenged, but also, I hope they still feel connected to the club, as we’ve done a lot to work to ensure that also.

 

Q: I guess it’s about finding that balance between making sure we do what’s best for their development, but also make it clear that they’re still very much a part of the club?

 

A: 100%. We know that with some of the club’s they’re going to, they’re maybe not getting as many gym sessions as full-time players would here, so it’s important that we offer that top-up.

 

“We’ve done that in a variety of ways. We’re allowing them to come back into any academy sessions that would suit their calendar. We’ve had a look at each individual player and the areas that they need to work on, but we’ve also introduced a Thursday top-up session where they can come in and have gym sessions, pitch sessions, individual sessions and they’re integrating with the women’s first team.

 

“It also gives them that safety net of being able to talk to each other about their experiences at different clubs, but also to make them aware that we’re all supporting them on this journey.”

 

Q: Last time we spoke with you, Jessica and Erin Husband had just broken into the women’s first team. They’ve kicked on a lot since then, I guess they’re ultimately the benchmark, not only for younger players in the academy, but for you guys as staff to get as many academy players into that environment as possible?

 

A: “They’re great role models. They’ve had to be patient. It might look as if they’ve had an easy journey and transition into first team football, but there’s been times when Jess was getting more minutes and Erin was on the bench more.

 

“They’ve shown a real resilience, they’ve stuck in, and they’ve used their opportunity really well and that’s something they’ve done throughout their whole time in the academy.

 

“I think it’s really important that we do use them as role models. If you can’t see it, you can’t be it. I think we’re really fortunate to have such professional young players who set an example for others.

 

“Everybody’s journey is different and here at the academy, we recognise that. We’re trying to give those different options for different players. It might be a loan spell first, but it’s important that we offer different pathways for each individual.

 

“So, for under-17’s group, I think it’s important that they can see both examples there as options for them. You’ve got SWPL football here at Hearts like Jess and Erin, but you can also see that it’s not just two academy players playing SWPL football at Hearts, there are six or seven, when you look at that bigger picture.”

 

Q: Just finally, it would be easy to focus on the progression of the women’s team here at Hearts, but how is the academy progressing in terms of girls’ football and what can we still improve on?

 

A: “It is progressing. Everyone that has been involved in the women’s game for so long, would say that they’re really happy with the progress that is being made.

 

“I think the key word that we don’t use often is acceleration. Particularly here in Scotland, we’re looking to accelerate the game, not just progress it. It’s the biggest growing sport in the world.

 

“Have we captured that at the right time and in the right moments? It’s definitely something that the SFA are looking to do. Making sure that we’re not just progressing, but we’re accelerating and keeping up with the rest of the nations.

 

“They’re doing a lot of work researching other countries are doing, which models work, and which ones aren’t as successful. The next gen programme is that first step of the acceleration and hopefully we can start to accelerate it even more.

 

“The important thing for us here at Hearts is to ensure that we’re not just keeping up with the progress, but making sure that we’re the catalyst’s, accelerating things. I feel we’re doing that at the moment, it’s just about keeping that momentum going.”