Claudia Walker happy to be back training with Everton Ladies

Walker Happy To Be Back

The season may have finished back in early November but that didn’t stop Claudia Walker from regularly visiting Finch Farm. Thankfully now, with the Ladies squad back in full pre-season training, she has an excuse.

Last season’s top scorer is constantly driving herself to improve and that meant pestering manager Andy Spence for one-on-one sessions throughout the off season.

“There have been a few of us in over the break at Finch Farm,” she smiles. “Some of the players, including myself, were called up for England camps so we did a little bit of preparation work before that to make sure we were ready.

“Then there were a couple of us who just couldn’t stay away! I was doing a few sessions with Millie Turner before she left and Meg Finnigan over the off season, just so we were ready to come back.”

With her pre-pre-season under her belt, Walker returned to training with the group earlier this and is happy to get the first few weeks – and the endless testing - out the way.

“We’ve had all kinds of testing,” she adds. “We’ve all had screening just to make sure any old injuries have healed up or anything new is being treated properly. Then you have things like strength and conditioning tests. From the results of those, the coaches can determine an individual programme for you to follow.

“We have had set programmes over the break, so for instance mine was to work on my speed and power. I was in the gym working on quick movements with heavy weights.

“The dreaded one though is the yoyo test. That’s the one where you have to run back and forth between the lines before the ‘bleep’ sounds. Nobody likes that one!”

While it is nice to be back and reunited with her teammates, Walker is already turning her attentions and focus to the objective at hand, namely finishing the job of last season and gaining promotion to WSL 1.

“It was great to catch up with everyone when we were all back in. It was good for us to have the break because last season ended on a downer but everyone has had time to process it, get over it and come back refreshed.

“We have got to now focus on the Spring Series but as soon as that is done it is all about fighting as hard as we can for promotion.

“It is a little bit frustrating to have to wait for the new season but we can use the break to our advantage, to change our patterns of play for example, and everyone can improve. It also gives us more time as a team to gel and enhance that positive team culture that we want.”

Everton FC


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