I had to beat the boys... and their dads
How Stokes won war of the sexes
AS ENGLAND’S women push to break new ground with a European Championship title assault this summer, flying full-back Demi Stokes has a long-term influential voice in her ear.
While others simply have their parents, siblings or other f a mi l y members flying to Holland, the Manchester City left-back has the man who first got her into football — her primary school teacher — as well.
I an Williamson t aught Stokes from the age of 10 at Marine Park primary school in South Shields, where she developed the battling qualities that have made England so organised down the left flank.
There, she played in boys teams — even going on to captain them — in the first moulding of one of t he finest full- back talents in Europe.
St okes endured abuse from opponents and their fathers on the touchlines, which she says helped build a thick skin. ‘I’d say I was the best in my school teams, we had an all-girls team and then we had a boys team so I was on that and then captained the boys team in my last year... that was interesting,’ says Stokes, 25.
‘I had some run-ins with a couple of the boys, they’d laugh at a girl being captain but they’d come and say sorry afterwards.
‘I enjoyed school but it was unusual. Not only are you competing against the boys on the field when you were little, you were competing with their dads on the sidelines, making comments — so I think it definitely made a difference playing against boys from a young age.
‘You’ve got to grow a thick skin, you’ve got to be tough, you’re going to get boys kicking you and maybe saying things that aren’t nice — but it’s part of the game.’
Williamson helped her develop her passion for football on a journey from the North East, through a fouryear sports scholarship in Florida to Manchester City and now to this summer’s tournament in Holland.
‘My sister and auntie came out today, which I’m excited for,’ Stokes says of her family invites to tonight’s game. ‘Then I have my primary school teacher coming. My primary school t eacher from year six, who got me into football, is coming out with his family so I’m really excited for that.
‘ He’s someone who, if I have a decision to make, I ring him — still now — or he’ll message me and say, “What about that shot?” or whatever. He keeps me on my toes.’
Stokes played for Sunderland after leaving school but found her development limited by the team’s part-time status and the lack of professionalism in the women’s game in England. She took up a scholarship at the University of South Florida and earned an England call-up in her final year.
‘I went there [to Florida] and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. It opened opportunities and doors and I think it’s where Mark (Sampson, England women’s manager) saw me play for the first time as well.’ Stokes is playing in her first major tournament but there are no nerves as England prepare to build on the 6-0 win over Scotland. ‘ If you get too caught up in t he moment it passes you by and next thing you know the tournament’s done,’ Stokes says. ‘So my idea is to acknowledge you’re here but go and enjoy it.’ England hope that Stokes’ smile will be even wider tonight.