Behind the Boots

Episode 2: introducing Sheen

Sheen is an integral part of Phoenix, and our Italian stallion is known for her dependable defending, left-footed magic and saving many a game with whichever part of her body she can throw in the way! Sheen’s absolute heart of gold is often hidden by her powerhouse play, but here at Phoenix we couldn’t love her more.

Sheen started to play for Phoenix two years ago, but remembers loving football as a kid. As a twin, Sheen found her personal identity on the pitch, her place among her teammates, her space to be truly and authentically herself.

Getting back into football as an adult happened rather serendipitously when a friend encouraged Sheen to get involved:

“We was doing an advert for Amazon to promote International Women’s Day so I agreed to take part in the training session… I was so nervous and barely spoke, but everyone was so welcoming I never left!” 

[Ed’s note: I remember Sheen’s first session and I wasn’t sure if she was enjoying it and if she’d come back, but we’re so glad she did!]

Since then, Sheen has built football into her very busy schedule – balancing an unparalleled commitment to work and her little boy alongside training and matches. Sheen’s skill in the game is undoubted, and we all feel such trust and joy to share the pitch with her. We can always rely on Sheen to have our backs: even when she gets kicked in the face, or slammed to the floor, she’s straight back up and in the game – sometimes even against our loving advice!

Paradoxically, one massive thing about Sheen is her humility. She truly has no idea how valued she is both on and off the pitch, and what a powerhouse player she is:

“There is so much more talent than me on the pitch”

Sheen is always thinking about others first, celebrating everyone on the team before herself. When we asked her to name someone she would want to borrow a skill from on the pitch, she chose Elisa:

“I would have Elisa’s ability to bring the ball down and control it. It’s like the ball gets stuck to her foot like a magnet and the instant control just astounds me.”  

Building on this, Sheen added:

“I wanted to think outside the box. Elisa just has so much control – it’s something I would love to do. Honestly there are so many talents on the pitch! Little Whippet [Fran] with her skills; Skilton with her headers; Rach, Chloe and Donna running up and down the wing; Lucy, Luce and Soph’s ability to adjust to goalkeeping roles so well. Strikers with their amazing goals. Chloe B and Amanda with their amazing defence and ability to cut out anything that comes their way. Steph and Toni who read the gameplay amazingly. Happy to be part of this amazing team.”

For Sheen, football isn’t just about individuals. As she named the skills she sees across the team, it was clear that for her football isn’t about standing out, it’s about standing together. Within the team Sheen has found a place of belonging with others. Her three words to describe Phoenix epitomise this perfectly:

“SAFE. FAMILY. LOVE.”

“Football has become my happy place. If I’m struggling mentally, the one thing that makes me happy and puts a smile on my face is getting on the pitch and kicking a ball about – it’s instant release. Kinda like a beautiful sunrise on a gloomy day.”

This sense of safety, belonging and support makes it possible for players to experiment, take risks and develop new skills. It’s exactly what makes growth possible both on and off the pitch. We asked Sheen whether there is a skill she’d currently like to develop, and in typical Sheen fashion, her answer celebrated others in the team:

“I would really love to improve my cross-ins – it’s amazing how the girls who do corners get the height and precision on balls and that’s something I really want to work on and improve.”

Sheen doesn’t do things by halves – and it’s no different off the pitch. She’s a qualified carpenter, and despite not being in this field now, she shows an immense commitment to all her work projects – we’ve never known anyone work so many hours and still find time for football, learning astronomy and making memories with her beautiful boy. Not to mention her newfound love for pickleball! No matter the setting, the same loyalty, secret-softy-self and dedication shine through.

We asked the team to describe Sheen in one word, and our choices reflect how thoroughly loved this Italian pocket rocket is. Phoenix would be incomplete without her!

“Solid. Dependable. Loyal. Stylish. Lefty. Bold. Bestie. Cutie-pie. Sweet. Determined. Legend. Resilient. Stubborn. Shy. Gentle. Kind. Supportive. Humble. Hardworking. Dedicated. Committed. Warrior. Strong. Rock. Unstoppable.”